Community card poker game
Omaha hold 'em A showdown in Omaha. Player on the left wins with Three of a kind. 5️⃣ Exactly two hole cards must be used. Alternative names Omaha Type Community card poker Players 2–10 Skills Probability, psychology Cards 5️⃣ 52 Deck French Rank (high→low) A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Play Clockwise 5️⃣ Chance Medium to high
Omaha hold 'em (also known as Omaha holdem or simply Omaha) is a community card poker game 5️⃣ similar to Texas hold 'em, where each player is dealt four cards and must make their best hand using exactly 5️⃣ two of them, plus exactly three of the five community cards. The exact origin of the game is unknown, but 5️⃣ casino executive Robert Turner first brought Omaha into a casino setting when he introduced the game to Bill Boyd, who 5️⃣ offered it as a game at the Las Vegas Golden Nugget Casino (calling it "Nugget Hold'em").[1][2] Omaha uses a 52-card 5️⃣ French deck. Omaha hold 'em 8-or-better is the "O" game featured in H.O.R.S.E.
History [ edit ]
Omaha hold 'em derives its 5️⃣ name from two types of games.
"Hold'em" refers to a game using community cards that are shared by all players. This 5️⃣ is opposed to draw games, where each player's hand is composed only of concealed cards, and stud games, where each 5️⃣ player's unique hand contains a mix of cards visible to the other players and concealed hole cards.
In the original Omaha 5️⃣ poker game, players were only dealt two hole cards and had to use both to make a hand combined with 5️⃣ community cards.[3] This version of Omaha is defined in the glossary of Super/System (under Omaha) as being interchangeable with "Tight 5️⃣ hold 'em". Across all the variations of the game, the requirement of using exactly two hole cards is the only 5️⃣ consistent rule. The "Omaha" part of the name represents this aspect of the game.
Explanation [ edit ]
In North American casinos, 5️⃣ the term "Omaha" can refer to several poker games. The original game is also commonly known as "Omaha high". A 5️⃣ high-low split version called "Omaha Hi-Lo", or sometimes "Omaha eight-or-better" or "Omaha/8", is also played. In Europe, "Omaha" still typically 5️⃣ refers to the high version of the game, usually played pot-limit. Pot-limit Omaha is often abbreviated as "PLO." Pot-limit and 5️⃣ no-limit Omaha eight-or-better can be found in some casinos and online, though no-limit is rarer.[4][failed verification]
It is often said that 5️⃣ Omaha is a game of "the nuts", i.e. the best possible high or low hand, because it frequently takes "the 5️⃣ nuts" to win a showdown. It is also a game where between the cards in their hand and the community 5️⃣ cards a player may have drawing possibilities to multiple different types of holdings. For example, a player may have both 5️⃣ a draw to a flush and a full house using different combinations of cards. At times, even seasoned players may 5️⃣ need additional time to figure what draws are possible for their hand.
The basic differences between Omaha and Texas hold 'em 5️⃣ are these: first, each player is dealt four hole cards instead of two. The betting rounds and layout of community 5️⃣ cards are identical. At showdown, each player's hand is the best five-card hand made from exactly three of the five 5️⃣ cards on the board, plus exactly two of the player's own cards. Unlike Texas hold 'em, a player cannot play 5️⃣ four or five of the cards on the board with fewer than two of their own (nor can a player 5️⃣ play three or four of his or her hole cards).
A maximum of eleven players can be dealt a hand in 5️⃣ Omaha, regardless of whether or not burn cards are used, however Omaha is most commonly played six handed or nine 5️⃣ handed.
Some specific things to notice about Omaha hands are:
As in Texas hold 'em, three or more suited cards on the 5️⃣ board makes a flush possible, but unlike that game, a player always needs two of that suit in hand to 5️⃣ play a flush. For example, with a board of K ♠ 9 ♠ Q ♠ Q ♥ 5 ♠ , 5️⃣ a player with A ♠ 2 ♥ 4 ♥ 5 ♣ cannot play a flush using the ace as would 5️⃣ be possible in Texas hold 'em; the player must play two cards from in-hand and only three from the board 5️⃣ (so instead, this player's best hand is two pair: Q ♠ Q ♥ 5 ♠ 5 ♣ A ♠ ). 5️⃣ A player with 2 ♠ 3 ♠ K ♦ J ♦ can play the spade flush.
