Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi/lo begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants can get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical notion in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being 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 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complex at the start, following a few hands you will be able to get the base nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming assortment of betting options and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high hand, along with many shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
