Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in just about every poker game.
A lower hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that can be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complicated initially, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting collection of betting options and owing to the fact that you have several players trying for the high, as well as several trying for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha 8 or better.