Bidirectional Chowaha (High/Low)

Forced Money

The game is played with a button and blinds.

Dealing Procedure

Each player is dealt four cards face down, followed by a round of betting at the small bet limit.

Three flops are dealt one above the other forming a 3 × 3 square of cards. This is followed by a round of betting at the small bet limit.

A die is rolled, as per Dice Procedures.

  • If the die is 1, 2, or 3, turn cards will be dealt vertically to the right of the flop cards from the dealer’s persepective ("normal" Chowaha, if there ever was such a thing).
  • If the die is 4, 5, or 6, turn cards will be dealt below the flop cards from the dealer's perspective.

This is followed by a round of betting at the big bet limit.

Then, two turn cards are dealt vertically to the right of, or below, the flop cards from the dealer’s persepective. This is followed by a round of betting at the big bet limit.

One river card is placed to the right of, or below, of the turn cards, according to the die roll. This is followed by a round of betting at the big bet limit. This is followed by a showdown.

At the showdown, the board will look like the following on a roll of 1, 2, or 3:

1 2 3
      Y
4 5 6   Z
      Y
7 8 9

The cards labelled 1-9 are the flop cards, the cards indicated as Y are the turn cards, and Z is the river card.

On a roll of 4, 5, or 6, the board will look like the following:

1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
 Y Y
  Z

Evaluating the Showdown

The best high hand and best California low hand of at least eight low or better splits the pot. Each hand consists of two cards from the player’s hole cards plus the cards from one flop, one turn, and the river.

Any of four boards can be used. On a roll of 1, 2, or 3, these are the top flop, the top turn, and the top river; or the bottom flop, turn, and river; or the center flop and either turn card. On a roll of 4, 5, or 6, the four boards are the left flop, turn and river; the right flop, turn, and river; or the center flop, either turn, and river (two boards).

Each player may create their best high hand and low hand using different hold cards and/or different board cards. Also, as in Omaha, each player must use exactly two hole cards plus three cards from the board to form each portion of their hand.