Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi-low begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A sequence of betting ensues in which players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants often get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same concept in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand takes the whole pot.
It may seem complex at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better provides an amazing assortment of wagering choices and because you have many individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi low.