Omaha

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It’s a variation 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 increased in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha hi/lo starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many players often get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in almost every poker game.

The lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest value 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 low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.

While it seems complex at first, following a few hands you will be able to get the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming assortment of wagering options and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high hand, as well as many trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.