Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi/low starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering happens. After all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same notion in just about every poker game.
A low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When figuring out 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. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.
While it seems complex at first, following a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an amazing collection of wagering options and seeing that you have several individuals trying for the high, as well as a few shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.