How to Play Omaha Hi-Lo

Omaha Hi-Lo is a complex version of poker in which a player can win parts of the pot with either high cards or low cards. It's often considered similar to Texas Hold 'Em because of the way the game is dealt, but the play and the strategy of Omaha Hi-Lo is very different.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Posting Blinds and Dealing

1. Begin the game by selecting a dealer. The person to the left of the dealer becomes the small blind, while the person to the left of him is the big blind. These positions rotate one player clockwise around the table after each hand, so everyone will, at some point, act in each of these roles.

2. Post the small and big blinds. Blinds are amounts that two players put into the pot before the start of each hand to get the pot started. The small blind is half the amount of the big blind.

3. Deal four cards face down to each player. The dealer should begin with the player in the small blind and deal one card to each person, clockwise around the table, until each player has four cards.

Betting and Playing

4. Players then begin betting, starting with the player to the left of the big blind. The starting bid is the big blind amount, and players have the option to raise that amount. Betting moves clockwise around the table. If play gets to the player in the small blind without the pot being raised, the player who posted the small blind can call but adding the difference between the big blind and the small blind. If the person in the big blind is in the same situation, he has the option to check--that is, not put any extra money into the pot. Players always have the option to fold and be out of the hand at any point if they choose.

5. Deal the flop once the first round of betting is complete. The flop consists of three community cards that are placed face up in the middle of the table. Then, deal a fourth card, which is called the turn. After that comes a fifth and final card, which is called the river.

6. Conduct one full round of betting after the flop, after the turn, and again after the river.

Determining the Winners

7. Reveal the cards of the players still in the hand. Each player must make the best combination between two of the cards in his hand and three of the community cards. The person with the best poker hand in the five cards wins half of the pot, as this is the high hand.

8. Look at the community cards and determine if a low hand is possible. If there are at least three cards with a different face value of eight or lower, a low hand is possible. If not, the high hand winner takes the entire pot.

9. Check the players' hands to determine the winner of the low hand. Players must combine two of the cards in their hand with three of the community cards. Players do not have to use the same two cards they used to determine the high hand. The player with the lowest face value, non-duplicate cards wins the other half of the pot. Often times two players can have the same low hand; when this is the case, they each take a quarter of the pot.