Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could 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 everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical approach in just about all poker games.
The low hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being 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 five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at the start, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have players 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 provides an overwhelming array of wagering choices and because you have many players battling for the high, and a few shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha hi low.