Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players can get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal 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’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of the game easily enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming assortment of betting choices and seeing that you have many players trying for the high hand, along with many battling for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.