Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi/lo begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants often get baffled. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low 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 regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in almost all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems difficult initially, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many players trying for the high hand, along with many battling for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha hi-low.
