Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi lo begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’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.
The low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being 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 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complicated at first, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming assortment of betting options and seeing that you have many players trying for the high hand, as well as many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha/8.