Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi/low begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same notion in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at the start, following a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, along with many battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
