Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but well-loved poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi lo starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will have to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in just about all poker games.
A lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have players 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 overwhelming range of wagering options and because you have many players battling for the high, and many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.