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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is often times seen as one of the most difficult but favored poker games. It’s a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from every level of players. This is the primary reason why a once invisible variation, has grown in popularity so amazingly.

Omaha 8 or better begins just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of betting follows in which players can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are handed out, this is referred to as the flop. Another round of wagering ensues. Once all the players have in turn called or folded, another card is revealed on the turn. Another round of wagering follows and then the river card is revealed. The players will need to put together the strongest high and low five card hands using the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many players get baffled. Unlike Hold’em, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi low the player must utilize exactly three cards on the board, and exactly two hole cards. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to normal Omaha, there are two ways a pot might be won: the "higher hand" or the "lower hand."

A high hand is exactly how it sounds. It’s the best hand out of every player’s, it doesn’t matter if it is a straight, flush, full house, etc. It’s the same concept in almost all poker games.

A lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that could be made, with the worst being made up of A-2-3-4-5. Seeing as straights and flushes don’t 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 below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand takes the entire pot.

It may seem difficult at the outset, following a couple of hands you will be agile enough to pick up on the base subtleties of play simply enough. Seeing as you have people betting for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing assortment of betting choices and seeing that you have several players trying for the high hand, and many shooting for the low hand. If you love a game with all kinds of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to compete in Omaha 8 or better.