Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants can get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same notion in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be put together, 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 lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the start, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha hi-low provides an exciting range of betting options and because you have several individuals trying for the high hand, along with a few battling for the low hand. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.