Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi/lo begins like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows in which players 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 players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same approach in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, 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 lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems complicated at the start, after a few rounds you will be able to get the base nuances of the game with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha High-Low offers an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and because you have many individuals battling for the high hand, along with several shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.