Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker games. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.
Omaha hi low starts just like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of wagering happens and then the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is where a number of entrants get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely two hole cards. No more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in almost all poker games.
A lower hand is more complicated, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be made, with the lowest value 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 possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
Although it seems complex at the start, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the base subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are being used at once, Omaha Hi-Lo provides an amazing array of wagering choices and because you have many individuals battling for the high hand, along with a few trying for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.