Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants often get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same notion in nearly all poker games.
A low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
Although it seems complex at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi/lo offers an amazing range of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high hand, along with a few battling for the low. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.