That's where the 'split-8-or-better' comes from, a phrase usually added to the name of the game.Ī qualifying low hand consists of five unpaired cards ranked eight or lower. The rules of Omaha hi-lo is usually played with a 'qualifier' for the low hand, meaning all of the cards making up a low hand have to be ranked eight or lower. You can use the same two cards, the other two cards, or any combination just as long as you use two cards from your four-card hand plus three of the community cards to build your five-card poker hand. The 'low' hand requires a little more explanation, especially if you are new to split-pot games or hi-lo poker.įirst of all, whatever cards you use to make your high hand, that makes no difference when making your low hand.

In Omaha hi-lo, the 'high' hand is determined exactly the same way as in hold'em or Omaha 'high' games (like PLO), following traditional hand rankings. Here we go over the poker rules for Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better. Pot-limit and no-limit versions of Omaha hi-lo are also popular, especially online either as cash games or tournaments. You will sometimes see the game referred to simply as 'Omaha 8' or even 'O/8' or more elaborately as 'Omaha hi-lo 8 or better.' The name gets styled differently, too, as 'Omaha High-Low,' 'Omaha poker high-low' and so on. (in which Omaha hi-lo is the 'O') or the popular 8-game mix.

Omaha hi-lo is usually played with fixed-limit betting and often turns up in 'mixed game' formats like H.O.R.S.E. If you know how to play pot-limit Omaha (or 'Omaha high'), you are well on your way to learning how to play Omaha hi-lo.Īs the name suggests, Omaha hi-lo is a 'split-pot' version of Omaha poker in which players compete for both the 'high' and 'low' halves of the pot. An Example of an Omaha Hi-Lo Split-8-or-Better Poker Hand.How to Play Omaha Hi-Lo Split-8-or-Better Poker.

Flush high card rules