Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players often get baffled. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in nearly all poker games.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complicated at first, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting assortment of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals battling for the high, and several trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.