Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting happens 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 the point where a number of entrants get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complex at the outset, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an exciting range of wagering options and because you have several players shooting for the high, and several battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.