Rules of Omaha High Low

Omaha High/Low is played very similarly to Omaha, the main difference being that in Omaha High/Low, the pot is split 50-50 between the best high hand and the best qualifying low hand, consisting of 5 cards of different values ranked 8 or lower. Straights and flushes are not counted against you when determining your low hand. However, they still apply for determining the high hand. Aces can be used both for high and low hands, therefore the best possible low hand is A, 2, 3, 4, and 5, which is also a straight for a solid high hand. It should be the aim of a player to scoop the entire pot with both the highest and lowest hands. If there are no qualifying low hands, the best high hand scoops the whole pot. Note that A2345 in a low sense means "5 high", so A2348 would lose to 24567.

Strategy tips for Omaha High Low

The most important thing to keep in mind in split pot games is the big profit difference between winning half the pot and scooping it all. It is a lot more than just twice as much. Scooping the pot usually builds a healthy addition to your stack of chips. Getting half often puts you barely ahead of where you were before you started playing the hand. Expert Omaha Hi Lo players only play starting hands that have a good chance of winning both ways. Omaha is a game of "nuts". With so many players with so many cards, a final hand with a fairly good high and a fairly good low can easily lose to better hands both ways. So after the flop or maybe the turn, if it looks like you don't have an almost certain winner for one end and a decent shot at the other, or the best high hand with no qualifying low probable, you should usually fold up and wait for the next hand.

The best possible starting hand is AA23 (with an A2 suited and an A3 suited)

Remember that you only play to scoop the pot, so after the flop, if your high hand is not a certain winner and will probably have to split with the low, or if you are playing for low and don't have a decent shot at the high hand, usually check/fold and get out early.

Slow play most Omaha hands. It is very difficult to run players off in this game and early raises are risky unless you know you can't lose.

Usually avoid playing middle suited connectors. Hands like 8h 9h that are often very playable in Holdem and Omaha high, are bad news in high-low split. To make the high end of a straight, you have to catch the cards that will also qualify low hands. To play these you also need a suited ace or an A2.

Don't overbet A2, A3 and 2 3 nut lows. These are often shared with another player and you can end up getting "quartered". In other words, if there are two playing the same nut low and one going high, you are in a situation where every bet you make contributes 1/3 to the pot that will only pay you 1/4 back. You do better if you can check around. Fast play in this situation only makes you money if there are three or more other players with either high or losing low hands.

Watch out for uniform flops, like 8 7 6, they can easily turn into straights that can overtake your high pair trips, or other good hand.

Beware of Suited Flops that can make a completed flush. In this case, you should usually hold the nut in that suit, or have trips or two pair that can fill up.

Pay very close attention to your cards. Omaha High Low hands can get confusing and it is sometimes easy to think you have a nut hand winner when you don't, or have the best possible hand and not realize it. Be careful to avoid these costly mistakes.