Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of betting ensues where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants can get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha hi/lo provides an exciting collection of betting choices and because you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, along with many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.
