How to Play Omaha Poker
Omaha Poker is basically the same as Texas Holdem, in the way the betting rounds work and the fact that it's a community card game. But unlike Texas Holdem, in Omaha poker the dealer deals out 4 pocket cards to each player instead of 2. On top of that players still have to make their best 5-card poker hand using their cards & the cards on the table, but they can only use TWO of their pocket cards and only THREE community cards to do it!
Like Texas Holdem, in Omaha the dealer - or the person representing the dealer - has a disc in front of them called the Button, that moves clockwise from player to player after each hand. Before the players are even dealt any cards, the player to the left of the button adds half of the table's minimum bet to the pot, called the Small Blind. The player next to the small blind is the Big Blind, and that player puts in the full amount of the minimum bet. These are called forced bets because they're FORCED to be added to the pot to make sure there's always money to be won.
After this the players are dealt their four pocket cards and there is a round of betting. This is called the "Preflop," and though you might be betting on the strength of your cards, all that can change as soon as the first community cards are dealt - all of a sudden you could find yourself holding nothing! Pre-flop strategy is very important in these games.
When betting is finished the dealer lays out the first three community cards, known as the "Flop." Hands are often made or broken on the Flop - it's a very important point in the game! Bet wisely during this betting round.
After this the dealers lays out a fourth community card called the Turn (also known as Fourth Street) and there is another round of betting. (In most poker games there are four types of bets in a round: bet, raise, re-raise and cap)
The dealer then deals out the fifth and last card called the River (also known as Fifth Street.) There is a final round of betting, and then the players left in the hand show their cards and the winner takes the pot. In Omaha poker players make their best poker hand out of two of their pocket cards and three of the community cards.
