Omaha Hi-Lo Poker Basic Strategy

Sequence of Play

1. The Players to the left of the Dealer begin by posting the blind bets.

2. Four pocket cards are dealt to each Player - face-down

3. First round of betting - options are to fold, bet, or raise.  Only one bet, and three raises per Player are allowed on the first round.  Players cannot "check" in the first round, as Blinds are bets, and not antes.

4. Three communal cards (flop) are dealt face-up in the center of the table. All communal cards are active for all Players and can be used in combination with each Player's two cards.

5. Second round of betting - options are to check, fold, bet, or raise.

6. Fourth communal card (Turn) is dealt face-up.

7. Third round of betting - options are to check, fold, bet, or raise.

8. If, at this stage, there are still at least two vying Players, the fifth, and final communal card (River) is dealt face-up.

9. Final round of betting follows.

10. The Showdown! All remaining Players then create the best five-card low and the best five-card high hand possible. You can only use: two pocket cards and three communal cards or low hands can only win if all the cards in the hand have a value of 8 or less.

11. The two Players with the best high and low hands split the pot!

** Note: It is not always possible to create both a high and low hand; in this case, the winner with the only qualifying hand wins the entire pot. It is possible for one Player to win the entire pot by having both the highest and the lowest hands. If two Players tie on either a low or a high hand, then they win a quarter of the pot - this is known as the pot being "quartered".

Betting Rules

1. As per normal poker rules - playing and betting proceeds in a clockwise direction.

2. The two Players to the left of the Dealer post the blind bets.

3. Small Blind (the Player who sits left of the Dealer) bets half the lower limit.

4. Big Blind (the Player who sits left of the Small Blind) bets equal to the lower limit.

5. Betting increments in the game determine the blinds. In a game of $2 and $4 betting increments, the small blind is $1, and the big blind is $2.

6. The blind bets in Omaha Hi-Lo are considered as active bets, and therefore, Players have the option to check, fold, call, and raise when the betting action returns to their position. (Exception to first round betting). First round betting - options are to fold, bet, or raise.  Only one bet, and three raises per Player are allowed on the first round.  Players cannot "check" in the first round, as Blinds are bets, and not antes.

7. Second and subsequent betting rounds - options are to check, fold, bet, or raise.

8. All bets must be placed in conjunction with the game's betting increments.

9. There are four possible betting rounds in Omaha Hi-Lo poker. Each bet and raise during the first two rounds is set at the lower limit of the stakes structure, and for the last two rounds at a higher limit structure. For example in a $1/$2 Omaha Hi-Lo game, all bets and raises are $1 for the first two rounds (after pocket cards are dealt and after the flop). All bets and raises are $2 for the last two rounds (after the turn and after the river), following accepted poker rules.

10. The maximum allowable number of bets per Player during any betting round in Omaha Hi-Lo poker is four. This includes a (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap. The term cap is used to describe the 3rd raise in a round since betting is then capped and can't be raised further. Once capped, Players will have only the option of calling or folding.

11. In betting rounds where Players have folded, the first active Player left of the Disc/Dealer is first to act.

12. To ensure fairness for all online poker Players - new Players entering the Omaha Hi-Lo game will be required to post the equivalent of the big blind. All Players have the option of sitting out and waiting for the actual big blind before starting play.

13. By preventing Players from constantly entering poker games in a late position and leaving before they're required to post, these rules stop potential abuse of the online environment.