Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in just about all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem complicated at the start, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting range of wagering options and seeing that you have several individuals trying for the high, along with several shooting for the low. If you love a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.