Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. 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 value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complex at first, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing collection of wagering choices and seeing that you have several individuals battling for the high, as well as a few battling for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.