Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi/lo starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated at first, following a few hands you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing array of wagering possibilities and because you have several individuals shooting for the high, along with several battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.