Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi lo begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants can get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same notion in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha hi-low offers an overwhelming collection of wagering choices and because you have numerous players battling for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
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