Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants can get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in just about all poker games.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
It may seem difficult at the start, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an exciting collection of betting possibilities and because you have many players trying for the high hand, as well as several shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.