, a player with play 5️⃣ a flush using the ace as would be possible in Texas hold 'em; the player must play two cards from 5️⃣ in-hand and only three from the board (so instead, this player's best hand is two pair: ). A player with 5️⃣ play the spade flush. The same concept applies to straights. In Omaha, a player cannot use only one hole card 5️⃣ and four cards on the board to play a straight. For example, with a board of 5 ♠ 6 ♥ 5️⃣ 7 ♦ 8 ♥ A ♠ , a player with J ♦ J ♠ 4 ♦ 9 ♠ or J 5️⃣ ♦ J ♠ 9 ♦ 9 ♠ cannot play a straight. But a player with J ♦ J ♠ 4 5️⃣ ♦ 3 ♠ can play a straight from 3 to 7;
, a player with or play a straight. But a 5️⃣ player with play a straight from 3 to 7; Two pair on the board does not make a full house 5️⃣ for anyone with a single matching card as it does in Texas hold 'em. For example, with a board of 5️⃣ J ♠ J ♦ 9 ♦ 5 ♥ 9 ♣ , a player with a hand of A ♠ 2 5️⃣ ♠ J ♥ K ♦ cannot play a full house; the player can only use the A-J to play J 5️⃣ ♠ J ♥ J ♦ A ♠ 9 ♣ , since they must play three of the board cards. A 5️⃣ player with J ♣ 2 ♣ 9 ♠ 10 ♠ can use their J-9 to play the full house J 5️⃣ ♠ J ♦ J ♣ 9 ♠ 9 ♦ (or 9 ♣ ). Likewise, a player with 10 ♠ 5 5️⃣ ♣ 5 ♠ 2 ♣ can use their 5-5 to play the full house J ♠ J ♦ 5 ♥ 5️⃣ 5 ♣ 5 ♠ .
, a player with a hand of cannot play a full house; the player can only 5️⃣ use the to play , since they must play three of the board cards. A player with use their to 5️⃣ play the full house (or ). Likewise, a player with use their to play the full house . Likewise, with 5️⃣ three of a kind on the board, a player must have a pair in hand to make a full house. 5️⃣ For example, with a board of J ♠ J ♦ A ♦ J ♥ K ♣ , a player with 5️⃣ A ♠ 2 ♠ 3 ♥ K ♦ does not have a full house, the player only has three jacks 5️⃣ with an ace-king kicker, and will lose to a player with only a pair of deuces. This is probably the 5️⃣ most frequently misread hand in Omaha. (Naturally, a person with the fourth jack in hand can make four jacks because 5️⃣ any other card in hand can act as the fifth card, or "kicker".)
Omaha hi-low split-8 or better [ edit ]
A 5️⃣ showdown in Omaha hi-low split. Player on the left wins the low-hand half with the nut low A-2-3-4-5, player on 5️⃣ the right wins the high-hand half with a full house 5-5-5-J-J
The most valuable starting hand in Omaha hi-low split
In Omaha 5️⃣ hi-low split-8 or better (simply Omaha/8), each player makes a separate five-card high hand and five-card ace-to-five low hand (eight-high 5️⃣ or lower to qualify), and the pot is split between the high and low (which may be the same player). 5️⃣ To qualify for low, a player must be able to play an 8-7-6-5-4 or lower (this is why it is 5️⃣ called "eight or better"). A few casinos play with a 9-low qualifier instead, but this is rare. Each player can 5️⃣ play any two of their four hole cards to make their high hand, and any two of their four hole 5️⃣ cards to make their low hand. If there is no qualifying low hand, the high hand wins (scoops) the whole 5️⃣ pot. This game is usually played in the fixed limit version, although pot limit Omaha/8 is becoming more popular. A 5️⃣ few low-stakes online tournaments feature no limit Omaha/8.
