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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is frequently seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once obscure variation, has grown in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha/8 begins just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to every player. A round of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. Another sequence of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or dropped out, an additional card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where some entrants get baffled. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 hole cards. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in nearly all poker games.

The low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the high hand takes the entire pot.

While it seems difficult at first, following a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of play with ease. Since you have players betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha/8 provides an exciting assortment of wagering options and because you have several individuals battling for the high, as well as many battling for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.