Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better begins just like a regular game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where many players often get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to utilize exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the best possible hand out of everyone’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same approach in nearly all poker games.

The low hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be made, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.

It may seem complex at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming collection of wagering possibilities and because you have many players trying for the high, as well as a few battling for the low hand. If you love a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi/low.