Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants get confused. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in nearly all poker games.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems difficult at first, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of play simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha High-Low provides an amazing collection of betting options and because you have several individuals battling for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha hi-low.