Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants often get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at first, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an exciting assortment of betting options and because you have several individuals shooting for the high, as well as several shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha hi/lo.