Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi/low begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as 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. a further round of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants can get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must use exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical concept in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex at first, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming range of betting choices and because you have several players battling for the high, as well as many trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.