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How To Play Omaha High-Low
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The basic set-up and play for Omaha High-Low is identical to Omaha, so please refer to our Learn To Play Omaha Guide as it is identical in terms of playing procedures.
Synopsis:
Omaha high-low is a split-pot game, where half the pot may go to the highest hand and the other half goes to the lowest hand (but only if there is a qualifying low hand). This means that there exists the possibility of making both the best high and low poker hand. Half the pot is awarded to the player with the best high hand, and half the pot is awarded to the player holding the best low hand. If no low hand is feasible or no one qualifies for a low hand, the whole pot goes to the high hand. It is possible have both the best high and low hand at the same time with the same hand.
The High Hand:
The high hand is exactly the same as in regular Omaha, where it is the best "normal" poker hand, starting at the top of the hand rankings for poker with a royal flush and moving on down to an Ace-high no-pair. Just as in regular Omaha, one must use two (exactly two) of the hole cards and three (exactly three) of the board cards when making a hand.
The Low Hand:
The low hand is more complicated to figure out. One must still use two of the hole cards and three of the board cards in order to qualify for the low hand. However, all low hands must contain five cards that are Eight or lower in value, with the Ace now the lowest possible card. An Eight low contains an Eight and four lower cards, a Seven low contains a Seven and four lower cards, and so on. The best possible low is a Five low and it is called a wheel: 5-4-3-2-A (which is also a Five high straight for the high hand). The worst possible low is 8-7-6-5-4 (an Eight high straight for the high hand). Accordingly, in order for there to be a possible low for any hand there must be at least three cards Eight or lower on the board.
Examples
In order to work out which low hand wins a pot you must start with the highest card in your low hand.
If you hold 8-4-3-2-A low it is actually worse than a 7-6-5-4-3 low. Many players do not understand why the hand that has A-2-3-4 (four lowest cards possible) loses to a hand that has 5 mediocre low cards. The reason is because you start with the highest low card in your hand, and the 7 beats the 8 right away.
Similarly, a hand of 7-6-3-2-A low is worse than a 6-5-3-2-A low, and a hand of 8-6-5-4-3 low is beaten by an 7-6-5-4-3 low, which is in turn beaten by an 6-5-4-3-A low.
Getting Quartered:
In Omaha high-low it is possible to win only a quarter of the pot. This can happen when two players have the same high or low hand, but one of the players has the best high or low hand.
If Player A has the best high and the same low as player B, player B will receive one quarter of the pot and player A will collect three quarters.
If Player A has the best high hand but no low and player B and C hold the same low then Player A receives one half of the pot and player B and C split the remaining half. Player B and C got quartered.
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