Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi/low begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting follows where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No 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 how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
While it seems difficult at first, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming range of wagering possibilities and because you have several players trying for the high, and several trying for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha 8 or better.