Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering ensues 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 the point where many players can get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 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 how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
Although it seems complicated at the outset, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the base subtleties of play easily enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting collection of wagering options and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high, and a few battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi low.
