Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five 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 lower hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at the start, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an exciting collection of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, and several trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi-low.
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