Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical approach in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem difficult at first, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the base subtleties of play 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 being used at once, Omaha hi/lo offers an exciting range of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous players shooting for the high, along with a few shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.