Omaha Hi/Lo: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many players get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. 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 is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems complicated at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the base subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha hi lo offers an overwhelming collection of wagering options and seeing that you have numerous individuals trying for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi low.