Omaha Poker Rules

Omaha Poker is another variation of the game poker which is very similar to Texas Hold'em. There are some variations to the rules of the game, but the hands are the same as in regular poker and Texas Hold'em.

In Omaha Poker, each player is dealt 4 cards (face down) at the beginning instead of 2 as in Hold'em. These cards are known as "hole cards". The first player to the left of the dealer has to place a small "blind" bet and the player to the left of this player has to place a big "blind" bet. This assures that there is some money in the pot to play for. (These blind bets must happen in every round of betting in this version of the game) Each player then proceeds to either check raise or fold when it comes to his/her turn.

In games where no players call the blind bets, the players have the option to have their bets returned to them or moving these bets on to the next round. The option of having the bets returned to them is also referred to as "chopping".

Now three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table and all players use these cards. The dealing of these three cards is referred to as the "flop". Players make their bets and then the dealer makes his next move.

The dealer now plays a fourth card face up on the table, known as the "turn". Once the betting is complete for this round, the dealer plays a fifth and final card face up know as the "river".

The best 5 cards are selected from the all cards, but unlike Texas Hold'em, the players must use 2 cards from their own hand and 3 from the community cards. Anyone who has not folded and is still in the game still has the chance to win the pot. The player who bet last is the first one to show their cards and if a player knows they have lost they often "muck" their cards. This means they throw away their cards rather than let the other players see them. This is a great strategy so not to give away any of your betting secrets, such as bluffing.

If you want to win at Omaha Poker it is a good strategy not to just bet on the flop because you have already put in money on your first 4 cards. If you continue without a good hand you can end up losing a lot more. It is also not a good idea to raise before the flop as you aren't sure what the next 3 cards will be.

Omaha Poker is a great version of poker than can lead to hours of entertainment and often very big rewards.

- Related articles: Poker Rules | Texas Hold 'em rules