Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi low begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players can get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest being 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 lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem difficult at the start, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering 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 8 or better offers an exciting assortment of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous players battling for the high hand, and several shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha Hi-Lo.