Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s 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 increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha hi-low starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting ensues where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a few entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. 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 "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same concept in nearly all poker games.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value 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 lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
While it seems complicated at the start, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi low offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering options and seeing that you have numerous players battling for the high hand, and many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.