Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi-low begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many players get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complex initially, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an overwhelming assortment of betting options and because you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, along with several battling for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.
