How to Play Omaha Hi-Lo
Omaha Hi-Lo seems like a confusing game at first, but it really is not that difficult to learn how to play. If you have played Omaha hi, then you will definitely have no problem figuring out how to play Omaha hi-lo. If you are new to Omaha all together, then you might have a little bit tougher time learning the game. At either rate, all it takes is a bit of reading and some time spent practicing. From there, you will be on your way to playing Omaha Hi-Lo in a matter of a few hours. The first place to start is to learn the rules and a simple strategy. After you do that you will need to piece everything together and come up with your own winning strategy for Omaha Hi-Lo.
Omaha Hi-Lo Rules
Omaha is played with 4 hole cards for each player. It does not matter if it is Omaha or Omaha Hi-Lo. This part is played the same for both. Each player is dealt 4 cards face down for only that player to see. Throughout the hand, there are 5 community cards dealt face up to the board. Those cards are used by each player that is in the hand. The idea is to mix the hole cards with the community cards to make the best possible 5 card poker hand. The only thing is that you must use 2 hole cards and 3 community cards to make your hand - no more and no less. So in order to have a flush, you must have two of that suit in your hand and there must be 3 of that suit on the board.
In Omaha Hi-Lo, there is a little bit of a swing put into the game. Not only are you trying to make the highest possible 5 card poker hand, but you are also trying to make the lowest 5 card poker hand. That is an important part of Omaha Hi-Lo. That would be what separates Omaha Hi-Lo from a basic Omaha game. In order to have a low pot, there must be a low hand possibility. The only way to qualify for a low hand is to have 5 cards that are 8 or lower. If you do not have 5 cards that are each 8 or lower, you do not qualify. That means that the board must have at least 3 cards that are 8 or lower. With that said, you can see how it would be fairly common to not have a low hand at all. In that case, you are basically just playing Omaha Hi.
When there is a low hand, there will be two separate pots. Half of the money will go into the high pot while the other half will go into the low pot. The player with the highest 5 card hand will win the high pot and the player with the lowest possible hand will win the low pot. It is possible to win both the high and the low if you have the highest 5 card poker hand and the lowest at the same time. The lowest possible hand would be A2345.
Omaha Hi-Lo can get fairly confusing at first, but once you figure it out its an easy game to learn. Just remember that you must use 2 hole cards and 3 community cards to make your hand. Also remember that 8 or lower is what you need to qualify for a low hand. These are two mistakes that beginners make. Forgetting those rules can result in losing because of lack of knowledge. Before you learn all of the fancy strategies you will need to know the basic rules of Omaha Hi-Lo.