Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi/lo starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more round of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants 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 baffled. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same concept in almost all poker games.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low 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 lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complex at the outset, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game easily enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have several individuals battling for the high hand, as well as a few battling for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi-low.