Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems difficult at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to get the basic nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several players shooting for the high hand, as well as several shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.