Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players can get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same notion in just about all poker games.
The low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complicated at the start, following a few hands you will be able to get the base nuances of play easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing assortment of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have many players battling for the high hand, and several battling for the low hand. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.