Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi/low starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants can get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same notion in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems complicated initially, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the base subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming range of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have several individuals trying for the high, as well as many shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha Hi-Lo.