Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 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 folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many players get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in just about every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem difficult at first, following a few hands you will be able to get the base nuances of play easily enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi low offers an exciting range of betting choices and seeing that you have several players trying for the high hand, as well as a few trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha hi lo.