Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi/lo starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The players will have to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants can get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in just about every poker game.
A low 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 worst hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem difficult initially, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the base subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha hi-low offers an amazing array of betting possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, and a few trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi/lo.
