Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players often get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in just about every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated at first, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have several players battling for the high hand, as well as many trying for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha/8.