Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so quickly.
Omaha hi lo starts exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering happens and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants often get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical approach in nearly all poker games.
A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
While it seems complex initially, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several players trying for the high hand, along with a few battling for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha hi low.