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 game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants often get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. 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 just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complex at the outset, after a couple of rounds you will be able to get the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi lo offers an exciting collection of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have numerous players trying for the high hand, and many shooting for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi-low.
