How to Play Omaha Poker
With the popularity of Texas Hold’em poker, people are starting to take an interest in other poker variations.
One of the most popular is Omaha Poker. But how, exactly, do you play Omaha Poker and how is it different from other popular forms of poker like Texas Hold’em?
If you haven’t already, please refer to our previous BLOG “How to Play Poker for Beginners,” as it outlines the basics of playing poker, which is and especially useful resource when you’re learning how to play Texas Hold’em.
Omaha Poker vs. Texas Hold’em Poker
The main difference between Omaha Poker and Texas Hold’em Poker is that in Texas Hold’em, each player is given two personal cards, and in Omaha Poker, each player gets four personal cards.
How to Play Omaha Poker – Antes and Blinds
To being a hand of Omaha Poker, every player at the table is dealt four personal cards that only they are allowed to see.
Rules vary by house, but typically on the first hand of the game, the two players immediately to the dealers left will set the ante for the hand. The first player will make a bet, and then the second will either match or raise that bet and then the ante is set.
Subsequent players then have the opportunity to either match or raise the ante as it comes to them. If they do not wish to match or raise the ante, they can fold and not play that hand.
Some house will use a “blind” system instead of an ante system.
The “big blind” is the player to the dealers left and they will put in a mandatory bet of a set amount, and the player to their left will put in a bet equal to half of their bet.
The rest of the players at the table are not required to place a mandatory bet to begin playing the hand.
In both systems the ante setters and the blinds rotate one player to the left after each hand is played so that every player at the table has the opportunity to either set the initial ante or be one of the blinds.
How to Play for Poker – Rounds
The Flop
After the initial round of betting, a card is burned off the top of the deck, and three common cards, known as the “flop,” are all dealt face up on the table. Players then make their best possible five card hand out of their four personal cards and the three community cards.
There is then another round of betting that starts with either the ante or the blind, where the remaining players can either raise the current bet, check the current bet, or fold.
The Turn
After betting is completed, and other card is burned off the top of the deck, and a fourth community card is dealt face up on the table. Players now make their best five card hand out of their four personal cards and the four community cards.
There is then another round of betting that starts once again with either the ante or the blind (or whomever is to their left if they have folded), where the remaining players can either raise the current bet, check the current bet, or fold.
The River
After betting is complete, a final card is burned off the top of the deck, and the fifth and final community card is dealt face up on the table. Players now make their best five card hand out of their four personal cards and the five community cards.
There is then a final round of betting that follows the same rules as before.
The Showdown
Once the final round of betting is complete all players show at least two of their personal cards and whomever has the strongest hand takes the pot.
How to Play Omaha Poker – Variations
Pot Limit vs. No Limit
In pot limit, each player’s current bet may only match but not exceed the current amount in the pot.
In no limit, a player may bet any amount, up to and including their entire table stakes.
High vs. Low
In this variation, the the pot splits between the lowest to highest hands, so if a player has a combination of cards that show both lowest and highest hands, then that player wins the entire pot of chips.
Improve YOUR Omaha Poker Game
If you would like more information about Omaha Poker, or any other poker variation, and would like to be a better play, please visit our website www.BilliardsDirect.com, or stop by our Billiards Direct showroom in La Mesa, CA. Our knowledgeable staff will be happy to help you along your path to becoming a poker master.