Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants often get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same concept in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the outset, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play simply enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an overwhelming array of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.