Omaha Hold 'em, or simply Omaha, is similar to Texas Hold 'em in that it makes use of community cards, which are shared cards placed face-up on the table that any player can choose to include in their final hand.
In Texas Hold 'em, a player can choose to use any combination of three hole cards (face-down cards that the player keeps hidden) that are dealt and five community cards.
In Omaha Hold 'em, however, each player must use exactly two hole cards out of four that are dealt and any three of the five community cards to make a hand. See Omaha Hold 'em rules for a detailed description of how the game is played.
Because players in Omaha Hold 'em have one hole card more than players in Texas Hold 'em, there are far more possible card combinations right from the starting hand. Straights and flushes are common, and it's often said that Omaha is a "nuts game" - meaning a game in which it often takes the best possible hand (the "nuts") to win in a showdown.
To make matters more challenging, Omaha Hold 'em is most often played as a high-low split game, in which the pot is shared between the player who comes out with the highest-ranking hand and the player with the lowest-ranking hand. This means having to evaluate your starting cards in two completely different ways at the same time. It also means that even a royal flush will often win you only half the pot.
Omaha Hold 'em starts with a standard 52-card deck. Each player will be dealt 4 cards face down. In casinos, the dealer never plays. A round disc, referred to by most as the "dealer button", moves clockwise around the table, from player to player, at the conclusion of each hand. The person with the button is the symbolic dealer. This is important because the person with this disc is the last to act during the betting rounds. The ability to act after everyone else has bet, with no fear of being raised, is a strategic edge, thus in the name of fairness each player gets to be the "dealer" in their turn.
To the left of the person with the dealer button are the blinds. The player who occupies the blind position starts the pot off with forced bets. The person to the immediate left of the dealer is referred to as the "small blind". Traditionally this person contributes half the minimum bet. In other words, if the table minimum bet is $10, the small blind will start the pot with a $5 contribution. To the immediate left of the small blind is the "big blind". The person in this position puts the full minimum bet into the pot. In the case of the example above, the big blind will be adding $10 to the pot.
After the blinds have been paid, the dealer will give each player their four "hole cards". As was mentioned earlier, these cards will be dealt face down.
Betting begins after the cards have been dealt. The player to the left of the big blind will be the first person to bet. As with most other games, players may call, raise, or fold when it's their turn to bet.
Once the first round of betting is complete, the dealer discards the top card of the deck. This is referred to as burning the card. This is done as a security precaution to ensure that no one accidentally saw the top card. Burning a card helps to reduce cheating.
The dealer then deals the next three cards, face up, to the middle of the table. These community cards are called the "flop." Eventually there will be a total of five community cards. Players will use precisely three of the community cards in combination with exactly two of their hole cards to form the best possible five-card Poker hand.
After the flop, another round of betting takes place. This begins with the person to the immediate left of the player who possesses the dealer button. In other words, the person who posted the small blind, begins all betting rounds after the flop. During this and all future rounds of betting, players can check, call, raise, or fold when it's their turn to bet.
The dealer burns another card and places a card, face up, to the middle of the table. This, the fourth community card, is called the "turn" or "Fourth Street." Another round of betting takes place.
The dealer burns yet another card before dealing the final face-up card to the center of the table. This card is called the "river" or "Fifth Street."
Players now use exactly three of the five community cards and exactly two of their four hole cards to form the best possible five-card poker hand.
The fourth and final round of betting begins. By this point many players have usually already dropped out. After the final betting round, all players who remain in the game show their hands. Traditionally the first player to reveal their hand is the the player who made the initial bet or the player who made the last raise.
The player with the best five-card poker hand wins. The dealer button is now moved clockwise to the next player. |
