Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many players often get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in almost every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems difficult at the start, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming range of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, and several shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.