Omaha

Omaha is closely related to Texas Holdem, with the main difference between the two is that players in Omaha High are initially dealt four cards instead of two. An Omaha game starts with each player getting four hole cards, face down. Between rounds of betting, the dealer then lays a total of five cards face up on the table (community cards).

A player's hand now consists of their highest ranking five cards, using three of the five community cards and two of their hole cards. After a final round of betting, the showdown determines who wins the pot!

The Buy-In

If you play Omaha as a cash game, you must buy-in a minimum amount of chips when sitting down at your chosen table. The minimum buy-in for Pot-Limit games of £0.25/£0.50 or lower is equal to twenty times the lower bet limit of the game. For example, on a £0.25/£0.50 table the minimum buy-in would be £10. The minimum limit on all other tables is equal to ten times the lower bet limit of the game. For example, on a £3/£6 table, minimum buy-in would be £30, and on a £10/£20 table, minimum buy-in would be £100.

The Game

Omaha uses a button called a Dealer Button to indicate where the cards are to be dealt. Prior to the deal, the two players to the left of the dealer button place live bets called the Small Blind and the Big Blind. It is called a blind because players must pay this amount before seeing their cards. It is a live bet because it counts as a part of any further bets in the first betting round.

The play begins with four cards dealt facedown to each player. Action starts with a Betting Round, beginning with the player to the left of the blind bets and continuing clockwise around the table. Players then bet, check, raise or fold in turn.

Three community cards called The Flop are then dealt, facing upwards, in the center of the table, and another betting round takes place - beginning with the player to the left of the dealer button. Another card is dealt face up, called The Turn Card, followed by another round of betting.

The fifth and last card called The River is dealt face up and a final round of betting takes place. Players remaining in the hand will then show their cards and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Players must form their best five-card poker hand from only two of their four pocket cards and any three of five community cards.

Sit Down

From 2 up to 10 players are seated around a table. There are different types of tables, Heads Up is for 2 players, and then there are 6, 8 and 10 seated tables.

Dealer Button

In front of one of the players is a round disc or button. This disc determines the order of betting (posting the blinds) and moves to the left one player at a time, after each hand.

Post Blinds

Before the cards are dealt at the beginning of each hand, the two players directly to the left of the dealer button must post blinds. To post a blind is to place a bet before getting dealt your cards.

The player to the immediate left of the dealer button posts the Small Blind, equal to half of the minimum bet (e.g. £5 for a £10/£20 game). The player to the left of the small blind posts the Big Blind, equal to the amount of the minimum bet (e.g. £10 for a £10/£20 game).

Pocket Cards

Once the blinds have been posted, the first round of cards is dealt. These consist of four cards face down to each player and are called the Pocket Cards. Only the individual player can see their own pocket cards.

After the pocket cards have been dealt, the first round of betting takes place, beginning with the player to the left of the big blind and continuing in a clockwise direction around the table.

Betting

Bet amounts are fixed by the table stakes. For example, in a £3/£6 table, bets are £3 in the first two rounds and £6 in the last two. The bet amount can climb a maximum of 3 times in each round of betting. In other words, there can be one bet and three raises in each round.

The Flop Cards

The Flop Cards is three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. All three cards are Community Cards and can be used by all the players at the table to make up their best possible hand.

After the Flop a second round of betting takes place. Again the player to the left of the dealer button starts.

The Turn Card

Following the flop, a fourth community card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. This card is called the Turn card and can also be used by all players. It is followed by a third round of betting.

The River Card

The fifth and final community card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. It is called the River card and is followed by a fourth and final round of betting.

Showdown

Once all betting is complete, players determine the best five-card hand that they can make from two of their four pocket cards and three of the five community cards. Four of these cards will be in their own possession and dealt as down cards, and five will be face up as community cards to be shared by all players.

Therefore, if a player is dealt four kings down, only two of the kings count toward the final hand. The remaining three cards must come from the community cards. The player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot. Should multiple hands tie, the pot is split with any odd amount going to the player immediately to the left of the dealer.

Start Again

After a hand is completed and the pot taken by the winner, the dealer button is moved one player to the left and the next hand begins.