Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A round of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering follows and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical notion in just about every poker game.
The lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. 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 higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem difficult at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of betting options and owing to the fact that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, and many shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha/8.