Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. One more round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in almost every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst 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 lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems complex at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an amazing array of betting possibilities and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high hand, and several shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.
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