Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complex but well-loved poker games. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has increased in popularity so quickly.
Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to each player. A round of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where many players can get flustered. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical concept in just about every poker game.
The lower hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.
Although it seems complex at the start, after a few hands you will be able to get the basic subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an overwhelming range of wagering choices and because you have numerous players trying for the high, as well as a few shooting for the low hand. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.