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

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are given out to every player. A sequence of wagering follows in which players can bet, check, or drop out. 3 cards are given out, this is known as the flop. One more sequence of wagering ensues. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, a further card is revealed on the turn. a further sequence of betting ensues at which point the river card is flipped. The players will have to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many players get baffled. Unlike Texas Holdem, where the board can make up everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player has to utilize precisely three cards from the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot can be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly what it sounds like. It is the best hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It is the same approach in just about every poker game.

A low hand is more difficult, but certainly free’s up the action. When determining a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Considering that straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

It may seem complicated initially, after a few hands you will be agile enough to get the base nuances of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha hi low offers an overwhelming range of wagering options and seeing that you have several players trying for the high, along with many shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha 8 or better.