Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complex at first, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing array of betting options and because you have many individuals trying for the high hand, and many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.