Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly viewed as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from every level of players. This is the main reason why a once irrelevant variation, has grown in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha 8 or better begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are handed out to every player. A round of betting ensues where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are given out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is flipped on the turn. Another sequence of betting follows at which point the river card is revealed. The players will have to make the best high and low 5 card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of entrants get confused. Contrasted to Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must use precisely three cards from the board, and precisely two cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot may be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It is the best hand out of every player’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It is the identical concept in almost all poker games.

The low hand is more complicated, but really opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the worst possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the whole pot.

Although it seems difficult initially, after a few rounds you will be agile enough to get the fundamental nuances of the game simply enough. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha/8 provides an amazing collection of betting choices and seeing that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you enjoy a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.