Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in popularity so amazingly.
Omaha hi/low begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is the point where a few players get flustered. Contrasted to Hold’em, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the identical approach in almost every poker game.
A low hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the complete pot.
While it seems complicated at first, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the basic subtleties of the game simply enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi/lo offers an overwhelming array of wagering possibilities and seeing that you have many players shooting for the high, and several trying for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi low.