Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players often get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the worst 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 low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems complicated at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering 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 seeing that you have numerous players battling for the high, along with several trying for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.