Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha Hi-Lo starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that 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 eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex initially, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo offers an amazing array of betting options and seeing that you have several players battling for the high, as well as a few trying for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha hi low.