Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some players often get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complex initially, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo offers an overwhelming assortment of betting options and seeing that you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, along with many battling for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha hi/lo.