Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical concept in just about all poker games.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest being made up of 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 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated initially, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming array of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have several individuals shooting for the high, along with several battling for the low. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.