Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is flipped. The players must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in nearly all poker games.
The lower hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem difficult initially, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of play with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an amazing assortment of wagering options and because you have several players trying for the high hand, along with many battling for the low. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.