Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha hi-low begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some entrants often get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player has to utilize exactly three cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal 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 is the best hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same notion in almost every poker game.
A lower hand is more difficult, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
While it seems complex at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting array of betting choices and seeing that you have several players shooting for the high hand, and many shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha High-Low.