Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complicated initially, following a few hands you will be able to get the base subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha hi/low offers an amazing assortment of betting options and because you have several players shooting for the high, as well as many battling for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha hi/low.