Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants can get baffled. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not 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 is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complicated initially, following a few hands you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of the game with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming assortment of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several players battling for the high, and many shooting 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 8 or better.