Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many players often 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 exactly two 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 "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same approach in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
Although it seems complex at the outset, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi/low offers an exciting array of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have several players shooting for the high hand, and a few shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.