Omaha Poker
Omaha poker is an exciting game derived from Texas Hold'em. Each player is
dealt four private cards (‘hole cards’) 🧬 which belong only to that player. Five
community cards are dealt face-up on the ‘board’. In Omaha games, all players 🧬 use
exactly three of the community cards together with exactly two of their hole cards to
make the best five-card 🧬 poker hand. No more, and no less. Follow this link to view the
rankings of Omaha poker hands.
Types of Omaha 🧬 Poker Games
Pot Limit Omaha Poker - A
player can bet what is in the pot (i.e.R$100 into aR$100 pot). This 🧬 is the most popular
form of Omaha Poker.
- A player can bet what is in the pot (i.e.R$100 into aR$100 🧬 pot).
This is the most popular form of Omaha Poker. No Limit Omaha Poker - A player can bet
any 🧬 amount, up to all of their chips.
- A player can bet any amount, up to all of their
chips. Fixed 🧬 Limit Omaha Poker - There is a specific betting limit applied in each game
and on each round of betting.
Below 🧬 is a general explanation on how to play Omaha
poker. The basic rules for all Omaha variants are the same, 🧬 with the exception of the
different betting structures between them. More details on these different betting
structures follow.
How to Play 🧬 Omaha Poker
Basic Strategies
In Pot Limit and No Limit
Omaha games, the games are referred to by the size of their 🧬 blinds (for example,
aR$1/$2 Omaha game has a small blind ofR$1 and a big blind ofR$2).
Betting then
commences from the 🧬 player to the left of the big blind. In Fixed Limit Omaha games, the
big blind is the same as 🧬 the small bet, and the small blind is typically half of the
size of the big blind, but may be 🧬 larger depending on the stakes. For example, in
aR$2/$4 Limit game the small blind isR$1 and the big blind isR$2. 🧬 In aR$15/$30 Limit
game, the small blind isR$10 and the big blind isR$15. Now, each player is dealt their
four 🧬 hole cards. Betting action proceeds clockwise around the table, starting with the
player ‘under the gun’ (immediately clockwise from the 🧬 big blind).
Pre-Flop
After
seeing his or her hole cards, each player now has the option to play his or her hand 🧬 by
calling or raising the big blind. The action begins to the left of the big blind, which
is considered 🧬 a ‘live’ bet on this round. That player has the option to fold, call or
raise. For example, if the 🧬 big blind wasR$2, it would costR$2 to call, or at leastR$4
to raise. Action then proceeds clockwise around the table. 🧬 Note: The betting structure
varies with different variations of the game. Explanations of the betting action in
Limit Omaha, No 🧬 Limit Omaha, and Pot Limit Omaha can be found below. Betting continues
on each betting round until all active players 🧬 (who have not folded) have placed equal
bets in the pot.
The Flop
After the first round of betting is complete, the 🧬 ‘flop’ is
dealt face-up on the board. The flop is the first three community cards available to
all active players. 🧬 Play begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the
button. Another round of betting ensues. In Fixed Limit Omaha, 🧬 all bets and raises
occur in increments of the small bet (for example,R$2 in aR$2/$4 game).
The Turn
When
betting action is 🧬 completed for the flop round, the ‘turn’ is dealt face-up on the
board. The turn is the fourth community card 🧬 in an Omaha game. Play begins with the
active player immediately clockwise from the button. Another round of betting ensues.
🧬 In Fixed Limit Omaha, bets and raises on the turn are in increments of the big bet (for
example,R$4 in 🧬 aR$2/$4 game).
The River
When betting action is completed for the turn
round, the ‘river’ is dealt face-up on the board. The 🧬 river is the fifth and final
community card in Omaha poker. The final round of betting begins with the active 🧬 player
immediately clockwise from the button.
The Showdown
If there is more than one remaining
player when the final betting round is 🧬 complete, the last person to bet or raise shows
their cards, unless there was no bet on the final round 🧬 in which case the player
immediately clockwise from the button shows their cards first. The player with the best
five-card 🧬 hand wins the pot. Remember: in Omaha, players must use two and only two of
their four hole cards in 🧬 combination with exactly three of the cards from the board. In
the event of identical hands, the pot will be 🧬 equally divided between the players with
the best hands. After the pot is awarded, a new Omaha poker game is 🧬 ready to be played.
