Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants can get confused. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same concept in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because 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 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
While it seems complex at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Since 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 Hi-Lo provides an overwhelming range of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, and a few trying for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.