At Ignition you can play one of the most widely played versions of poker known as Hi/Lo Omaha. If you're eager to dive into the world of Omaha High/Low and expand your knowledge, Ignition Poker is here to support your journey. Our platform is designed with user-friendliness in mind, ensuring a seamless and intuitive experience as you play the game for real money.
Opting for Hi/Lo format in Omaha involves fundamental differences from traditional Omaha, and players must not only understand these differences but also make strategic and tactical decisions accordingly.
At Ignition Poker, we provide expert guidance and resources to assist you in mastering Omaha Hi/Lo. We believe that with the right tools and information, you have the potential to become a skilled player.
What is Hi/Lo Poker
Most standard poker games like Texas Hold'em and Pot Limit Omaha ask you to make the best possible 5-card hand. In Hi/Lo games, the pot is split evenly between the highest-ranking hand (the High) and the lowest-ranking hand (the Low). Winning both halves of the pot is ideal, so right away, you know that the best Hi/Lo starting hands contain cards that can help you win both the High and the Low.
If you can’t scoop the whole pot, winning three-quarters is still pretty good. In Omaha Hi/Lo, this will usually happen when you’ve got the best possible High hand – the “nut” High – and you tie a single opponent for the nut Low. It can happen the other way around, though. And of course, you can also “get quartered” by only tying for the High or Low, or even worse if you get stuck in a multi-way pot.
Having said that, Hi/Lo often ends with the pot split 50/50 between the High and Low hands – if there’s a qualifying Low. The Omaha Hi/Lo games at Ignition Poker are played using “Eight or Better” rules, meaning each of the five cards in the Low has to rank Eight or lower. That’s why you’ll sometimes see this game referred to as Omaha-8, or O8 for short.
How to Play the Game
To deepen your understanding we are happy to offer a separate guide dedicated to Omaha Hi-Lo rules. Omaha 8 shares many similarities with regular Omaha poker. The key distinction lies in determining the winner during the showdown. The pot is divided into two halves, with the player holding the best high hand and the player holding the best low hand each receiving one half of the pot. Note that it is possible for a player to win both the low and high pots.
- No card in a Low can be higher than an 8.
- The Ace is considered the lowest card in a Low.
- Straights and flushes don't count toward a Low.
- A-2-3-4-5 (known as a wheel) is the best possible Low.
- It's possible for a hand to qualify for both a Low and a High combination.
Omaha-8 Hands
Knowing the importance of Omaha hands is crucial for a comprehensive understanding and assessing starting hands in Omaha-8. In split-pot games like Hi/Lo, you obviously want the lowest-ranking hand possible to have the best chance of winning the Low side. Straights and flushes aren’t factored in for your Low hand in Omaha Hi/Lo, so the lowest hand possible is Five-Four-Three-Deuce-Ace, aka the “wheel”.
On the flip side, the worst possible Low hand in Omaha Hi/Lo would be Eight-Seven-Six-Five-Four. When you’re comparing Low hands, make sure to start with the highest-ranking card of the five and count from there; for example, 65432 beats 8732A, even if the player with the Ace has the lowest-ranking card between the two.
Best Omaha Hi/Lo Starting Hands
As we mentioned earlier, the best starting hands in Hi/Lo games have potential to win both the High and the Low. That usually means having a pair of Aces and two other wheel cards when you’re playing Omaha Hi/Lo, with Ace-Ace-Deuce-Three double-suited (AA23ss) at the top of the list.
As it turns out, all of the Top 10 starting hands in Omaha Hi/Lo, (judging by how well they perform going all-in preflop versus four random hole cards) have a pair of Aces in them. They rank as follows:
- A-A-2-3 double-suited
- A-A-2-4 double-suited
- A-A-2-3 suited
- A-A-2-5 double-suited
- A-A-2-4 suited
- A-A-3-4 double-suited
- A-A-2-3 non-suited
- A-A-2-2 double-suited
- A-A-3-5 double-suited
- A-A-2-6 double-suited
Those give you the best shot at winning both the low and high pot at showdown.
When comparing low combinations, the cards are evaluated from highest to lowest, with lower cards being more favorable. For instance, a hand of 6-5-4-3-2 beats a hand of 7-4-3-2-A, but loses to a hand of 6-4-3-2-A.
Types of High/Low Games
There are several types of hi lo poker games available, each with its own unique rules and strategies. Omaha-8 is one of the most popular high low poker games, where players will start the hand with four hole cards and the pot is split between the player with the best high hand and the player with the best low hand.
Seven stud is another popular poker variant where players receive a mix of face-up and face-down cards, and the best five-card hand wins.
Other high low poker games include Razz, where only the lowest hand qualifies for the pot, and Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw, where the lowest hand wins the pot and players can draw three times.
Each type of high-low game requires a different approach and skillset, making them a fun and challenging alternative to traditional poker formats.
Difference Between PLO and Omaha-8
Aside from the split-pot nature of Omaha Hi/Lo, there’s one important difference worth mentioning between this game and its more commonly-played cousin, Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) or 5-card Omaha: People seem to enjoy Omaha Hi/Lo the most when it’s played using the Fixed-Limit betting structure, as opposed to Pot-Limit for Omaha and No-Limit for Texas Hold’em.
Other than that, the main differences between the two games are in the strategies you need to employ – not just strategies, but also “logistics” like game selection and bankroll management. For example, Fixed-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo doesn’t put nearly as much strain on your bankroll as PLO; the pots are smaller, and many of them get chopped, so there’s less risk of losing your shirt on a bad run of cards. This means you don’t need as many buy-ins in your bankroll to play “Limit O8” as you’re recommended to have for PLO.
Where can I play Omaha Hi/Lo Online?
Now that you know all the basics, you’re ready to hit the felt at Ignition Poker and show them your Omaha Hi/Lo skills. Try some Play Money games to get your feet wet, then switch to Real Money mode and get those cards in the air today at Ignition – your No. 1 destination for online poker.