Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same concept in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly 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 value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complex at the start, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play easily enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming assortment of betting possibilities and because you have several players trying for the high, as well as a few battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.