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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 variations. It is a game that, even more than normal Omaha poker, aims for action from all levels of players. This is the chief reason why a once irrelevant game, has grown in popularity so rapidly.

Omaha hi/lo starts just like a normal game of Omaha. 4 cards are dealt to each player. A round of wagering follows where players can bet, check, or fold. Three cards are dealt out, this is known as the flop. A further sequence of betting happens. Once all the gamblers have in turn called or dropped out, another card is revealed on the turn. Another sequence of betting happens at which point the river card is revealed. The entrants will need to put together the best high and low 5 card hands based on the board and hole cards.

This is where a number of entrants can get flustered. Unlike Texas Holdem, in which the board can make up every player’s hand, in Omaha hi lo the player has to use exactly three cards on the board, and exactly 2 hole cards. Not a single card more, no less. Unlike normal Omaha, there are 2 ways a pot may be won: the "high hand" or the "lower hand."

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

The lower hand is more complex, but certainly free’s up the play. When determining 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 made up of A-2-3-4-5. Since straights and flushes don’t count, A-2-3-4-5 is the smallest value hand possible. The low hand is any 5 card hand (unpaired) with an 8 and below. The lower hand wins half of the pot, as does the high hand. When there is no low hand available, the higher hand takes the entire pot.

While it seems difficult at the start, following a couple of rounds you will be able to pick up on the basic nuances of the game simply enough. Seeing as you have players wagering for the low and betting for the high, and seeing as such a large number of cards are in play, Omaha hi lo offers an amazing range of betting choices and seeing that you have numerous individuals shooting for the high hand, along with many trying for the low hand. If you like a game with a considerable amount of outs and actions, it is not a waste of your time to play Omaha hi lo.