Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering ensues where players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many players can get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It is the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in nearly every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.
While it seems complicated at first, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of the game easily enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming collection of wagering options and because you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, as well as a few battling for the low. If you like a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.