Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but well-loved poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha Hi-Lo starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. Another round of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where some players get baffled. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same notion in nearly every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, 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 might be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.
While it seems complex initially, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an exciting assortment of betting choices and owing to the fact that you have several individuals battling for the high, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi low.