Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen 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 primary reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems difficult at the start, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game easily enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/low provides an amazing range of betting options and because you have many individuals battling for the high hand, as well as several shooting for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
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