Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants can get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same notion in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens 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 made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem complicated initially, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo provides an overwhelming range of betting options and owing to the fact that you have numerous individuals battling for the high, as well as many shooting for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.