Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same approach in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t 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 lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems difficult at the start, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting array of betting possibilities and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high, as well as a few trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi-low.