Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players can get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in nearly every poker game.
The lower 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 can be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
Although it seems complicated at the start, following a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha Hi-Lo offers an overwhelming array of wagering options and seeing that you have many individuals battling for the high, as well as several shooting for the low. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi low.