Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. After all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems difficult at the outset, following a few rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of betting options and because you have several players battling for the high, along with many trying for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha Hi-Lo.