How to play Omaha hi-lo

Omaha hi-lo split is a communal card game with the same structure as hold’em or Omaha– four betting rounds, one preflop, one on the three-card flop, one on the turn, and a final one on the river.

In limit Omaha hi-lo, the betting is done incrementally (for example in a $2/$4 game bets and raises are made in $2 increments preflop and on the flop, and in $4 increments on the turn and river), with a maximum of one bet and three raises per round. Omaha hi-lo is also played pot limit, where the maximum raise is the size of the pot (including any call which must be made) and there is no maximum number of raises. This guide is not specific to any type of limit, however – it’s just the bare bones rules of the game.

The action proceeds in a clockwise direction with the dealer button moving one player along after each hand. Small and big blinds are posted to the button’s left, to get the pot going. The first betting round’s action begins with the player to the left of the big blind, and in following rounds it begins with the player closest in a clockwise direction to the button.

Just as in Omaha, each player initially receives four down or ‘hole’ cards, and must eventually create their best high hand and their best low hand from any combination of two cards from their hand and three from the board. Players may use two different two-card combinations to create their high and low hands. But bear in mind that each hand must involve two and only two cards from your hand and three from the board.

At showdown, the pot is split between the player with the best high hand (see Hand Rankings) and the player with the best low hand (if a low is possible). Ideally, of course, you win both at once – the ‘scoop.’

But first - the Low rules:

A low hand is an unpaired hand containing the lowest combination of cards available. Ace counts as low, with straights and flushes not counting against the low. The best possible low hand is therefore A 2 3 4 5, any suits (known as ‘the wheel,’ or ‘bicycle’).

To qualify for a low to be eligible, the highest card in the low hand must be 8 or lower (hence ‘8-or-better’). If a board came K K 9 7 2, for example, there would be NO LOW available (as the lowest three communal cards would be 9 7 2). This particular hand would therefore be played high only, with the player(s) with the best high hand taking the pot.

Lows are compared from highest card down, so low hand 7 5 4 3 2 beats 8 5 4 3 2. Similarly, 2 3 4 5 7 beats A 2 3 6 7, as, if the highest card is the same (7, in this case), the hand is then compared on second-highest (5 is lower than 6), and so on.

It is possible for two or more players to end up with the same low, in which case the low pot (half the main pot) is split evenly between them (see Example hand 2).

Example hand 1:

Ben holds As 2s Kc 3h
Dana holds Ah 4h 6d 6c

The board is 2h 3d 5s 7s Ks

Ben’s high hand: As Ks 7s 5s 2s (flush, Ace high)
Ben’s low hand: A 2 3 5 7 (seven low)

Dana’s high hand: 3d 4h 5s 6d/c 7s (straight, seven high)
Dana’s low hand: A 2 3 4 5 (nut low – the wheel)

In this case, Ben would win the high, and Dana the low. The total pot would be chopped (split evenly, with any extra chip going to the high).

Example hand 2:

Ben holds As 2s Jd Jh
Dana holds Ah 2c 10d 10s

The board is 3s 4s 6h 10c Qs

Ben’s high hand: As Qs 4s 3s 2s (flush, Ace high)