The button now moves clockwise to the next player. If you like to play tournament
poker, 🧬 we offer Omaha tournaments as well.
Pot Limit, No Limit, Fixed Limit Omaha
Omaha
rules remain the same for Fixed Limit, No 🧬 Limit and Pot Limit poker games, with a few
exceptions:
Pot Limit Omaha
The minimum bet in Pot Limit Omaha is the 🧬 same as the size
of the big blind, but players can always bet up to the size of the pot.
Minimum 🧬 raise:
The raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same
round. 🧬 As an example, if the first player to act betsR$5 then the second player must
raise a minimum ofR$5 (total 🧬 bet ofR$10).
Maximum raise: The size of the pot, which is
defined as the total of the active pot, plus all 🧬 bets on the table, plus the amount the
active player must first call before raising.
Example: If the size of the 🧬 pot isR$100,
and there is no previous action on a particular betting round, a player may bet a
maximum ofR$100. 🧬 After that bet, the action moves to the next player clockwise. That
player can either fold, callR$100, or raise any 🧬 amount between the minimum ($100 more)
and the maximum. The maximum bet in this case isR$400 - the raiser would 🧬 first
callR$100, bringing the pot size toR$300, and then raiseR$300 more, making a total bet
ofR$400.
In Pot Limit Omaha, there 🧬 is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed.
The
minimum bet in Pot Limit Omaha is the same as the 🧬 size of the big blind, but players
can always bet up to the size of the pot. Minimum raise: The 🧬 raise amount must be at
least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an 🧬 example, if the
first player to act betsR$5 then the second player must raise a minimum ofR$5 (total
bet ofR$10). 🧬 Maximum raise: The size of the pot, which is defined as the total of the
active pot, plus all bets 🧬 on the table, plus the amount the active player must first
call before raising. Example: If the size of the 🧬 pot isR$100, and there is no previous
action on a particular betting round, a player may bet a maximum ofR$100. 🧬 After that
bet, the action moves to the next player clockwise. That player can either fold,
callR$100, or raise any 🧬 amount between the minimum ($100 more) and the maximum. The
maximum bet in this case isR$400 - the raiser would 🧬 first callR$100, bringing the pot
size toR$300, and then raiseR$300 more, making a total bet ofR$400. In Pot Limit Omaha,
🧬 there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed. No Limit Omaha
The minimum bet in No
Limit Omaha is 🧬 the same as the size of the big blind, but players can always bet as
much more as they want, 🧬 up to all of their chips.
Minimum raise: In No Limit Omaha, the
raise amount must be at least as much 🧬 as the previous bet or raise in the same round.
As an example, if the first player to act betsR$5 🧬 then the second player must raise a
minimum ofR$5 (total bet ofR$10).
Maximum raise: The size of your stack (your chips 🧬 on
the table).
In No Limit Omaha, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed.
The
minimum bet in No 🧬 Limit Omaha is the same as the size of the big blind, but players can
always bet as much more 🧬 as they want, up to all of their chips. Minimum raise: In No
Limit Omaha, the raise amount must be 🧬 at least as much as the previous bet or raise in
the same round. As an example, if the first 🧬 player to act betsR$5 then the second
player must raise a minimum ofR$5 (total bet ofR$10). Maximum raise: The size 🧬 of your
stack (your chips on the table). In No Limit Omaha, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of
🧬 raises allowed. Fixed Limit Omaha
Betting in Fixed Limit Omaha is in pre-determined,
structured amounts. Pre-flop and on the flop, all 🧬 bets and raises are of the same
amount as the big blind. On the turn and the river, the size 🧬 of all bets and raises
doubles. In Limit Omaha, up to four bets are allowed per player during each betting
🧬 round. This includes a (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap (final raise).
In
the PokerStars software, it’s not 🧬 possible to bet less than the minimum or more than
the maximum. The bet slider and bet window will only 🧬 allow you to bet amounts within
the allowed thresholds.
Omaha Hi/Lo (aka Omaha 8-or-better, Omaha 8, or Omaha/8)
In
addition to Omaha 🧬 poker, PokerStars also offers the popular variant of Omaha Hi/Lo.
This version of Omaha splits the pot between the highest 🧬 and lowest poker hands, giving
the game a whole different feel.
Learn How to Play Omaha for Free
