Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in almost every poker game.
The lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems complex initially, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha High-Low offers an exciting array of betting possibilities and because you have several players battling for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low hand. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha hi-low.
