Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has increased in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same notion in almost every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems complex initially, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi low offers an exciting range of wagering choices and seeing that you have many individuals shooting for the high, as well as a few trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.