The brief explanation above belies the complexity of the game, so a number 5️⃣ of examples will be useful here to clarify it. The table below shows a five-card board of community cards at 5️⃣ the end of play, and then lists for each player the initial private four-card hand dealt to him or her, 5️⃣ and the best five-card high hand and low hand each player can play on showdown:
Board: 2 ♠ 5 ♣ 10 5️⃣ ♥ 7 ♦ 8 ♣ Player Hand High Low Alan A ♠ 4 ♠ 5 ♥ K ♣ 5 ♥ 5️⃣ 5 ♣ A ♠ 10 ♥ 8 ♣ 7 ♦ 5 ♣ 4 ♠ 2 ♠ A ♠ Bryan A 5️⃣ ♥ 3 ♥ 10 ♠ 10 ♣ 10 ♠ 10 ♣ 10 ♥ 8 ♣ 7 ♦ 7 ♦ 5 5️⃣ ♣ 3 ♥ 2 ♠ A ♥ Chris 7 ♣ 9 ♣ J ♠ Q ♠ J ♠ 10 ♥ 5️⃣ 9 ♣ 8 ♣ 7 ♦ Cannot qualify Derek 4 ♥ 6 ♥ K ♠ K ♦ 8 ♣ 7 5️⃣ ♦ 6 ♥ 5 ♣ 4 ♥ 7 ♦ 6 ♥ 5 ♣ 4 ♥ 2 ♠ Eve A ♦ 5️⃣ 3 ♦ 6 ♦ 9 ♥ 10 ♥ 9 ♥ 8 ♣ 7 ♦ 6 ♦ 7 ♦ 5 ♣ 5️⃣ 3 ♦ 2 ♠ A ♦
In the deal above, Chris wins the high-hand half of the pot with their J-high 5️⃣ straight, and Bryan and Eve split the low half (getting a quarter of the pot each) with 7-5-3-2-A.
Some specific things 5️⃣ to notice about Omaha/8 hands are:
In order for anyone to qualify low, there must be at least three cards of 5️⃣ differing ranks 8 or below on the board. For example, a board of K-8-J-7-5 makes low possible (the best low 5️⃣ hand would be A-2 , followed by A-3 , 2-3 , etc.) A board of K-8-J-8-5 , however, cannot make 5️⃣ any qualifying low (the best low hand possible would be J-8-5-2-A , which does not qualify). Statistically, around 60% of 5️⃣ the time a low hand is possible.
to qualify low, there must be at least three cards of differing ranks or 5️⃣ below on the board. For example, a board of makes low possible (the best low hand would be , followed 5️⃣ by , , etc.) A board of , however, cannot make any qualifying low (the best low hand possible would 5️⃣ be , which does not qualify). Statistically, around 60% of the time a low hand is possible. Low hands often 5️⃣ tie, and high straights occasionally tie as well, as do, even more rarely, full houses. In theory, it is possible 5️⃣ to win as little as a 14th of a pot (though this is extraordinarily rare). Winning a quarter of the 5️⃣ pot is quite common, and is called "getting quartered." One dangerous aspect of playing for the low pot is the 5️⃣ concept of "counterfeiting". To illustrate, if a player has, for example, 2-3 and two other cards in their hand and 5️⃣ the flop is A-6-7 , that player has flopped the "nut low". However, if either a 2 or a 3 5️⃣ hit the board on the turn or the river, the hand is "counterfeited" and the nut low hand is lost 5️⃣ (the player still has a much weaker low hand however, with 3-4 , 3-5 and 4-5 making better lows). This 5️⃣ is why there is significant extra value in possessing the "protected" nut low. To illustrate this, if the player has 5️⃣ 2-3-4 in their hand their low is protected, i.e. if a 2 or 3 hits the board they still have 5️⃣ the lowest possible hand. To lose the nut low in this case either a 2 and a 3 , a 5️⃣ 2 and a 4 , or a 3 and a 4 would have to hit the board on the turn 5️⃣ and the river (giving the nut low to a player holding 4-5 , 3-5 and 2-5 , respectively), an unlikely 5️⃣ possibility. For similar reasons it is significantly better to possess the protected nut low draw over the low draw. For 5️⃣ example, this could be having A-2-3 with a flop of 7-8-9 ; any low card below 7 on the turn 5️⃣ or river gives the player the best low.
