Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some players can get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in just about all poker games.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the start, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the base nuances of play simply enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of betting options and owing to the fact that you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, and a few trying for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi low.