Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi/lo begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players can get baffled. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same notion in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at first, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing assortment of betting choices and seeing that you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, and many trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.