Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha hi/lo starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players can get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem difficult initially, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an amazing collection of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several players trying for the high hand, as well as several shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.