Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in acceptance so rapidly.
Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players often get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 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 every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the very same approach in nearly all poker games.
The low hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the complete pot.
Although it seems difficult initially, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing collection of betting options and because you have several players shooting for the high, along with many shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.
