Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible game, has increased in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha/8 begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering ensues where players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of betting happens. Once all the players have in turn called or dropped out, a further card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to make the strongest high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where many players get baffled. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in almost all poker games.

A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

While it seems complex initially, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of the game easily enough. Seeing as you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an exciting assortment of betting choices and because you have several players shooting for the high hand, and a few battling for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi lo.