Omaha Hi-Lo: General Outline
Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi low starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many entrants often get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must use exactly 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no 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 is the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the very same approach in nearly all poker games.
The lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.
It may seem complex at the start, following a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have players betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an amazing collection of wagering options and because you have many individuals shooting for the high, along with a few trying for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.