Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. 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 value being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complicated initially, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an amazing array of betting possibilities and because you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, and many battling for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.