Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. 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 increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really 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. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem difficult at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of the game easily enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of betting choices and because you have many players trying for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.