Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems difficult initially, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi/low provides an exciting collection of wagering options and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi/low.