I have heard many people explain as Omaha, “It’s the same as Texas Hold’em, but you get 4 cards instead of two.” They then deal the cards and the person who received this information, still doesn’t really know what’s going on. While the overall concept of the game of Omaha, could be perhaps very simply explained as Texas Hold’em with 4 cards, we fail to recognize the essential rules of the game that make Omaha a much different and sometimes more complex game then Texas Hold’em.

Throughout the next few weeks and months, I will be spilling my thoughts and strategies about the great game of Omaha to you, as well as some of the strategies of the World’s best Omaha players. But before we begin, I want to explain the game in more detailed to some of our beginning readers.
Omaha is similar to Texas Hold’em in the fact that there will be a flop, turn and a river card visible as community cards. Just like Texas Hold’em, they are used by all players. The betting rounds are also the same as Texas Hold’em, with betting pre flop, post flop, post turn and post river. These are where the obvious similarities stop and the game of Omaha becomes a unique identity, even to players who have played hold’em their whole lives.

Before I get into the details of the game of Omaha, I should explain that there are various forms of Omaha including: Hi, Hi/Lo, 8 and Better Hi, as well as Pot Limit and No Limit for each of these games. We will focus on each of these game types in due time, but for the explanation of Omaha, I will use Pot Limit Omaha Hi, as it is the most common cash and tournament form on Omaha.

In Omaha the two players to the immediately to the left of the dealer are required to post a small and big blind. In some cash games, there may also be a straddle placed on the next to act or antes present in tournaments. Each player then receives 4 face down cards. Players are then given the option to call the blind, fold or to raise pre-flop in order. Players can only raise the size of the pot. Therefore, unless there has been multiple re-raises, you will not see players all-in pre flop, as in Hold’em. After the first round of betting is complete, the players see the flop of 3 community cards, just as in hold’em.

After the flop, there is another round of betting, starting from the dealers left. Again, players can check, bet, raise or fold, depending on the action in front of them. The bets and raises can not be greater than the size of the pot. After the completion of the betting, the turn is dealt. After the 4th community card comes out there is another round as betting with the same rules as post flop. Once again, when the betting is complete the final card is dealt, the river. Players now have their last opportunity to bet or fold. After the completion of betting, players “showdown” their hands. The best 5 card combination, using 2 and only 2 of the players 4 hole cards wins. This is a unique facet of Omaha Poker, that many beginners don’t realize or fail to remember. Players must always use 2 and only 2 of their hole cards. Therefore if the community board reads 4h 4s Ac 7d 7s and you have 4d 2c Qh 10s, you do not have a full house with 4′s full of K’s as you would in hold’em with a 4 in your hand. Your best possible combination would be 3 of a kind 4′s and a Q kicker. Therefore, if someone else held 4c and a K kicker, they would win, as the A and K plays as their kickers. The same occurs if there are 4 spades on the board and you only have 1 spade. You do not have a flush, as you need 2 spades in your hand.

We will get into recognizing these situations more accurately, but you must be aware that you have to use 2 of your cards. This is a very big mistake that many beginners use. Now that we have gotten through the rules of the game, we will delve into the strategies involved in the various forms of Omaha. Join me tomorrow in our quest for becoming betterOmaha players.