How To Play Omaha Poker

How To Play Omaha Poker

Omaha Poker is very similar to Texas Hold 'em and it too is very popular in casinos and with poker players online. Omaha differs from Texas Holdem in that each player is dealt four hole cards instead of two, and two of those hole cards must be used in combination with three of the five community cards to make a hand.

The basics

A game of Omaha begins with each player being dealt four cards from a standard 52 card deck. These four cards are known as hole cards or pocket cards and only the player holding them can see them and use them.

During the course of the game five cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. These five cards are known as community cards and everyone can see them and use them.

The object of Omaha is to make the best card hand possible using any two hole cards in your hand and any three community cards on the table and the hole cards in your hand.

The winner is the player with the best hand or the last player in the game if the other players have folded and chosen not to bet against the last player.

If two or more players have equally strong hands at the end of the game then the pot is shared equally between them.

The Blinds

To ensure that there is always money in the pot for a poker game, the two players sat to the left of the dealer post small bets before any cards have been dealt. These bets are known as blinds because they are made before the players have seen any cards. The player to the left of the dealer puts what is called the small blind into the middle of the table and the player positioned to his left then adds the big blind.

The small blind is usually equal to half of the big blind which is usually equal to the minimum bet. So if the minimum bet is $2, the small bind will be $1 and the big blind $2.

Because players take it in turns to be dealer, all players will contribute blinds to the pot in due course. In a casino environment where the house provides the dealer, a chip or button marked DEALER is used and placed in front of each player in turn. Blinds are then placed in relation to this.

It is also possible that every player will be asked to contribute to the pot in addition to the blinds. Such bets are called antes and are most common in Hold 'Em tournaments because it discourages players from folding too often.

Pre Flop

The poker action begins in Omaha when each player is dealt four cards face down. These four cards are known as hole cards or pocket cards and only the player holding them can see them and use them. In fact, unless there is a showdown to determine the winner and the cards are displayed, they are not revealed.

Once the hole cards have been dealt, the player to the left of the big blind starts the game. He or she has three options - call the bet, raise the bet, or fold.

To call a bet in this instance means to match the amount bet in the big blind. So if the big blind was $2 and you want to call, you would put $2 worth of chips into the pot.

To raise a bet is to increase the amount bet. So if the big blind was $2 and you want to raise, you would put more than $2 worth of chips into the pot (how much may be determined by an agreed amount, but standard poker rules require that raises must be at least equal to the amount of the previous bet or raise). After a player raises, the remaining players in the hand must match the raise, raise again or fold.

To fold is to stop playing and forfeit any interest in the current pot. No further bets are required by a folding player.

The play then continues clockwise around the table until each player has had a chance to act on their hand.

The player in the big blind position (the first compulsory full bet), can check and opt to stay in the game without adding anything to the pot, but only if no player has raised. If an opponent has raised, then the big blind has three options: fold, call, or re-raise.

This round of betting continues until every player has either folded, put in all of their chips, or matched the amount put in by all other active players.

The Flop

Assuming that at least two players are still taking part in the hand, the dealer deals three face-up community cards which are known in poker jargon as the flop. One or more of these community cards can be used by any active player to make the best card hand possible.

The flop is followed by a second betting round. This and all subsequent betting rounds begin with the player to the dealer's left and continue clockwise.

The Turn

The fourth community card known as the turn is now dealt face up on the table and a third round of betting follows.

The River

The fifth and final community card is then dealt, followed by the final round of betting.

The Showdown

If a player bets and all other players fold in any of the betting rounds, then that player is awarded the pot and is not required to show his hole cards.

If there is more than one player left in the game after the final round of betting, then there is a showdown in which the remaining players reveal their cards. The highest hand wins.