Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi lo starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players often get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in almost all poker games.
A 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 could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems difficult initially, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming collection of wagering options and because you have numerous players trying for the high hand, and a few shooting for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.
