How To Play Omaha Poker

Omaha is a popular poker game that is played in a similar structure as Texas Holdem.

The big difference is that instead of receiving two hole cards, each player receives four hole cards face down.

During each hand there are five community cards dealt like in Texas Holdem. The object of the game is to make the best five card hand from the poker hand rankings using two hole cards and three community cards.

A lot of novice players make the easy mistake of only using one hole card to make up their best hand when they must use two. It is advisable for new players to the game to play a few practice tables before putting any real money forward.

The Dealer Button

The dealer button moves along to each player going round one position every hand in a clockwise rotation. This determines who has to post the blinds, who acts first for each stage of the hand and where the first cards are dealt.

The Blinds

As with Texas Holdem the two players to the left of the dealer button have to put forward a 'blind' bet. This means they have to put a bet into the pot before the cards are even dealt and this ensures that there are is something guaranteed to be won each hand.

The player to the immediate left of the dealer button puts in the small blind and the player to his left must put in the big blind. The big blind amount is double the amount of the small blind.

Betting Round 1

Once the blinds are put into the pot and the dealer has dealt all players four cards face down then the first round of betting will start.

The action will start with the player to the left of the big blind. Each player will have three options and will base this decision on the four cards they have just been dealt.

Fold - to throw away the hand and take no further part in the hand.
Call - to match the amount of the big blind or the amount some one acting before you has raised.
Raise - To increase the amount players have to put in to continue in the hand. The raise must always be double or more of the amount that was required to be put in. i.e. the big blind amount or the amount some one has already raised. This rule does not apply to some one going all in when this amount of chips he has left is not more than double.

If nobody raises and players only call the big blind amount the person in the big blind position will have two options. First they can check which means they do not want to put any further chips into the pot and are happy to continue to the next stage. The second option is to raise themselves and all remaining players left in the hand must then match this amount to continue.

The Flop

Once all players remaining in the hand have put an equal amount of chips into the pot, the dealer will put the first three community cards (known as the Flop) face up on the table.

Another round of betting will start but this time the first player to act will be the player nearest the left of the button and will continue like this for all other betting rounds. Each player will have the option to either check (no bet put forward) or bet. If some one bets all players must either call the bet or raise and this carries on until all players who wish to continue in the hand have put in an equal amount.

If all players decided to check then no more chips are needed to be put in to continue and the hand moves onto the next stage.

The Turn Card

Once the second round of betting has finished the dealer will put the fourth community card (the Turn card) face up onto the table and another round of betting will occur.

The River Card

The fifth and final community card (the River) is then dealt face up on the table and a final round of betting will start and all players will know at this point what their best five cards hand will be.

The Showdown

When players have reached the final stage of the betting and have matched all bets, then all remaining players must reveal the two hole cards they wish to use to make there best five card hand.

Remember the golden rule when playing Omaha. You must use two hole cards of the four that you receive and three of the five community cards that are on the board to make up your hand.

After the showdown the dealer button is moved along one space to the left and the next hand is dealt after the blinds have been put in.

All In

A player is all in when they have put all their chips into the pot and have no further chips to play with. When a player is all in and there are only one other player left in the pot with chips, then it goes straight to the showdown. The four cards from both players are revealed and the rest of the board is dealt out and the winner receives the pot.

If there are two or more players left in the hand with chips after some one has gone all in, any further bets by these player cannot be won by the all in player. These chips go into a side pot and only players who have contributed to the side pot can win these chips.

Winning The Pot With No Showdown

If during any of the betting stages a player makes a bet or raise that nobody calls. He will win the pot there an then and no more cards need to be dealt. After this the next hand will start.

Where to Play Omaha Poker

Omaha is not as popular as Texas Holdem poker online and not all online poker sites will offer Omaha as a game. We recommend Party Poker which is one of the largest and most reputable online poker operators and there are always thousands of Omaha Poker tables available to play at during all hours of the day.