Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players can get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low 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, etc. It’s the same notion in nearly all poker games.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem difficult at first, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting array of betting options and seeing that you have numerous individuals battling for the high, along with several trying for the low. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.