Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. 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 obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants get baffled. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same approach in nearly all poker games.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems complicated at first, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming range of betting options and seeing that you have numerous players trying for the high hand, along with several battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.