Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of play simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of betting choices and because you have several players trying for the high, along with a few trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha/8.
