How To Play Omaha Hi Poker

Omaha hi is very similar to Texas hold’em, with the major difference being that the players are each dealt four hole cards (rather than two). When it is time for the showdown, the winner is determined by determining which player has the most powerful five hand card which will be made up from exactly two of their four hole cards along with three community cards. Unlike in Texas Hold’em, no more or less than 3 community cards can be used. There is a small and big blind as in Texas hold’em, and the betting and gameplay is pretty much the same, but the strategies can be very different!

Omaha is most often played pot limit, whee any bet can be from a minimum raise up to the current size of the pot.

So if you’re playing a $5/$10 pot limit game, then the value of the small blind will be $5 and the value of the big blind will be $10. The first player to actually play will have the choice of calling the big blind as he sees it or if he so wishes, he can raise it (although he is limited to the amount of the pot itself). In this particular example the value of a pot sized raise would be $25 (calculated as the value of the small blind plus value of the big blind plus the call before the raise!).

After first round of betting there is a flop, just like in Texas hold’em, then the turn and river with betting rounds again just the same as in a game of Texas Holdem. The difference comes at showdown, when players have to make the best 5 card hand using exactly 2 hole cards and 3 cards from the board.

Let’s take a look at a quick example:

Your hole cards are: Ac Qd Js 10h

The board cards are: Kd 6c 8c 2c 4c

Now, you might be tempted to think you had an ace-high flush here, but you would be wrong. Since you only have ONE club (the ace) in your hole cards, and you must use 2 of your hole cards to make your hand, you don’t have a flush.

Similarly, you don’t have a straight either, even though you have 4 to the straight in your hand, with the final card to complete it on the board.

In fact, your best 5 card hand is Ac Kd Qd 8c 4c for an ace high, otherwise known as a rag hand which should have been folded!

Don’t worry if it seems a little confusing, the best way to learn is head over to your favorite poker site, like Full Tilt Poker, and get some practice in on the micro-stakes tables!