Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha Hi-Lo begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. After all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players can get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use precisely 3 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 can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same notion in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated at first, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha High-Low provides an exciting collection of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, and a few trying for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
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