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Omaha

Omaha is very easy to pick up once you know how to play Texas Hold’Em. It is a community card game with players attempting to make the best five card hand from the cards they have been dealt and those on the board. All you need is a 52 card deck, chips, between two and ten players and a dealer button.

In Texas Hold’Em each player is dealt two hole cards but in Omaha, each player is dealt four hole cards. The same number of community cards are dealt on the board but in Omaha, the player has to make their five card hand using two of their hole cards and three of the community cards on the table. The same blind and betting structure applies, as do the hand rankings.

The two players to the left of the dealer put out blind bets. The player directly to the dealer's left puts out the Small Blind, while the player next to this player puts out the Big Blind. Every player is dealt four cards, face down. These are called hole or pocket cards.

The action, or the first move, falls to the player to the left of the Big Blind. He can call the bet, raise it, or fold and betting continues around the table in a clockwise direction. The round is completed when action goes around the table without any player raising or the maximum number of bets allowed per round is reached. After the betting is completed, three cards are dealt face up in the center of the table, which is referred to as the board. These first three cards are called the flop. These cards are ‘community cards’ meaning everyone can and will use them in combination with their own hole cards to make the best hand. From the flop on, betting begins with the player to the dealer’s left, who can then check or bet.

A fourth card is dealt face up onto the board. This is called Fourth Street or the Turn Card.

Another round of betting can commence and then the final card or Fifth Street or River Card is dealt face up. The final round of betting occurs and the remaining players show their cards. To make their final five-card hand, players must use two of their four hole cards and three of the cards on the board. Players can use any two cards from the hole and any three cards from the board, but it must be exactly 2 from the hole cards and 3 from the board to make the best 5-card hand

Omaha Hi/Lo:

This is a variation of Omaha where two hands can win and share the pot. The normal hand rankings apply for the high hand. A low hand is five unpaired cards with the highest card being no more than eight. In the event of a tie, the next lowest high card is used and if the two hands cannot be separated, then each of the players receives a quarter of the pot, with the high hand receiving half.

If there is no low hand, then the best high hand wins the pot. Aces are both high and low cards and it is possible for a player to use different cards to separate high and low hands. Always remember that two hole cards and three community cards are needed to make the player’s hand.

Kill and Half Kill - In a Kill game of Omaha Hi, if a player meets a specified condition, usually scooping a pot (winning both the high and low) that is of a minimal size or larger, the stakes are doubled up for the next hand. In a Half Kill game, the stakes are increased 50%. The player who meets the kill condition must post a blind equal to the new lower limit bet size. This is in addition to the normal blinds posted for the game. If the player who met the kill condition is supposed to place the Small or Big Blind, the new blind bet is placed instead of and not in addition to this. In some casinos, the killer acts last after the blinds and in others he acts in normal turn order.

Spread Limit - Spread Limit Omaha Hi rules are the same as Fixed Limit Omaha Hi rules, with the exception that the bettor may bet any amount between the stated minimum and maximum bets. For example, in a 10-to-30 spread limit Omaha Hi game, a player may bet any amount between R10 and R30. In addition, all bets and raises must be greater than or equal to the previous bet or raise, with the exception of a player that is raising ‘all-in’. If a player does raise ‘all-in’ and that bet is not greater than or equal to the previous raise, then the door is not opened for the original raiser to re-raise. For example, if player A bets R30, player B calls and player C raises ‘all-in’ for a total less than R60, player A would not be able to re-raise that bet.

Pot Limit - Pot Limit Omaha Hi rules are the same as Fixed Limit Omaha Hi rules, with the exception that the maximum bet is equal to the current pot size. A player may bet or raise any amount they wish, up to the amount that is currently in the pot and there are still minimum bets. If you’re playing 10-20 No Limit Omaha Hi for example, then you have to bet at least R10 in the first two rounds and at least R20 in the latter two rounds. In addition, all bets and raises must be greater than or equal to the previous bet or raise, with the exception of a player that is raising ‘all-in’. If a player does raise ‘all in’, and that bet is not greater than or equal to the previous raise, then the door is not opened for the original raiser to re-raise. For example, if player A bets R30, player B calls and player C raises ‘all-in’ for a total less than R60, player A would not be able to re-raise that bet. In some casinos when playing pot limit, the number of raises per betting round are unlimited.

No Limit - No Limit Omaha Hi rules are the same as Fixed Limit Omaha Hi rules, with the exception that there is no maximum bet. A player may bet or raise any amount they wish, up to the amount they have in front of them and there are still minimum bets. If you are playing 10-20 no limit Omaha Hi, for example, then you have to bet at least R10 in the first two rounds and at least R20 in the latter two rounds. In addition, all bets and raises must be greater than or equal to the previous bet or raise, with the exception of a player that is raising all in. If a player does raise all in, and that bet is not greater than or equal to the previous raise, then the door is not opened for the original raiser to re-raise. For example, if Player A bets 30 dollars, Player B calls, and Player C raises’ all in for a total less than 60 dollars, Player A would not be able to re-raise that bet. In some casinos, when playing no limit, the number of raises per betting round, are unlimited.