Learn Poker > How to Play Poker > How to play Omaha Poker
How To Play Omaha Poker | Omaha Rules
Omaha poker is one of the most popular poker games today, second only to Texas Holdem. In fact, Omaha poker is very closely related to Texas Hold em, played in the same manner, with the same premise, except that each player receives 4 hole cards instead of 2.
The other key difference between how to play Omaha poker and Texas Holdem is that the player MUST use exactly 2 hole cards and 3 community cards to create his final 5-card poker hand.
Omaha is a poker game for 2 to 10 players, using a standard 52-card deck. Because of the extreme limitations in hand development associated with Omaha poker, it is highly recommended to play at least a few practice hands and get a good feel for the game before putting any real money on the line.
Object of Omaha
In Omaha poker, each player receives a total of 9 cards (4 hole cards and 5 community cards) with which to create the best possible 5-card poker hand. The player must use exactly 2 hole cards and 3 community cards to create this hand. The highest ranking 5-card poker hand at the end of each game wins the pot.
Betting Structure of Omaha
Omaha poker can be played in a variety of limit structures, including Fixed Limit, No Limit and Pot Limit. For this guide on how to play Omaha poker, we will be using a Fixed Limit betting structure, which means all bets and raises may only be made in a predetermined limit. For instance, in a FL Omaha poker game with stakes of $2/$4, during the first two betting rounds, players may only place bets and raises equal to the low-end limit of $2. For the last two betting rounds, the limit increases to bets/raises equal to the high-end limit of $4.
Omaha poker is played with blind bets – the small blind and the big blind. Below is a list of all bet types and a brief definition.
- Small Blind: The small blind bet is a forced wager placed by the player directly left of the dealer, before any cards are dealt. The small blind is always equal to half of the low-end stakes. (Example: stakes of $2/$4 = small blind of $1)
- Big Blind: The big blind bet is a forced wager placed by the player directly left of the small blind, two seats left of the Dealer, before any cards are dealt. The big blind is always equal to the low-end stakes. (Example: stakes of $2/$4 = big blind of $2)
- Check: A check can only be made when no player has previously bet in the current betting round. A check is to place no wager at all, but remain in the hand.
- Bet: To place the first chips into the pot in a round of betting.
- Call: To match a bet previously placed in the same betting round.
- Raise: To increase the previous bet by calling, then adding additional chips to the pot. (Note: Fixed Limit betting structures allows for a max of 3 raises per betting round.)
- Fold: To forfeit the current hand and all chips in the pot.
- All-In: An All-In bet can only be made (in a Fixed Limit game) when the player has just enough, or too few, chips to call, bet or raise. The All-In bet is made by pushing all chips into a separate pile near (but not in) the pot. A player may only win an amount from each player equal to his own All-In bet (hence the need for separation).
General Game Play of Omaha
As mentioned above, this guide on how to play Omaha poker will use a Fixed Limit betting structure, with $2/$4 stakes.
The game begins with the small blind and big blind bets, after which each player is dealt 4 face-down hole cards.
The first betting round begins, starting with the player left of the big blind. Each player may call the big blind, raise or fold. Bets / raises must be equal to the low-end stakes of $2. When betting reaches the small blind bettor, he may call the current bet by placing enough chips, added to his small blind, to match the bet. The big blind will now have an opportunity to check (if no one has raised), or raise. If anyone has raised before the big blind, he must call, raise again or fold.
The Flop: The first three community cards are dealt to the center of the table, face-up. Community cards are used by every player, along with their hole cards, to develop their hand. The second round of betting ensues, also capped at the low-end stakes of $2, except that this time, betting begins with the small blind position. This player will begin every betting round in the hand from here out.
The Turn: The fourth community card is dealt, followed by the third betting round. This time, and for the remainder of the hand, all bets / raises must be made equal to the high-end stakes of $4.
The River: The fifth community card is dealt, followed by another betting round, same as the last.
The Showdown: A showdown only occurs if at least two people remain in the hand (i.e. everyone hasn’t folded). All players who are still in the hand will use EXACTLY 2 hole cards and EXACTLY 3 community cards to create the best possible 5-card poker hand. The player with the highest ranking poker hand wins the entire pot.
If an exact tie occurs, such as pair of Aces, the winners split the pot. If two players have a same-suit Flush, highest hole card wins.
The hand rankings are the same as in Texas Holdem. You can review the Omaha Poker hand rankings here.
Pokerstars is the world's largest online card room, and as such offers a great variety of poker games. If you are looking to play Omaha Poker then we highly recommend that your download Pokerstars and join one of the many Omaha poker tables running.
