Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional 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 using the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants get flustered. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same notion in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem difficult initially, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing assortment of wagering possibilities and because you have numerous players trying for the high, and many shooting for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.