Omaha High/Low

Omaha high/low is played as limit, pot limit and no limit. . Players are dealt four cards. Players must use two and only two of their four dealt cards and must use three and only three of the board cards. The goal is to make the best hand, called the nuts. Often in Omaha high/low players will need the nuts to win the hand. The goal is to is to win both the high and the low in the same hand and win what is called a scooper or hogger.

High Hand

The best high hand is determined by looking at the board just as in Texas Hold’em. The difference is that in Omaha a player will almost always make close to if not the nuts. For example if the five card board pairs then there can be four of a kind and full houses. If the board has three or more of a suit then there can be a flush. If there are three cards out of five that make a straight then there is a straight possible. It is very rare for a board not to pair or make flushes and straights possible. In that case three of a kind would be the nuts.

Low Hand

The great thing about playing high/low as opposed to strictly high is that there is more action. More people are chasing draws as they can often at least back in to half the pot if they hit something. For there to be a low hand there must be at least three cards out of the five board cards that are eight or lower and do not pair. For example a board of 2459Q would make a possible low where a board of 4488Q would not. Aces are considered high or low. The best low would be A2345, also called a wheel.

The best low is determined by the lowest high card. For example a player with 8432A would lose to a player that had 76543. It is common for two or more players to have the same low hand. Straights and flushes are ignored when it comes to the best low hand. A player can use a flush and also play that flush low if possible. The best low hand wins half of the pot. It is common for two players to have the same low hand. In this case the players would split the low half. If two players tied they would each get ¼ of the entire pot. If three players split they each would get 1/6 and if four player split they would each get 1/8 of the pot. If the board does not make at least three cards eight or lower that do not pair or no player can make a low then there is no low and the entire pot will be awarded to the high hand.

Action

In all variations of Omaha high/low players post antes, known as blinds, are paid by the two players to the left of the dealer’s button. The first player pays what is called the small blind which is half of the amount that other players will have to call to see the flop. If there are no raises the small blind must double his bet to se the flop. The big blind puts up the amount equal to the amount other players will have to pay to see the flop.

After the blinds are posted the dealer deals two cards out to all players seated at the table. The action will begin on the player to the left of the big blind. This player is known as under the gun. The player can either match the big blind bet, raise or fold. After the each player has acted around to the big blind or all raise have been called there is a flop.

Flop

The flop consists of three cards. In live games there is a card discarded, also known as burned, by the dealer. After the flop is dealt the first player still in the hand to the left of the button can either check or bet. The action will go around the table until somebody bets. If nobody bets then all players get to see the next card for free. If a player bets and all players fold then the betting player wins the hand and a new hand is dealt. If a player calls then there will be a turn card dealt. Players may also check and raise, in that case the action will go back around the table.

Turn

If there are still at least two players in the hand then the turn is dealt. The turn is one card dealt to the right of the flop. The action is the same as the flop. In live poker a card is burned just like on the flop. The player to the left of the dealer’s button starts the action and all players left in the hand have a chance to bet or check. If a player bets then the remaining players must call, raise or fold. If there are still four players let in the hand the river card is dealt.

River

The river is the last card dealt in the board. It is dealt to the right of the turn. Just as on the flop and turn the player to the left of the button acts first. Players may check or bet. If a player bets all players wanting to try to win the pot must call any bet. If all players check or there is a bet and at least one player calls there is a showdown.

Showdown

If a player bet the river then he is the first to show his hand. If the river was checked then the player to the left of the button shows his hand first. After all hands are shown or folded, also known as mucked, then the best hand or only hand shown is the winner. If more than one hand is shown the best five card hand out of the seven cards available (the five card board plus player’s hole cards) is declared the winner. In some cases there will be two or more hands that tie. In that case the pot will be split between all hands that tied.

Rake

Online poker rooms usually take 5% up to $3 from the pot. Live poker rooms usually take 10% up to $4 or $5. Your rakeback is based on the amount of rake the house takes out of the pot. The rake is usually seen to the dealer’s right. Online you can either hover over the pot or the rake box to see how much rake was taken during a hand.