Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi/lo begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. After all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players can get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Since you have players 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 exciting range of betting possibilities and because you have numerous players battling for the high, along with many trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha High-Low.
