Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha hi lo begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering ensues in which players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is known as the flop. A further round of betting ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, an additional card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of entrants get confused. Contrasted to Hold’em, in which the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It is the very same notion in almost every poker game.

A low hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.

Although it seems complicated at the outset, following a few rounds you will be able to pick up on the base nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing assortment of betting options and seeing that you have many players battling for the high hand, as well as a few shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to participate in Omaha/8.