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’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players get confused. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical approach in nearly all poker games.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complicated initially, following a few rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha High-Low offers an amazing collection of wagering possibilities and because you have several players battling for the high, and many trying for the low. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.