Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in nearly all poker games.
The low hand is more difficult, but really opens up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not 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 smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complicated initially, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an amazing collection of betting possibilities and because you have several players battling for the high, as well as many battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.