Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi lo starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is called the flop. One more round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few entrants often get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same concept in almost all poker games.
A low hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems complicated at the start, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha hi lo provides an overwhelming array of wagering choices and seeing that you have several players trying for the high hand, as well as several shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha Hi-Lo.