and two other cards in their hand and the flop is , that 5️⃣ player has flopped the "nut low". However, if either a or a hit the board on the turn or the 5️⃣ river, the hand is "counterfeited" and the nut low hand is lost (the player still has a much weaker low 5️⃣ hand however, with , and making better lows). This is why there is significant extra value in possessing the "protected" 5️⃣ nut low. To illustrate this, if the player has in their hand their low is protected, i.e. if a or 5️⃣ hits the board they still have the lowest possible hand. To lose the nut low in this case either a 5️⃣ and a , a and a , or a and a would have to hit the board on the turn 5️⃣ and the river (giving the nut low to a player holding , and , respectively), an unlikely possibility. For similar 5️⃣ reasons it is significantly better to possess the protected nut low draw over the low draw. For example, this could 5️⃣ be having with a flop of ; any low card below on the turn or river gives the player the 5️⃣ best low. When four or five low cards appear on the board, it can become very difficult to read the 5️⃣ low hands properly. For example, with a board of 2 ♦ 6 ♥ A ♣ 5 ♣ 8 ♠ , 5️⃣ the hand 2 ♥ 4 ♠ 5 ♠ K ♦ is playing a 6-5-4-2-A (either their 2-4 with the board's 5️⃣ A-5-6 , or their 4-5 with the board's A-2-6 --either way makes the same hand). In this situation he is 5️⃣ often said to be playing their "live" 4 , that is, their 4 , plus some other low card that 5️⃣ matches the board but still makes a low because the one on the board isn't needed. A player with 3 5️⃣ ♠ 5 ♠ 10 ♥ J ♦ is playing a "live" 3 , for a low of 6-5-3-2-A , which 5️⃣ makes a better low. However, a player with 3 ♣ 7 ♦ Q ♦ Q ♠ can only play 7-5-3-2-A 5️⃣ low; even though he has a "live" 3 , he must play two low cards from their hand, and so 5️⃣ he must play their 7-3 , and cannot make a 6 -high low hand.
, the hand is playing a (either 5️⃣ their with the board's , or their with the board's --either way makes the same hand). In this situation he 5️⃣ is often said to be playing their "live" , that is, their , plus some other low card that matches 5️⃣ the board but still makes a low because the one on the board isn't needed. A player with is playing 5️⃣ a "live" , for a low of , which makes a better low. However, a player with can only play 5️⃣ low; even though he has a "live" , he must play two low cards from their hand, and so he 5️⃣ must play their , and cannot make a -high low hand. Starting hands with three or four cards of one 5️⃣ rank are very bad. In fact, the worst possible hand in the game is 2 ♠ 2 ♣ 2 ♥ 5️⃣ 2 ♦ . Since the only possible combination of two cards from this hand is 2-2 , it is impossible 5️⃣ to make low. As no deuce remains to appear on the board, it will be impossible to make three deuces 5️⃣ or deuces full, and anyone with any matching card to the board will make a higher pair. Likewise, starting with 5️⃣ four cards of one suit makes it less likely that you will be able to make a flush. Starting with 5️⃣ four different suits yields no chance for a flush, and starting with four disconnected cards reduces straight possibilities. Computer analysis 5️⃣ of the best starting hands has proven that the best starting hand for Omaha is A-A-K-K (double suited). One favorite 5️⃣ starting hand for Omaha is A-A-J-10 (double suited), because of its wider range for making the nut straight (J-7, Q-8, 5️⃣ K-9, and A-10). For the Hi-Lo variation, the most valuable starting holding is A-A-2-3 (double suited). [5]
bad. In fact, the 5️⃣ worst possible hand in the game is . Since the only possible combination of two cards from this hand is 5️⃣ , it is impossible to make low. As no deuce remains to appear on the board, it will be impossible 5️⃣ to make three deuces or deuces full, and anyone with any matching card to the board will make a higher 5️⃣ pair. Likewise, starting with four cards of one suit makes it likely that you will be able to make a 5️⃣ flush. Starting with four different suits yields no chance for a flush, and starting with four disconnected cards reduces straight 5️⃣ possibilities. Computer analysis of the best starting hands has proven that the best starting hand for Omaha is (double suited). 5️⃣ One favorite starting hand for Omaha is (double suited), because of its wider range for making the nut straight (J-7, 5️⃣ Q-8, K-9, and A-10). For the Hi-Lo variation, the most valuable starting holding is (double suited). Hands to avoid tend 5️⃣ to contain mainly middle-ranked cards, which are of little use for any low splits and which tend to generate lower 5️⃣ pairs and sets, weaker flushes and lower straights and can be very expensive. Four of a kind is the worst 5️⃣ possible starting hand in Omaha, in contrast to most other poker games, where it is exceptionally strong. [6]
Straights and flushes 5️⃣ are ignored when judging low hands. Low hand ranks from best to worst: 5-4-3-2-A (the wheel), 6-4-3-2-A, 6-5-3-2-A, 6-5-4-2-A, ..., 5️⃣ 8-7-6-5-4. Low hands can thus be read as numbers between 54,321 and 87,654 (with the exception of any number that 5️⃣ has a pair, i.e. 54,322). The lowest number that any player can make, while ordered from high card to low, 5️⃣ is the best possible low hand in play. For example: 2♠ 3♣ 5♥ 6♥ 7♥ wins over A♠ 2♣ 3♥ 5️⃣ 4♣ 8♠[7]
Pot-limit Omaha [ edit ]
The worst starting hand in Omaha
Pot-limit Omaha (frequently shortened to PLO) is popular in Europe, 5️⃣ online, and in high-stakes "mixed games" played in some American casinos. This variant is more often played high only, but 5️⃣ can also be played high-low. To a still greater degree than in Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, PLO is a game of 5️⃣ drawing, when drawing, to the nut hand.[8] Second best flushes and straights can be, and frequently become, losing hands, especially 5️⃣ when a player is willing to commit their entire stack to the pot. Furthermore, because of the exponential growth of 5️⃣ the pot size in pot-limit play, seeing one of these hands to the end can be very expensive and carry 5️⃣ immense reverse implied odds.
