Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has increased in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha hi/low starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of players often get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. 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 exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same notion in nearly every poker game.
A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand wins the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the start, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play with ease. Since you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming collection of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have numerous players shooting for the high, along with several shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha hi/low.