Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players can get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can 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 lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems complicated at the start, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of play easily enough. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting collection of wagering options and because you have several players shooting for the high, as well as several trying for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.
