Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. After all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants can get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical notion in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the action. When deciding on 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 A-2-3-4-5. Considering that 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 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complex at the outset, following a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of play with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo offers an overwhelming range of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have several players shooting for the high, along with several battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi/lo.