Omaha Hi-Lo: General Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players can get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same notion in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complicated initially, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game easily enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting assortment of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have several players battling for the high, along with several battling for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.
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