Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the outset, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of play with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing collection of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous players shooting for the high, and a few trying for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.