5-CARD OMAHA 8

Overview

5-Card Omaha 8 adds a split pot to 5-Card Omaha. The high half is won by the best hand (using exactly 2 hole cards + 3 community cards). The low half requires a player to make five unique ranks all 8 or lower using exactly 2 hole cards + 3 community cards — the lowest such hand wins. If no player qualifies for low, the high hand wins the whole pot. A player may use different two-card combinations for their high and low hands.

Key Rules

Split Pot

• Half the pot goes to the best HIGH hand
• Half the pot goes to the best qualifying LOW hand
• If no player qualifies for low, the high hand wins the entire pot
• The same player can win both halves

Low Hand Qualification (8 Qualifier)

To qualify for low, a player must make five unique ranks all 8 or lower using exactly 2 hole cards + 3 community cards. Aces count as low. Straights and flushes do not count against a low hand.

Best Low Hand

A-2-3-4-5 (the "wheel") is the best possible low hand. In lowball ranking, lower is better — compare from highest card down.

Five-Card Advantage

With five hole cards and ten two-card combinations, 5-Card Omaha 8 gives players far more chances to hold both a low-qualifying pair of cards AND a high-hand pair simultaneously.

Strategy Tips

• A♣ 2♦ is the premium low combination — protect it
• Hands containing A-2, A-3, or 2-3 in the hole are valuable starters
• If the board runs high, no one qualifies for low and the high hand scoops
• The best hands simultaneously threaten both the high and the low