Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha/8 or better) is often times viewed as one of the most complicated but popular poker variations. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant variation, has increased in acceptance so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are dealt to each player. A sequence of betting follows where gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is called the flop. A further round of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have either called or folded, an additional card is flipped on the turn. an additional round of wagering ensues and then the river card is flipped. The players will need to put together the best high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few entrants get flustered. Unlike Hold’em, 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 precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

A high hand is just how it sounds. It’s the strongest possible hand out of everyone’s, regardless if it is a straight, flush, full house. It’s the same notion in almost every poker game.

The low hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the worst hand that can be put together, with the lowest being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The lower hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The low hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand takes the whole pot.

While it seems complex at first, after a couple of hands you will be able to get the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Seeing as you have individuals 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 exciting assortment of wagering choices and because you have numerous players shooting for the high hand, as well as many trying for the low. If you prefer a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to play Omaha/8.