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

Omaha Hi-Lo begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to each player. A sequence of betting ensues in which players can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. One more round of wagering ensues. After all the players have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to put together the best high and low five card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where some players can get flustered. Unlike Holdem, in which the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player must utilize precisely three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may 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 every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same concept in nearly all poker games.

A lower hand is more complex, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the worst hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Because straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand available, the high hand takes the complete pot.

It may seem difficult at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and since so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering options and owing to the fact that you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, as well as a few battling for the low. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is worth your time to participate in Omaha High-Low.