Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get confused. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in just about all poker games.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complicated at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting range of wagering choices and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high hand, along with many battling for the low. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.