Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players will have to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants often get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in almost every poker game.
The lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems difficult at first, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. 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 provides an amazing range of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have several players battling for the high hand, as well as several shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
