Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi/lo begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either 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 players will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical approach in almost every poker game.
The lower 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 might be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems complex at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of the game with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering choices and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high, along with several shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.