Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi low begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can bet, check, or drop out. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in almost every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.
While it seems complicated at first, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. 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 8 or better offers an amazing assortment of wagering options and seeing that you have numerous players battling for the high hand, as well as several battling for the low. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.