Wraps [ edit ]
In poker, an out is any unseen card in the deck that will give 5️⃣ a player the best hand. A wrap is a straight draw with nine or more outs.[9] This is called a 5️⃣ wrap because the player’s hole cards are said to wrap-around the board cards. In Texas hold 'em, where players have 5️⃣ two hole cards, the greatest number of straight outs possible is eight; however, in Omaha, there are four hole cards, 5️⃣ which can result in straight draws which can have up to 20 outs. An example of a twenty-out wrap is 5️⃣ J♥ 10♠ 7♦ 6♣ on a flop of 9♥ 8♠ 2♦. To hit a straight, any of the following cards 5️⃣ is needed: 5♥ 5♠ 5♦ 5♣ 6♥ 6♠ 6♦ 7♥ 7♠ 7♣ 10♥ 10♦ 10♣ J♠ J♦ J♣ Q♥ Q♠ 5️⃣ Q♦ Q♣.
Redraws [ edit ]
A desirable hand to have in PLO is the current best hand with a redraw. For 5️⃣ example, if the board is Q♠ J♠ 10♥, and the player has A♠ K♣ Q♣ Q♥, then not only do 5️⃣ they have the current best hand possible (their ace-king makes the ace-high straight), but they also have a redraw with 5️⃣ the two queens in their hand because if the board pairs, they will make a full house, or four queens. 5️⃣ A♠ K♠ Q♣ Q♥ would be an even better hand because it has flush and royal flush redraws as well. 5️⃣ In fact, with the Q♠ J♠ 10♥ board, A♠ K♠ Q♣ Q♥ is approximately an 80-20 money favorite over a 5️⃣ random hand containing ace-king (see freerolling). Even a pair of queens with any two spades is better than 55-45 against 5️⃣ a random ace-king hand.
Omaha Variations [ edit ]
The most common variations of Pot Limit Omaha high are Five-card Omaha, commonly 5️⃣ referred as "Big O" very popular in Southeastern United States as a home game and Six-card Omaha or 6-O which 5️⃣ can be found in many casinos across the UK. Some online poker rooms support Five-card Omaha, Six-card Omaha and Courchevel.
"Big 5️⃣ O" (occasionally called Five-card Omaha or 5-O) began appearing in Southern California in 2008 and had spread to most of 5️⃣ the card rooms in the area by the end of the year.[citation needed]
Sometimes the high-low split game is played with 5️⃣ a 9 or a 7-high qualifier instead of 8-high. It can also be played with five cards dealt to each 5️⃣ player instead of four. In that case, the same rules for making a hand apply: exactly two from the player's 5️⃣ hand, and exactly three from the board.
Courchevel [ edit ]
Courchevel is named after the high-end ski resort in the French 5️⃣ Alps. According to the urban legend, bored tourists wanted to play a version of poker no-one has ever played before, 5️⃣ so they came up with this game. The place where Courchevel was most commonly played was the Aviation Club de 5️⃣ France in Paris. That casino is now closed.[10]
In the game of Courchevel,[11] players are dealt five hole cards rather than 5️⃣ four. Simultaneously, the first community card is dealt. Following an opening round of betting, two additional community cards are dealt, 5️⃣ creating a 3-card flop, where the structure of the game is then identical to standard Omaha. Still, exactly two of 5️⃣ the five hole cards must be used. Courchevel is popular in France but its popularity has expanded in other parts 5️⃣ of Europe, particularly the United Kingdom. Courchevel is also available in a hi-low 8 or better variety, and while Courchevel 5️⃣ is rarely offered on any of the major online poker sites, as of 2024, hi-low sit-and-go games at the micro 5️⃣ stakes level can be found taking place several times a day on Pokerstars, which had the game since 2013.[12]
See also 5️⃣ [ edit ]
