Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is 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 invisible variation, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use exactly three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems complicated at the start, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of the game easily enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have several individuals trying for the high, as well as many shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.