Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems complicated at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an amazing range of wagering possibilities and because you have several individuals battling for the high, along with many trying for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
