Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for play from every level of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has expanded in popularity so quickly.

Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. A further sequence of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. a further round of betting ensues at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where some entrants get flustered. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha Hi-Lo the player has to utilize precisely three cards on the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

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

A low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the lowest being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t 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 low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the high hand wins the complete pot.

Although it seems complex at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have individuals betting for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi/low offers an overwhelming assortment of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have several players shooting for the high, as well as several trying for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha hi-low.