Omaha Hi/Lo: General Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players often get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest value 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 lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing array of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have many players shooting for the high hand, along with many battling for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.