Omaha

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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of betting ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some players get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in nearly every poker game.

The low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.

While it seems complex at the outset, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play simply enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming range of betting choices and because you have many players battling for the high hand, as well as a few trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.