Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It’s a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha hi/low begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. After all the players have either called or folded, another card is flipped on the turn. a further round of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a few players often get baffled. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to use exactly three cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best possible hand out of every player’s, whether that is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same notion in almost every poker game.

The lower hand is more difficult, but really free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest value being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the high hand takes the complete pot.

Although it seems complex at the start, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to pick up on the fundamental nuances of the game with ease. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at the same time, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming array of wagering choices and because you have many players trying for the high hand, and a few shooting for the low. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha/8.