Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many players often get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card 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 what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in almost all poker games.
A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
Although it seems complex initially, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha High-Low offers an exciting range of wagering choices and seeing that you have numerous players shooting for the high, along with many battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.