omaha hi lo poker
Omaha Hi Lo poker is a variant of Omaha in which the pot is split between the best hand (the high hand) and the worst hand (the lowest hand), which is why the game is called Hi Lo in the poker game variety.
Omaha Hi Lo is also called Omaha/8, as one rule of the game is that the lowest hand can’t have any card higher than 8 in it, in order to meet the criteria as a low hand. So A2578 is a valid low hand, which A2349 isn’t a valid low hand, since the 9 is too high.
Another thing to keep in mind is that straights don’t debar a low hand, so A2345 (commonly called a “wheel”) is the lowest hand possible. Flushes also don’t disqualify a low hand, so A2345 of hearts is a valid low hand as well.
Because it is a split pot game, Omaha Hi Lo poker can be extremely exciting, with lots of action and players staying in until the river. The reason is pretty simple, as players with a low hand would immediately fold if they were playing Omaha (where the highest hand wins the entire pot), but they would play the similar hand in Omaha Hi Lo games, as they have a good shot at winning at least half of the pot.
Omaha Hi Lo poker is usually played as a pot limit game, which can show the way to some huge, exciting pots, with multiple players betting and raising all the way to the river.
omaha poker glossary
Below you’ll find some common terms and definitions that are used in Omaha poker (as well as some general poker terms).
“The board”: The board is the five community cards in the middle, dealt face up, that all players in the hand share.
“Getting quartered”: Getting quartered occurs in Omaha Hi Lo when you must split half the pot with multiple opponents. This occurs most often when multiple players split the low half of the pot.
“Flop”: The flop is the first three community cards that are dealt.
“Double suited”: Double suited (sometimes abbreviated DS) means that two of your hole cards are one suit, while the other two are another, such as Ad 2d 8h 9h.
“Scoop”: Scooping applies to Omaha Hi Lo, and occurs when you win both the high and low portions of the pot, often with a hand such as A2345.
“Wheel”: A wheel is the term used to describe the hand A2345.
“The nuts”: The best hand possible on any given board.
“PLO”: Pot Limit Omaha.
“PLO8″: Pot Limit Omaha Hi Lo, also known as Pot Limit Omaha/8.
