Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same concept in just about all poker games.
The low hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that 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 wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem difficult initially, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi-low provides an exciting assortment of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals battling for the high, as well as many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi-low.