Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi/lo starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players can get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use precisely three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in just about all poker games.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because 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 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complicated at first, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting range of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.