Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi lo begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same notion in almost every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
Although it seems complicated initially, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an amazing assortment of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have several players battling for the high hand, along with several trying for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.
