Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many players get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same notion in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem difficult initially, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming collection of wagering options and seeing that you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as several trying for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.