Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha Hi-Lo begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players can get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 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’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in almost all poker games.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s 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 worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complicated at the start, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing range of betting possibilities and because you have numerous players battling for the high hand, along with several trying for the low. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi low.