Omaha Hi Lo: General Overview
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi/low starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players can get baffled. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same concept in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
While it seems complicated initially, following a few rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha High-Low offers an overwhelming assortment of betting choices and because you have several individuals battling for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi lo.