Omaha poker isn’t nearly as popular as Holdem, but it’s getting there. Over the last couple of years, more and more players have been flocking to play Omaha. Some players are trying to avoid the saturation at the Holdem tables. Others are simply trying to broaden their horizons.
I suggest that you do the same. Omaha is a fun game to play, although it can be tricky at first to learn. I’m going to try to help you with that. Below, I’ll cover the rules of Omaha poker and the common variations and betting limits that you’ll find online.
Rule of Omaha Poker
Omaha is going to play very similar to Holdem. This is why so many players transfer to Omaha after starting out in Texas Holdem.
Now, there are a couple key differences to point out. For one thing, you’re dealt 4 cards preflop instead of 2. Two of these four cards have to be used in making your 5-card poker hand. Secondly, if you’re playing the Hi/Lo variation, you’ll notice that there is a possibility of two winning hands and splits pots. Aside from that, the general play will be the same. Let’s go ahead and get into it.
Preflop
A game of Omaha will start with the blinds being posted. There are two blinds — one is the small blind, who sits to the left of the dealer button. The 2nd is the big blind, who sits to the left of the small blind. This player posts the big bet which is usually double the size of the small blind. These are forced bets in order to create action at the table.
Once the blinds are posted (and antes when applicable), every player is dealt 4 cards faced down.
The action will start with the player to the left of the big blind. This position is also known as being under the gun. This player, and every other player left to act, will have the option to call, raise or fold. The action will continue like this until every player has acted. If there are 2 or more players remaining, then they will go to the flop.
The Flop
The flop is where the first 3 of 5 community cards are dealt.
Once the flop has been dealt, the action will begin with the first remaining player to the left of the dealer button. Each player will have the option to check, bet, call, raise or fold. Checking is like saying, “I pass or I don’t want to bet.” This option is only available until someone makes a bet.
The action continues like this until all but one player has folded and the hand is done or 2 or more players are remaining. Then they will go to the turn.
The Turn
The turn is the 4th community card of 5 dealt — it’s also known as 4th street.
The action is the same as on the flop. The first player to act will be the first remaining player to the left of the dealer button. The options are the same too — players can check, bet, call, raise or fold. This continues until every player has acted.
The River
The river is where things can get tricky, depending on the variation of Omaha you’re playing.
It’ll start off similar to the flop and turn. Starting with the first remaining player to the left of the dealer button, each player will have the option to check, bet, call, raise or fold.
If all but one player folds, than the pot is awarded to the remaining player without having to show his or her cards (unless they want to).
If there are two or more players remaining, then there will be what’s referred to as a showdown. This is where the players will flip over their hands to determine the winner.
The first player to flip over his or her hand will be either the first player to the left to the dealer button or the player who was the raiser on the river. In a clockwise fashion, players will then muck (throw away) or flip over their hands.
In Omaha Hi, the player with the best 5-card hand, using two of his hole cards and 3 community cards, will win the pot. The pot will then be awarded, the dealer button will move one seat to the left, blinds will be reposted and a new hand will be dealt.
Omaha Hi/Lo / 8 or Better – Omaha Poker Variations
The river will be slightly different if you’re playing the variation Omaha Hi/Lo. It’s also known as Omaha 8 or Better.
Omaha Hi/Lo allows players to win a pot one of two ways. You can win with the best 5-card poker hand using standard poker hand rankings. Or you can win with the best low 5-card poker hand, which is a wheel (A thru 5). Any 5 cards 8 or below will be considered a low hand.
In the scenario that one player has a high hand and another player a low hand, the pot would then be split amongst the two (or however many that qualify). If a player happens to have both the best high and low hand, or there isn’t one of the two kinds of hands possible, then that player “scoops” the entire pot.
Omaha Poker Betting Limits
Omaha Hi is played almost solely using the pot limit format. When you play Hi/Lo, you’ll notice that the action is spread out somewhat across the 3 betting limits, fixed, pot and no limit. Fixed limit will be the only format offered at the highest stakes — at least on the major poker sites. In case you’re not familiar with each of these limits, here’s a rundown of what each one entails.
Pot Limit: Pot Limit caps the amount a player can bet based on what is currently in the pot. If there is $20 in the pot, no more than $20 can be wagered. As the amount increases, so does the amount that can be betted or raised.
No Limit: No Limit means that at any time a player can wager his or her entire stack, regardless of what is in the pot or the action that happened prior.
Fixed Limit: Fixed limit is a bit odd, so it’s best explained through example. Say you’re playing in a $4/$8 game. Preflop and on the flop, the blinds would be $2/$4 and all bets and raises would be in increments of $4. On the turn and the river, all bets and raises would be using the big bet, or in this case, $8. There is a cap of one bet and 3 raises for any given round.
Get Started with Omaha Poker Online
At first, Omaha Poker might be difficult to learn. Especially if you choose to play 8 or Better. It can be difficult figuring out things like what hands and draws to play or even figuring out what qualifies as a high and/or low hand. The best thing you can do though is to get started. Pick a poker site to play at, start at the lowest limits and work your way up. You’ll get the hang of Omaha Poker before you know it.
