Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering ensues in which gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants often get baffled. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same notion in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complicated initially, following a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha Hi-Lo offers an exciting range of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have many individuals trying for the high, and many trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi-low.