Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. After all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants can get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complex initially, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of wagering choices and because you have many players trying for the high hand, and a few trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.