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

Omaha/8 begins like a regular game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of wagering follows where gamblers can bet, check, or fold. 3 cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional round of betting ensues and then the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where some players get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player has to utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly 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 very same approach in just about all poker games.

The low hand is more complicated, but certainly free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that can be put together, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and smaller. The low hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no low hand presented, the higher hand takes the complete pot.

Although it seems complicated at the outset, after a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play simply enough. Since you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better provides an overwhelming collection of betting options and seeing that you have many players trying for the high, and several trying for the low. If you like a game with a plethora of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.