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How to Play Omaha High Low (Hi-Lo) Poker - Official Poker Rules
By PokerListings
If you are currently unacquainted with the set-up for Limit Texas Hold'em and Omaha, please be sure to read Limit Texas Hold'em Set-Up and Play and Omaha Set-Up and Play before you begin reading this text.
Limit Texas Hold'em and Omaha are identical in terms of playing procedures.
Omaha high-low is a split-pot game. This means that there exists the possibility of making both the best high and low poker hand.
Half the pot is awarded to the player with the best high hand, and half the pot is awarded to the player holding the best low hand. If no low hand is feasible or no one qualifies for a low hand, the whole pot goes to the high hand.
The goal is to have both the best high and low hand (called scooping the pot).
The High Hand
The high hand is exactly the same as in regular Omaha, where it is the best "normal" poker hand, starting at the top with a royal flush and moving on down the line.
Similarly, just as in regular Omaha, one must use two (exactly two) of the hole cards and three (exactly three) of the board cards when making a hand.
The Low Hand
The low hand is slightly more complicated to figure out. One must still use two of the hole cards with three of the board cards in order to qualify for the low hand. However, all low hands must be Eight or lower (the lower the better).
An Eight low contains an Eight and four lower cards, a Seven low contains a Seven and four lower cards, and so on. The best possible low is called a wheel and is Five high, 5-4-3-2-A (a Five high straight).
The worst possible low is 8-7-6-5-4 (an Eight high straight). Accordingly, in order for there to be a possible low on the board, there must be at least three cards Eight or lower on the board.
Examples
An 8-4-3-2-A low is worse than a 7-6-5-4-3 low.
A 7-4-3-2-A low is worse than a 6-5-4-3-2 low.
An 8-7-3-2-A low is worse than an 8-6-5-4-3 low.
A 7-6-3-2-A low is worse than a 7-5-4-3-2 low.
An 8-6-5-4-3 low is worse than an 8-6-5-4-2 low, which is worse than an 8-6-5-4-A low.
Getting Quartered
In Omaha high-low it is possible to win a quarter of the pot. This can happen when two players have the same high or low hand, but one of the players has the best high or low hand.
Example 1
Player A has the best high and the same low as player B. As such, Player B will receive one quarter of the pot and player A will collect three quarters.
Example 2
Player A has the best high hand but no low and player B and C hold the same low. Player A receives one half of the pot and player B and C split the remaining half. Player B and C got quartered.
View Best Rooms to Play: Omaha Poker
Comment(s) on this article
Sean Lind Mar 14, 2008
A helpful hint: refer to your lo hand by the highest two cards.
For example:
Your low hand is - 8-6-4-3-2 saying you have an 8 high low isn't all that helpful if other players also have an 8 high low, especially if the 8 is one of the board cards.
Instead you want to say you have an "Eight Six Low"
It's not a big deal, just helps speed up the game for everyone.
-Sean Lind
David Aug 13, 2008
questiion:
Rules in Omaha Hi Low
I played with low hand with live card.
the board KQ 346
My hand for low 7 A
their hand for low 5 6
they paired one on the board and used the six card as a live 6 for low of 56
My question, I had a 7 A and didn't pair the board, is 7 A the real low?
Sean Lind Aug 19, 2008
David
the board KQ 346
My hand for low 7 A
their hand for low 5 6
They do not have a low at all. You need 5 cards, all 8 or lower to have a low. No pairs allowed.
You have - 7643A as your low (a seven-six low)
Because of the pair, they lose. The only three hands that beat you are
A2, A5, 25
rosalie Jan 11, 2009
if the board is 25A78 and i have jj23 do I have a low if yes how and if no why
Sean Lind Jan 13, 2009
rosalie:
if the board is 25A78 and i have jj23 do I have a low if yes how and if no why
You do have a low (but it's a really poor low).
You need to use 5 cards, two of them out of your hand, to have 5 cards below, or equal to 8, with no pairs. The best low you can make is:
A-2-3-5-7
This is called a "seven-five" low. With this board, the nut low would be any player holding 3-4 in their hand giving them A-2-3-4-5
Bruce Feb 11, 2009
hand a,
3,4,5,j
hand b,
8 6 2 a
tabled,
4478a
no question on high hand, who would win low hand and why please.
Sean Lind Feb 12, 2009
Bruce, You always count the low from the highest card, down the the lowest card.
To pick a low, you need to use two cards from your hand, and three from the board to give you the best possible low hand. All cards have to be under 9 and no pairs.
Hand A: 7-5-4-3-A
Hand B: 7-6-4-2-A
Hand A is the winner, because they have a seven-five low, while hand B has a seven-six low.
car;oyn Apr 16, 2009
Can I use a pair on the board to make a low hand with two of my cards
Sean Lind Apr 25, 2009
Hey Carloyn, sorry for the delay in response.
You can never have a pair as part of a low hand. If there is a pair on board, you can make a low by using only one of the cards making up the pair. But you must have 5 cards all less than 9 with no pairs to have a low.
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