Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi low begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants can get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same concept in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complicated at first, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an exciting range of wagering choices and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high, and many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.