Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi/low starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. a further sequence of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where some players can get flustered. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the same approach in almost every poker game.
A low 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 could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since 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 eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand takes the whole pot.
Although it seems difficult at first, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of play with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an overwhelming array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many individuals battling for the high hand, along with many shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha Hi-Lo.