Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants can get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular 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 strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same notion in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, 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 can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems difficult at the outset, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming array of betting options and seeing that you have several individuals trying for the high, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi/lo.