Also known as Omaha 8 or better, Omaha Hi/Low poker is a game where the pot is split between the winner of the Hi side and the winner of the Low side. It is possible for the same player to win both the Hi and Low and to take the whole pot (“scoop” the pot).

In Omaha Hi/Lo each player begins with four unique cards (hole cards). They will later share a total of five community cards that will be laid out face up on the table. Each player must form the best five card hands by using exactly 2 of their hole cards and 3 of the community cards.

In order to win the Hi portion of the game, you do not have to qualify; you simple must have the best poker hand. However winning the Low portion of the pot is a little more complicated.

Firstly, you must qualify to compete for this portion. In order to qualify you must have a hand combination that entails five cards, all of different numerical ranks and they must all be between

Ace and 8 Ace being the lowest ranking card). If your cards have all these characteristics you qualify to compete for the low portion of the pot. The winner of this pot will have the lowest high card. In other words, every player has a hand of five different ranked cards. The highest ranking card in your hand must be lower than every other players highest ranking card. For example, if your hand is 4, 2, 5, 6, and 7. Your highest card is a 7. If all the other qualified players have an 8 in their hand then you would win. However if two or more players hold the same lowest high card then it is the second highest cards with the lowest rank that wins. The best Low hand would therefore be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. In this case, the five is the highest card in the hand and since all your cards must be of different rank they would have to be the 4, 3, 2, and 1.

Remember that in order to make your Hi and your Low hand; you must use exactly 2 of your hole cards combined with exactly 3 of the community cards. And you may form two separate combinations of hole and community cards to create different Hi and Low hands.

It is possible for the same player to win both the Hi and the Low portions of the round. And if no players qualify to play for the Low portion, then the winner of the Hi side will take the whole pot.

The game play for Omaha Hi/Low (8 or Better) follows the same method as Texas Holdem, except that the players start with 4 hole cards as opposed 2 and the hand must be composed of a combination of hole and community cards, where as in Holdem poker, you have no barriers.

To Summarize:

• The first two players to the left of the dealer (button) post the small and big blinds.
• The dealer deals four unique cards to every player.
• The player to the left of the button acts first (folds, calls or raises) followed by every player having a chance to act in the first round of betting.
• Once the betting is finished and every player has called (or folded), the top card in the deck is burned and the flop (3 community cards) is dealt face up on the table.
• The second betting round takes place. In this round the player sitting to the left of the button (dealer) acts first (and for the remaining rounds). The betting continues as in the first round.
• The top card is burned and the turn ( fourth street) is added to the board.
• Third round of betting takes place.
• Top card is burned and the river ( fifth street) joins the board.
• The final betting round takes place.

The best Hi hand wins half the pot (the whole pot if no one qualifies for the Low side) and the best Low hand wins the other half. In the case of tie, the two players will split the portion of the pot that they are entitled to.