Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
Although it seems complicated at the outset, after a couple of rounds you will be able to get the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing array of wagering possibilities and because you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as many shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
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