Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as 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 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the start, after a few hands you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an overwhelming assortment of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many players shooting for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha Hi-Lo.