When playing Omaha hi/lo you have two options: to make the best high hand possible or to make the best low hand possible. The pot is split evenly between the two players making the high hand and the low hand, still there can be only one such winner. Both high hand and the low hand must be made up of two of the four hole cards and three of the five community cards. Considering that it doesn’t happen all the time someone to make a low hand, in such a situation the pot is won by the player with the best high hand.

A low combination

A low hand is based on five cards of different ranking, equaling eight or below, with the only one mention that Ace is one. The best low hand has the smallest high card, A2345 and the worst is 45678. Atention must be paid to the fact that the highest card is more important than the lowest card. For instance A2347 is not so good as 23456. In case the highest card is the same, the next card is taken into consideration and then the next and so on. The pot is not split unless the combinations are perfectly equal. In order to make a low hand in 7Stud hi/lo a player must have two cards of different ranking, equaling eight or below from the four hole cards he is dealt and three cards of different ranking, equaling eight or below from the five community cards.

Dealer button

The dealer button is a chip with the inscription D used as a reference point for dealing cards and posting blinds. Before starting a poker session, the dealer button is placed at seat 1.

Blinds

Big blind and Small blind are posted before each hand for ensuring a minimum pot for each hand. The first player to the left of the dealer posts the small blind (SB) and the next player, clockwise, posts the big blind (BB). The BB is twice the SB. If a player leaves the game after the hand when he was in the BB, the next hand it will be no SB and the player to the left of the dealer will post the BB.

The betting round

During a betting round, each players acts when it’s his turn, at least one time, clockwise. There are a few actions you may choose from. When no bet has been made on the respective round you may pass on without raising the stake (check) or you may make a bet (bet). When someone before you has bet, you may give up and quit the game (fold), pay the same amount (the same bet) for going on (call) or you may increase the amount bet (raise). When you bet all the chips you have in play you went "all-in", if someone has more money in the pot then your "all-in" a secondary pot is made. There are four phases in an Omaha hi/lo hand, each of them being followed by a betting round.

The pre-flop

After posting the blinds, the game starts by dealing the cards. All players receive, as their turn comes, four hole cards, that only they can see (also called pocket cards). When each player was dealt four cards, the first betting round begins. The first player to act is the one situated on the left of the player posting the BB. After this betting round players pass to the next phase called Flop.

The Flop

Three community cards are dealt to the center of the table. A new betting round begins, this time starting with the player on the left of the dealer, the one posting the SB. Each player acts according to the combination they have made, considering the fact that all players may use the community cards. After that, the 3rd phase comes with the Turn.

The Turn

A new community card is dealt for all the players. There are now four community cards. A new betting round begins. The player on the left of the dealer starts the 3rd betting round. The fourth phase is the River.

The River

The last community card is dealt to the center of the table. All the five cards are in the game now. The same player starts the last betting round. This final round is followed by the Showdown.

The Showdown

Now all players show their cards to determine the winner of the big pot. In case there is no low hand the winner is the player who has made the most valuable combination of five cards by using two of the four hole cards and three of the five community cards. In case one or mare than one players have made a low hand the pot is split by all winners. Attention! Only the players left in the game show their cards. An Omaha hi/lo hand may come to an end during each of the betting rounds, when all players except one give up to their cards. In this case, the only player left in the game wins the pot no matter what cards he has. Also, he may choose whether he shows his cards or not.

When two or more players have the same combinations (with the same value) the pot is split evenly. Still, the two parts of the pot have a clear destination: half goes to the high hand winner(s) and half to the low hand winner(s). For instance: if there are two high hand winners and a low hand winner, the two players with the high hand will share half of the pot and the low hand winner will receive the other half of the pot.