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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many players often get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. 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 strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at the start, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the basic subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an amazing range of betting choices and because you have many individuals trying for the high, as well as several shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha/8.
