Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi/low starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being 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 five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, after a few rounds you will be able to get the base nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting collection of betting choices and seeing that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, along with several trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.