Hi/Lo variations of poker
Hold'em, Omaha and stud are all High only games - namely the highest hand wins. However, a variant of each of these games can be played - called Hi/Lo.
This guide will explain how to play Omaha and Stud Hi/Lo, so please make sure you know how to play these two games before reading this guide!
Basic principles
Splitting the pot
In Hi/Lo poker, the players with the best high hand and the best low hand each win half of the pot.
Making a Lo hand
Basically, a good low hand is a bad high hand. To put it simply - you are aiming to make a five-card hand with the highest hand being the lowest card possible. The rules that define a low hand are;
- A Lo hand must only contain cards ranked 8 or lower
- The hand cannot contain pairs, three-of-a-kind, four of a kind or a full house
- Straights and flushes can be considered low hands as long as the highest card is lower than an 8
- the lowest card you can receive is an Ace
- Cards may be used for a high hand as well as a low hand
Ranking low hands
The ranking of low hands is simple enough. The cards are classified by the highest card that they contain. the 'five-low' is the lowest hand possible, and is often called a Wheel. This hand consists of A-2-3-4-5 off suit cards.
After this come 'six-lows', which can be made of A-2-3-4-6, A-2-4-5-6, A-3-4-5-6 and 2-3-4-5-6.
After this come 'seven lows', followed by 'eight lows'.
If no player has a Lo hand (Eight low or lower) then the entire pot goes to the player with the Hi hand.
Winning the high and low pots
Different card combinations
In Hi/Lo poker, it is possible to win both the Hi and Lo pot using a different combination of your cards.
In this example, you would use your Jack and Ten to win the Hi pot with a flush. You would then also use your Ace and three to make and eight low, with the Ace being the lowest card. This would beat Bobs eight low, as his lowest card is a two.
Identical card combinations
It is also possible to use an identicle card combination for both Hi and Lo hands.
In this case (from Omaha) you use you Ace and five of spades together with the two, three and four of spades community cards. This gives you a straight flush for Hi, and a Wheel for Lo. This great combination is known as a 'Steel Wheel'!
Tip - Free rolling!
In certain circumstances, you can be guaranreed to win at least one half of the pot (normally the low). For example, if you are playing stud poker, and your opponents up cards are Queen, nine and a King (off suit or suited) and you are holding a hand like the following;
You know that you are sure to win the low part and at least half the chips in the pot. In this instance, you should bet or raise, even if you have little for the Hi pot. At worst you will get you bet back!
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Strategy Guides
- Staying in the game
- Check your position
- On the flop
- Turn and river
- Slow playing and trapping
- Large stack dominion
- Short stack aggressiveness
- Table image
- Choosing your table
- Choosing your style
- Projecting your image
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