Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants often get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex at the start, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of wagering options and seeing that you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, and many trying for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.