Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once invisible game, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering happens and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complicated initially, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting range of wagering options and because you have numerous individuals shooting for the high, as well as a few trying for the low. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha Hi-Lo.