Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi-low begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players often get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in almost every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst 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 higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complex at first, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering 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 array of wagering options and because you have many individuals shooting for the high, as well as a few battling for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.