Omaha

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha hi-low starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where many entrants can get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in nearly every poker game.

The low hand is more complex, 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 might be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.

While it seems complex at the start, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an exciting range of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many players battling for the high hand, as well as many trying for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.