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Omaha Hi-Lo (also known as Omaha 8 or better) is frequently viewed as one of the most complex but favored poker variations. It is a game that, even more than regular Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once obscure variation, has expanded in acceptance so quickly.

Omaha/8 starts like a normal game of Omaha. Four cards are handed out to every player. A sequence of betting follows in which gamblers can wager, check, or drop out. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. Another round of wagering happens. Once all the players have either called or folded, an additional card is revealed on the turn. an additional sequence of betting happens and then the river card is flipped. The entrants will need to put together the strongest high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is the point where many entrants often get confused. Unlike Holdem, where the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi-low the player must utilize exactly 3 cards from the board, and exactly two cards from their hand. No more, not a single card less. Contrary to regular Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot could be won: the "higher hand" or the "low hand."

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

A lower hand is more difficult, but certainly opens up the play. When figuring out a low hand, straights and flushes do not count. A low hand is the weakest hand that might be made, with the worst being A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest possible hand. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and smaller. The low hand wins half of the pot, as just like the high hand. When there’s no lower hand presented, the higher hand wins the entire pot.

While it seems complicated at first, following a few hands you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of play with ease. Since you have individuals wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as so many cards are being used at once, Omaha 8 or better offers an exciting assortment of wagering possibilities and owing to the fact that you have many individuals trying for the high hand, as well as a few battling for the low. If you like a game with a lot of outs and actions, it’s not a waste of your time to participate in Omaha High-Low.