Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has increased in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, 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 five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants often get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complicated, 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 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 lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex at the outset, following a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming range of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have numerous individuals trying for the high hand, and many battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha/8.