Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants often get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize exactly 3 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 two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same notion in just about every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems difficult at the start, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have many individuals battling for the high hand, along with many shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.