Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but favored poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.
Omaha/8 starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A round of betting follows where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further round of betting happens. After all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants can get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same concept in just about all poker games.
A low hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand available, the high hand wins the whole pot.
It may seem difficult at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of the game easily enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming collection of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as a few trying for the low. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha hi/lo.