Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi-low starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants often get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical approach in almost all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems complicated at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi-low offers an amazing range of betting choices and because you have many individuals trying for the high, as well as a few battling for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.