Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is commonly seen as one of the most difficult but popular poker variations. It is a variation that, even more than normal Omaha poker, invites play from all levels of players. This is the primary reason why a once irrelevant game, has expanded in acceptance so rapidly.

Omaha 8 or better starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to every player. A round of betting follows where gamblers can wager, check, or fold. 3 cards are given out, this is called the flop. One more sequence of wagering happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. a further round of wagering ensues and then the river card is revealed. The entrants must attempt to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where a few entrants can get confused. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can be everyone’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize precisely 3 cards on the board, and precisely 2 cards from their hand. Not a single card more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are two ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

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

A lower hand is more complex, but certainly opens up the play. When deciding on a low hand, straights and flushes don’t count. the lowest hand is the worst 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 lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and lower. The lower hand takes half of the pot, as just like the higher hand. When there is no low hand presented, the high hand wins the whole pot.

It may seem complex at the start, after a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the fundamental subtleties of play with ease. Since you have people wagering for the low and wagering for the high, and since so many cards are in play, Omaha/8 offers an amazing collection of wagering options and because you have several individuals shooting for the high, along with a few shooting for the low hand. If you prefer a game with a lot of outs and actions, it is worth your time to play Omaha/8.