Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex initially, after a few hands you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of play easily 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/8 provides an exciting collection of betting options and owing to the fact that you have several individuals battling for the high hand, along with a few battling for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi/low.