Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi/low begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of betting ensues where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants can get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, 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 can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/lo offers an amazing collection of wagering options and seeing that you have several individuals battling for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
