Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi lo begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same notion in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complicated at first, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing range of betting choices and because you have several individuals trying for the high hand, and many battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha hi/low.
