Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha Hi-Lo starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering happens and then the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants get confused. Unlike Holdem, where 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 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in just about every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems difficult at the outset, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering 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 individuals battling for the high, as well as several shooting for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha hi/low.