Omaha Hi-Low: Fundamental Outline
Omaha 8 or better begins like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to each player. A round of wagering follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering follows at which point the river card is flipped. The entrants will have to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.
This is where many entrants often get flustered. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be every player's hand, in Omaha hi/lo the player must utilize exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."
A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best possible hand out of everyone's, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It's the same concept in just about every poker game.
The low hand is more complicated, but certainly free's up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don't count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being made up of 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 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.
It may seem complicated at the start, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play with ease. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming range of betting possibilities and seeing that you have several individuals trying for the high hand, as well as many battling for the low. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it's worth your time to play Omaha/8.