Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same approach in just about all poker games.
The low hand is more complicated, but really free’s 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. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the outset, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing array of betting options and because you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as a few battling for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.