Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems complicated initially, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming assortment of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, along with many trying for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha High-Low.