Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times 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 invisible game, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of entrants can get flustered. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same concept in almost every poker game.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because 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 8 and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complex at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering choices and because you have several players trying for the high, and a few shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.