Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha/8 begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same concept in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.
Although it seems difficult at the start, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play easily enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha hi lo provides an exciting range of betting choices and because you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, along with several battling for the low hand. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.