Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi-low starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in almost every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems complicated initially, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of play easily enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha Hi-Lo offers an overwhelming assortment of betting possibilities and seeing that you have many players battling for the high, as well as several trying for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha/8.
