Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players often get baffled. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/low provides an amazing range of wagering options and seeing that you have many players trying for the high hand, along with a few battling for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
