Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players often get flustered. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complex at the outset, following a few hands you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/low provides an exciting assortment of betting choices and seeing that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha Hi-Lo.
