Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi-low begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low 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 low hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an overwhelming collection of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous individuals trying for the high hand, and a few battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
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