Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants can get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in just about all poker games.
A low 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 can be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complex at the start, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming assortment of wagering options and because you have many individuals battling for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
