Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting ensues in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical notion in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of wagering possibilities and because you have several players shooting for the high, as well as many shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi-low.