Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha/8 begins exactly like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of betting happens. After all the gamblers have either called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players must attempt to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a number of players get baffled. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and precisely two hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the very same approach in almost every poker game.

A low hand is more complex, but really free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand wins the whole pot.

While it seems complex at the outset, after a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming assortment of betting options and seeing that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, and many trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha hi/lo.