The Rules of Online Omaha Hi Poker
Below is an example of how a game round would proceed according to the rules of Omaha Hi poker. Omaha Hi is similar to Texas Hold'em , barring the following two deviations:
1. Instead of two hole cards, players are dealt four hole cards.
2. Instead of freely choosing between the two hole cards and five community cards in order to create their best hand, players must use two hole cards and three community cards.
Though the differences appear to be minor, the strategy for Omaha Hi is very different from that of Texas Holdem. Omaha Hi poker is not as common as Hold'em , but it remains a popular version of the game nonetheless, and one which is considered prominent in many of the important tournaments.
The Game Round (Omaha Hi)
Before the Game: Unlike in Texas Holdem, in a game of Omaha the players sitting to the right of the dealer button must post the blinds. The stakes remain the same, with the small blind posting half of the lower table stake, e.g., $2.50 in a $5/$10 game, and the big blind posting the full amount of the lower table stake, e.g., $5 in a $5/$10 game.
Hole Cards: Four hole cards (also known as pocket cards) are dealt, face-down.
1st Betting Round: The player sitting clockwise of the big blind (as opposed to counterclockwise in Holdem) begins the round with the maximum bet amount matching the lower table stake.
The Flop: The first community card, known as "the flop", is placed face-up on the table. In Omaha, the flop is made up of a single card.
2nd Betting Round: Follow rules in round 1 above.
The Turn: The second community card, known as "the turn", is placed face up on the table.
3rd Betting Round: Follow the rules in rounds 1 and 2 above, however, table stakes are now raised to the higher stake amount, e.g., $10 in a $5/$10 game.
The River: The third and final community card, known as the "the river" is placed face-up on the table.
4th Betting Round: The final betting round. Follow rules in round 3 above.
The Showdown: The first player to show their cards is the last one to have placed a bet or made a raise. In the event that no bets were made during the hand, the player to the right of the dealer button shows their cards first and the winner is determined according to the best five-card hand.
Start Over: The next hand begins with the dealer button moving one seat to the right.
