Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has expanded in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A round of betting ensues in which gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are handed out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, a further card is flipped on the turn. Another round of betting follows and then the river card is flipped. The gamblers will have to make the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where many players can get confused. Contrasted to Texas Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must use precisely 3 cards from the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is just what it sounds like. It’s the strongest possible hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the identical concept in almost all poker games.

A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. A low hand is the weakest 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 lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand wins the entire pot.

While it seems complicated at the start, after a few hands you will be able to pick up on the basic subtleties of play easily enough. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an overwhelming range of wagering choices and owing to the fact that you have several individuals shooting for the high hand, along with many shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.