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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most complicated but popular poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for play from all levels of players. This is the main reason why a once obscure game, has grown in popularity so quickly.

Omaha/8 begins exactly like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting ensues where players can wager, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is referred to as the flop. Another sequence of betting ensues. After all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of wagering follows at which point the river card is revealed. The gamblers must attempt to make the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few players often get baffled. Contrasted to Texas Hold ‘Em, where the board can be every player’s hand, in Omaha hi/low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards from the board, and exactly 2 cards from their hand. No more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot can be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

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

The lower hand is more complicated, but really free’s up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be put together, with the lowest value being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes do not count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The lower hand is any five card hand (unpaired) with an eight and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there’s no lower hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.

Although it seems complex at first, following a couple of hands you will be able to pick up on the base subtleties of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting range of betting possibilities and because you have numerous individuals trying for the high, along with several battling for the low hand. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it’s worth your time to play Omaha/8.