Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants 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 a few players can get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use precisely three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at the start, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting range of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, along with a few battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.
