Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha Hi-Lo starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players can get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When determining 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. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at first, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of play with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing assortment of betting options and because you have many individuals battling for the high hand, and a few shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.