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Omaha Hi/Lo: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants often get baffled. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same approach in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex initially, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming collection of betting possibilities and seeing that you have several players trying for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi-low.