Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi/low begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in almost every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the basic nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha hi lo provides an overwhelming array of betting options and because you have many players shooting for the high hand, and many trying for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
