Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 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 what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems difficult at first, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an exciting assortment of wagering options and because you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi/low.