Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi/lo starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants can get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in almost all poker games.
The low hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being 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 8 and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at the outset, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play easily enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/low provides an exciting range of betting options and because you have several individuals trying for the high, as well as a few trying for the low. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.