Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many players can get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same concept in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems complicated at the start, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several players trying for the high, as well as several shooting for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.