Omaha Hi/Low

About the Game

Omaha Hi/Lo is a popular variant of Omaha. In this version the best hand and the worst hand each get half of the pot, that is, as long as your low hand contains at least an 8 or lower. You can use different cards for the two hands, making it possible to win the pot using both the high and low hand. If there is no qualifying Low hand the entire pot goes to the winning high hand. The hands are ranked exactly the same as in Omaha. A Low hand doesn't qualify if it beats an 8. If you have never played a Hi - Lo game you may want to read this a couple times in order to fully understand what a qualifying Low hand is and how they are ranked.

How to Play

QUALIFYING HANDS

Like Omaha High, you receive 4 cards face down. You use these cards in combination with the 5 table cards. At showdown, you must use exactly two of your down cards and three table cards to make up a high hand and a low hand. It's possible for you to win both the high and the low pot with two different pocket cards. Of the five cards used in a low hand, an 8 is the highest-ranking card you can use. The lowest high card determines the best low hand. If two or more players have the same high card, then the next lowest high card is used. Take a look at this example:

At showdown - Player 'X' holds 8, 7, 5, 3, 2 and Player 'Y' holds 8, 7, 5, and 4, Ace.

Some may look at this and think that 'Y' has the winning low hand because the lowest card, an Ace, is held. This is incorrect. Player 'X' holds the winning hand. If you refer to the paragraph above, the "lowest high card, then the next lowest high card" determines ranking. So in ranking these two hands 8,7,5 is held in common with the next lowest card being a 3. Therefore, player 'X' holds the best low hand.

A Straight or a Flush is not considered a low hand even if it contains all cards with an individual rank of 8 or lower. The one exception to this is considered the best low hand - Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5. This is also considered as a straight for high, and both pots may be won with this hand. The action for Omaha Hi-Lo is very much like Hold'em and Omaha High.

Order of Play

• The dealer for the current game is chosen
• The blinds are placed
• The dealer gives each player four cards face down
• The first betting round takes place
• Three community cards (the Flop) are dealt face-up to the center of the table
• The second betting round takes place
• A forth card is dealt to the community cards (the Turn card)
• The third betting round takes place
• A fifth card (the River) is dealt to the community cards
• The fourth betting round takes place
• Showdown. The best five-card hand is determined
• The winner takes the Pot

Omaha Hi/Low Rules

Buttons and Blinds

Dealer Button - the Button moves from player to player at the beginning of each hand and identifies the current dealer position; the player at this location is considered 'the dealer'. After each hand is completed the dealer button is moved to the next player to the left. This player will be the dealer during the next hand.

Blinds – As in Texas Hold'em, there's no ante, so the two players to the left of the dealer must post blind bets. A blind is a forced bet before you receive your initial cards. The player to the immediate left of the dealer posts the Small Blind and the player to the immediate left of the small blind will post the Big Blind. This is used to seed the pot with cash. Everyone at the table takes their turn playing the blinds. No one is exempt.

Small Blind - The small blind is equal to one half of the minimum bet (Example: in a $3-$6 game, the small blind would be $1.50).

Big Blind - The big blind is a bet equal to the minimum bet (Example: in a $3-$6 game, the big blind would be $3).

When you first take a seat at an active table you're required to post the equivalent of the big blind. You can do this by waiting until you are in a position to post it (you will be the second player to the left of the dealer's position). Another way would be to post it to start the game from another position. If you were to miss the regular rotation of posting the blinds, you would be required to post the big blind in order to re-enter the game. If you were to sit out and miss three big blinds, you would then be ejected from the table, forfeiting your seat.

BETTING

There are four rounds of betting in this game. The first is initiated after four cards, pocket cards, are dealt face down to each player. The next three cards, flop cards, are then dealt. Betting resumes. The fourth card, turn card, is dealt for the table. Another round of betting ensues. The 5th and final card, the river card, is dealt, after which the final betting resumes. When all bets are in, the showdown takes place between the remaining players. The winner is declared from the showdown.

Betting Structure -

The stakes being offered at the particular table determines the limit or maximum bet on any player's turn. Example: at a $1-$2 table, the limit on any bet is $1 on the first two betting rounds and $2 on the final two betting rounds. Betting rounds consist of a bet and three raises. The final raise is capped and a player has only the option to call or fold once capped.

THE SHOWDOWN

The first person to show his hand is the last person to show strength with a bet or raise. The pot is split between the highest and the lowest hand both containing exactly 2 pocket cards and three board cards out of five community cards. If there is not a qualifying low hand, the high hand gets the whole pot. If none of the players bets or raises during the final round, the first person to show his hand is the player closest to the left of the dealer. Should multiple hands tie, the pot is divided equally.