Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi/low begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants often get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 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, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at first, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an exciting range of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals battling for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi/low.