Omaha

Omaha is a popular form of poker and very similar to Texas Hold’em. The difference being the players have nine cards to choose from, four private or ‘hole’ cards and five ‘community’ cards. With this game the players have to use two of their ‘hole’ cards and three of the ‘community’ cards to make the best hand of five cards. As with Texas Hold’em there are four rounds of betting which run between the dealing of the cards.

How to play Omaha

As with Texas Hold’em before any cards are dealt the player to the left of the dealer posts the ‘small blind’. The player to the left of the ‘small blind’ then posts the ‘big blind’. These are compulsory bets to build the ‘pot’. Then each player is dealt four private or ‘hole’ cards face down on the table.

The player to the left of the ‘big blind’ starts the first round of betting or ‘pre-flop’.

The player has three options,

• Fold - out of the game.
• Call - match the ‘big blind’ bet.
• Raise - increase the ‘big blind’ bet.

After this round of betting the dealer places three cards face up on the table, this is called the ‘flop’. This is followed by the second round of betting.

The dealer places a fourth card on the table face up, this is called the ‘turn’, followed by a third round of betting. With this round and subsequent rounds the betting increases, double the amount that was available in the first two rounds.

The dealer places a fifth card on the table face up, known as the ‘river’. Followed by the fourth and final round of betting.

The winner of the ‘pot’ is the player with the best five cards, made from any two of the four ‘hole’ cards and any three of the five ‘community’ cards.