Playing
Omaha hi/lo at
Paradise Poker
 In
Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or
better (Omaha
Hi/Lo) the pot
is split 50-50
between the best
High Hand and
the best
qualifying Low
Hand. Omaha
Hi/Lo requires a
lot of skill and
usually takes a
little practice
to understand
the intricacies
of the game. Omaha Hi/Lo
is structurally
played the same
as Omaha High
except that the
highest hand
wins 50% of the
pot and the
lowest
qualifying hand
wins 50% of the
pot.
A Low hand
must be high
card "8 or
better" to
qualify. To be
eligible to win
the Low, the
highest card
must be a 5, 6,
7, or 8. The
winning Low Hand
(8 or better) is
determined
firstly by the
player with the
lowest High
card. Upon a tie
with the High
card, the hand
goes to the
player with the
next lowest High
card. Any hand
that is high
card 9 or higher
can NOT qualify
as a Low Hand.
If there is
no qualifying
Low Hand then
the high hand
wins 100% of the
pot.
-
Each
player
receives
four
face-down
cards
(pocket
cards) to
start.
-
At the
showdown
each player
must use
exactly two
of their
four pocket
cards and
combine them
with exactly
three
boardcards.
-
At the
showdown
each player
can use any
two of their
pocket cards
for their
high hand
and any two
of their
pocket cards
for their
low.
-
The best
low hand is
A, 2, 3, 4,
5. This will
also count
as a
straight for
high. Aces
can be used
for both
high and low.
-
Straights
and flushes
are not
considered
when
evaluating a
low hand.
-
A player
can "scoop"
the entire
pot with
both the
high and low
by showing
the highest
and lowest
hands.
General
rules & sequence
of action for
Omaha hi/lo
The dealer
deals each
player their own
four cards
face-down
(pocket cards)
First betting
round
Dealer turns
over three
community
boardcards
(the flop)
face-up
Second betting
round
Dealer turns
over 1 more
community
boardcard
(the turn)
Third betting
round
Dealer turns
over 1 final
community
boardcard
(the river)
Final betting
round
Showdown
At the
showdown players
MUST use exactly
two of their
pocket cards
and
three boardcards.
Players can
use any two of
their pocket
cards with any
three board
cards for their
high hand, and
players can also
use any two of
their pocket
cards with any
three board
cards for their
low hand. It is
possible to win
both high hand
and low hand!
Omaha poker
betting
structure rules
As you can
see from the
description of
action above,
there are four
betting rounds
in a complete
game of Omaha.
Each bet and
raise during the
first two rounds
is set at the
lower limit of
the stakes
structure. For
example in a
$5/$10 texas
holdem game, all
bets and raises
are $5 for the
first two rounds
(after pocket
cards are dealt
and after the
flop).
Betting and
raising during
the last two
rounds is set at
the higher limit
of the stakes
structure. Same
texas holdem
example; all
bets and raises
are $10 for the
last two rounds
(after the turn
and after the
river),
following
accepted poker
rules.
The maximum
allowable number
of bets per
paradisepoker.com
player during
any betting
round in texas
holdem 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.
Paradisepoker.com
follows common
poker rules in
this regard.
Note
that there is no
cap to the
number of raises
in
No Limit and
Pot Limit
games.
Check-raising
is allowed in
all
paradisepoker.com
poker games,
with these rules
including texas
holdem.
Button &
Blinds 
Omaha games
use a flat disk,
as seen above,
called the
dealer-button
(or simply
"the button")
to indicate the
theoretical
dealer of each
hand.
After each
hand has been
completed, the
button moves
clockwise to the
next active
player and this
player will be
considered to be
the button for
that game. The
player to the
left of the
button is first
to receive a
card and is
required to post
a small
blind. The
small blind is
equal to half
the lower limit
bet rounded up
to the nearest
dollar. The
player to the
left of the
small blind is
required to post
the big
blind. The
big blind is
equal to the
lower limit bet.
Both the
small and the
big blinds are
considered live
bets and
therefore have
the option
of checking,
calling, raising
or folding when
the betting
action comes
back around to
their position.
After the flop
and after each
subsequent
betting round,
the first active
player left of
the button is
first to act.
When a player
first sits down
at an active
table, they will
be required to
post the
equivalent of
the big blind.
All players have
the option of
sitting out and
waiting to
become the
actual big blind
before starting
to play. This
rule is in place
to ensure
fairness to all
players. The
rule stops
potential abuses
to the system by
preventing
players who may
otherwise
constantly enter
games in late
position and
then leave
before they are
required to post
a big blind. |
