Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi-low begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. After all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants can get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same notion in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated initially, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of play simply enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing assortment of betting choices and because you have many individuals battling for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.
