Omaha High Low poker rules
These are Omaha High-Low poker rules. It’s basically the same game as Omaha High - each player gets four personal, hidden cards, and there are five community cards. The difference is that in Omaha High-Low the highest ranking five card poker hand splits the pot with the lowest ranking hand. Normally you must have an 8 or lower as your highest ranking card to be eligible for the “low pot”. It’s possible to win both pots with the same hand. Aces can be counted both high and low and A2345 might give a maximum pay off (straights and flushes doesn’t count in the low hand). That’s the best low hand a player can have, and also makes a straight for high hand.
However, you are not forced to use the same five cards to create both hands. You can use two of your four personal cards, and combine them with two of the five community cards to make your high hand, and another, or same, combination two create your low hand (but you always have to use two personal cards and two community cards to make a hand).
Otherwise the structure is the same as in Omaha High. There are four betting rounds in Omaha High-Low.
The Blinds – obligatory bets
Before the game starts the blinds have to be placed. These are obligatory bets made by the two players seated to the left of the dealer. If the dealer isn’t taking part in the game a dealer button is used to indicate who’s “dealing” (the button is moved one step to the left after each hand is played). The player closest to the dealer (on the left) places the small blind and the player next to him places the big blind. The size of the blinds differs from game to game, but the small blind is normally half the size of the big blind.
Pre-flop – all players get two cards
When the blinds are placed every player is dealt four cards face down. The cards are dealt clockwise, one at a time, and the dealer gets the last one. Since the blinds have opened the betting already, the player to the left of the big blind will act first in this round. He can fold, call (the amount of the big blind), or make a raise. All the players make their moves, the big blind acts last in this round. If no one has made a raise the betting round is over. If there has been a raise the remaining players have to respond to this (by folding, calling or re-raising). If a player makes a bet or raise that no one calls he or she wins the entire pot.
The Flop – three community cards are dealt
When the first betting round is finished, three cards are placed face up on the table. This is called the Flop and the cards are common to all the players in the game. In this betting round the small blind opens the betting, if he or she is still in the game. As in the first round the betting goes clockwise around the table, but this time the dealer gets to act last.
The Turn – the fourth community card
When the second betting round is finished, a fourth community card is placed on the table. This is called the Turn. The betting in this round follows the same procedure as on the Flop.
The River – the fifth community card
When the third betting round is finished, a fifth community card is placed on the table. This is called the River. The betting in this round follows the same procedure as on the Flop and Turn. When all bets are made the player who was last to bet or make a raise reveals his or hers cards. If another player has a better hand (either high or low) he or she shows the cards. Players with worse hands can either show their cards or throw them away. The high hand and the low hand split the pot. If there is no low hand the high hand wins the entire pot.
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