Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi/lo starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many players get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical approach in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest 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 high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems difficult at the start, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting collection of betting choices and because you have many players shooting for the high, as well as several trying for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.