Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi/low starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 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 "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, 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 smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complicated at the start, after a few rounds you will be able to get the base nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming assortment of betting options and because you have many individuals battling for the high hand, as well as several trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha High-Low.