Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card 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 exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complex initially, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an amazing range of betting possibilities and seeing that you have numerous players battling for the high hand, and several trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.