Omaha Hi Lo Poker

While the “Texas” poker version is by far the most popular form of Holdem these days, Omaha Holdem continues to be popular at both the higher and lower limits. There are two versions of Omaha Holdem - Omaha High only and Omaha High-Low Eight or Better which is a game where the high hand and low hand splits the pot. Each Omaha Holdem version can be played with any betting structure - limit, pot limit or no limit. The full name of Omaha Hi Lo is actually Omaha Hi Lo split, Eight or better, but that is a bit of a mouthful,so that everyone calls it simply ‘Omaha Hi Lo’. To be eligible for a claim on the low half of the pot, an Omaha Hi Lo Poker player must make a hand containing five unduplicated cards ranked Eight or below (that is to say ‘Eight or better’).

Omaha Hi Lo Poker - Rules

In Omaha Hi Lo Poker the pot is split 50-50 between the best High Hand and the best qualifying Low Hand. Omaha Hi Lo Poker requires a lot of skill and usually takes a little practice to understand the intricacies of the game. To be eligible to win the Low in Omaha Hi Lo Poker, the highest card must be a 5, 6, 7, or 8. The winning Low Hand is determined firstly by the player with the lowest High card, but upon a tie with the High card, the hand goes to the player with the next lowest High card. Any hand that is high card 9 or higher can NOT be qualified as a Low Hand. If there is no formed qualifying Low Hand then the high hand wins 100% of the pot. So at the beginning of the Omaha Hi Lo Poker game each player receives four face-down cards (pocket cards) to start. Then the first betting round appears and after this the dealer turns over three community boardcards (the flop) face-up. After the Second betting round the dealer turns over 1 more community boardcard (the turn) and the third betting round starts. Then the dealer turns over 1 final community boardcard (the river), that is followed by the Final betting round and Showdown, if necessary. At the showdown each Omaha Hi Lo Poker player can use any two of their pocket cards for their high hand and any two of their pocket cards for their low.

Omaha Hi Lo Poker - Button & Blinds

Omaha games usually use a flat disk called the dealer-button or simply “the button” to indicate the theoretical dealer of each hand. After each hand has been completed, the button moves clockwise to the next active player and this player is considered to be the button for that game. The player to the left of the button receive a card first and is required to post a small blind (equal to half the lower limit bet rounded up to the nearest dollar). The player to the left of the small blind is required to post the big blind, which is equal to the lower limit bet. Both the small and the big blinds have the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action comes back around to their position. After the flop and after each subsequent betting round in Omaha Hi Lo Poker game, the first active player left of the button is first to act.