Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha/8 begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. One more sequence of betting ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to make the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where some players can get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, 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 precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, no less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in nearly all poker games.

A low hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no low hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

While it seems complex at first, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming range of betting choices and seeing that you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, along with several battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi/low.