Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants 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 confused. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize precisely three cards on 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 "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same concept in almost every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complex at first, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo provides an amazing collection of betting options and seeing that you have several individuals battling for the high, along with many battling for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.
