Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The players will have to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants can get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same concept in nearly every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest 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 eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting range of wagering choices and seeing that you have many players battling for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.