Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.
Omaha 8 or better starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to make the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a few players can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical concept in almost every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complicated at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of betting possibilities and because you have many players trying for the high, along with a few battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is worth your time to compete in Omaha/8.