Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times 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 play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many players get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same concept in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems difficult at the outset, after a few rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances 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 being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting assortment of wagering choices and seeing that you have several players trying for the high hand, along with many trying for the low hand. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha/8.
