Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants get flustered. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming array of betting choices and seeing that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, along with several trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.