Omaha Hi/Lo

Omaha Hi/Lo is popular version of Omaha. In this case, the best and worst combination of five cards split the pot. As with Omaha, you are required to use two cards from your hand and three from the board to build your hand. You can use five cards to make your high hand that are different from the cards you use to make your low hand. It is possible for one player to have both the high and low hands and to take down the whole pot.

There isn’t always an eligible low hand. A low hand is a hand made up of five cards of a value less than 8 without any pairs. If there is no hand that qualifies as a low, the whole pot goes to the best high hand.

Omaha Hi/Lo, like Omaha is played either Pot Limit or Limit.

THE BUTTON

The button indicates the dealer. It moves from right to left and changes players after each hand.

BLINDS

As with Hold’em, there are no antes and the two players to the left of the button must pay the blinds. The blinds are forced bets that are meant to encourage action. The player seated to the immediate left of the dealer must pay the small blind and the player to the left of the small blind must pay the big blind. Everyone at the table must pay blinds at some point, which, like the button, move around the table from right to left.

The small blind : The small blind must place a bet corresponding to half of the minimum bet (For example, at a $1/$2 table, the small blind must bet $0.50).

The big blind : The big blind must place a bet corresponding to the minimum bet (at a $1/$2 table, the big blind must bet $1).

When you sit down at a table for the first time, you must pay the big blind. You have the option of waiting until you are in the big blind position to pay. If you don’t pay the blinds due to absence, you must pay the blind when you return to the game. If you miss three rounds of blinds, another player will replace you.

BETS

There are four rounds of betting in Omaha, the first follows the dealing of four cards to each player. The second is after the flop and the third round of betting follows the river. When all the bets are placed, the remaining players begin the showdown.

BETTING STRUCTURE

Minimum bets are determined by the size of the blinds at the table at which you are playing.

Omaha Hi/Lo Limit

For example, at a $1/$2 table, the authorized bet for the first two rounds is $1 and $2 during the next two rounds. There cannot be more than one bet and three raises per round.

Therefore, a player cannot bet more than $4 on the first two rounds and $8 on the two last rounds, for a total of $24 on one hand.

Omaha Hi/Low Pot Limit

For example, at a $1/$2 table, the minimum bet is $1 during the first two rounds of play and $2 during the second two rounds. There can be no more than one bet and three raises per round. One raise must be at least the double of the previous bet and cannot exceed the size of the pot.

THE SHOWDOWN

The last player to bet or raise must show his cards first. The pot is divided between the player who has the highest combination of five cards and the player with the lowest combination of five, including exactly 2 cards from the player’s hand and three from the board. If there is no acceptable low hand, the best hand takes the whole pot. In the case of a tie between more than one high or low hand, the pot is divided among those hands.

Remember: you can use any 2 cards from the four in your hand and any three from the board to make up your best or worst combinations, which are generally made up of different combinations of cards. It is possible for one player to have both the highest and the lowest hands.

LES MAINS ELIGIBLES AU LOW

In order to make a low hand, a player must have five cards of a value less than 8 and no pairs.

Thus, A, 2, 2, 3, 5, is not a good low hand. However, a low hand may contain a straight or a flush (if all the cards are lower than 8). Thus 2s, 3h, 4c, 5c, 6h, is a possible low hand, and so is Ah, 3h, 5h, 6h, 8h. These hands could also be considered eligible for the high hand and could therefore potentially take down both pots.

If two or more players have hands that meet these qualifications, the one with the lowest high card takes down the pot. In the event of a tie, refer to the next lowest high card.

Example :

8-7-5-3-2 for player X versus 8-7-5-4-1 for player Y.

One might assume that player Y will take the pot since he has the weakest card - the ace. This is incorrect. Player X has the weaker hand. Let us refer to the rule mentioned above: “The weakest high card takes the pot”. Both players have an 8, a 7, and a 5. We therefore refer to the 4th card: a three for player X and a 4 for player Y. Player X therefore takes the pot.

More examples:

7-5-3-2-A wins against 7-6-3-2-A
8-7-3-2-A wins against 8-7-4-2-A
8-5-4-3-2 wins against 8-7-3-2-A
6-5-4-3-2 wins against 7-4-3-2-A