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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complex but well-loved poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha hi low starts like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting ensues in which players can wager, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is referred to as the flop. One more round of wagering happens. After all the players have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of wagering happens at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where some entrants often get confused. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to use exactly 3 cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It’s the strongest hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the identical notion in nearly every poker game.

The lower hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that might be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.

While it seems difficult initially, after a few hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the basic subtleties of the game with ease. 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 hi/lo offers an overwhelming array of betting possibilities and owing to the fact that you have several players trying for the high, as well as a few trying for the low. If you enjoy a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.