Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants often get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower 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. It is the very same approach in nearly all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.
While it seems complex at first, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting array of betting possibilities and because you have many players battling for the high, and a few trying for the low. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.