Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.
Omaha hi-low starts like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where players can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another round of betting happens. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is flipped. The gamblers must attempt to put together the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a number of players can get baffled. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike 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 is the strongest hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same approach in almost every poker game.
A lower hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the worst 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 value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 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 complete pot.
Although it seems difficult initially, after a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of play simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi low offers an overwhelming range of betting possibilities and because you have numerous players battling for the high, along with several trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha Hi-Lo.