Online Casino Guide for Newbies

Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo Poker

Omaha is a natural choice for poker players who are tired of playing Texas Holdem and want to broaden their poker horizons. Omaha appears similar to Texas Holdem in appearance, since both versions of poker use five community cards that are shared by all players, and the flow of Omaha is also similar.

These aspects of Omaha combine to make it easy to transition to this version of the game, which many people come to view as a better form of poker. Omaha Poker can be played in either the normal version or in a Hi/Lo variety. The poker game can be played as limit poker, no limit poker or pot limit poker.

For those who have never played Omaha, or any other form of poker, the game is very easy to learn and can provide a lifetime of excitement and enjoyment.

Omaha Poker – Starting A Hand

Before the start of each hand, the Big Blind and Small Blind contribute to the pot. These blinds are forced bets that insure money is always involved with each hand. The seat immediately to the left of the dealer position is the Small Blind, and contributes an amount equal to half the minimum bet. To the left of the Small Blind is the Big Blind, which contributes an amount equal to the minimum bet. These positions rotate around the table after each hand.

After the blinds have been placed, all players are dealt four cards face down. The dealing starts with the Small Blind and goes in a clockwise motion around the poker table. The object of Omaha Poker will be to combine two of these cards with three of the community cards to form the best possible poker hand.

Omaha Poker – Betting

After everyone participating in the game of Omaha Poker are dealt their four cards, and initial round of betting takes place. During this, and all subsequent rounds of betting, poker players have the choice of checking, folding, betting, raising or re-raising, depending on the flow of the bets before them.

After the first round of betting is over, the first three community cards are turned over. This is known as the flop, and is followed by a second round of betting. A fourth community card is then turned over. This is known as the Turn, or Fourth Street, and is followed by a third round of betting.

The fifth community card is the turned over, and is referred to as the River, or sometimes Fifth Street, in Omaha Poker. At this point the Showdown occurs, which is the final round of betting in the hand. At this stage you combine any two of the cards in your hand, with any three community cards, to form the best Omaha Poker Hand. You must use two cards from your hand and three community cards – you are not allowed to use more or less of either in Omaha Poker.

Omaha Poker – Hand Rankings

The hand rankings in Omaha Poker are similar to many other versions of poker, including Texas Holdem. From lowest to highest, the hand rankings for Omaha Poker are:

• High Card
• Pair
• Two Pair
• Three of a Kind
• Straight
• Flush
• Full House
• Four of a Kind
• Straight Flush
• Royal Flush

If two or more players have the same high hand, the pot will be split between the players. A sixth card, or “Kicker” is not customarily used to determine the winner in Omaha Poker, although this may change depending on where you are playing the game.

Omaha Poker – Hi/Lo

There is also a version of Omaha Poker that is commonly referred to as Omaha Hi/Lo. This version of the game not only rewards players with the highest hand, such as in standard Omaha Poker, but also the player who has the lowest poker hand, with the lowest hand being complete garbage.

A low hand in Omaha is any five cards of 8 or under, which do not make a traditional hand. For example, 2 2 2 3 3 would not count as a low hand, because this is a full house. Aces do count towards low hands, since an Ace can be either high or low in poker. Again, a low hand in Omaha Hi/Lo Poker must consist of any two of the four cards in your hand, plus any three of the community cards.

In Omaha Hi/Lo, is there is not a high poker hand, then the low hand wins the entire pot. If there is both a high hand and a low hand, the pot is split between the highest and lowest. This helps to create a fun and exciting game, as well as some very large pots, since players with both good hands and (what would normally be) terrible hands will be raising the pot.

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