Along with Texas Hold’em, Omaha poker is the most played modality in the world. Its dynamic is a little different, but it raises passions among more and more members of the community of fans of the king of card games.
Whether you have not yet decided to try Omaha, or if you have already had your first contact and want to know more, read on because we have prepared a complete review of how to play Omaha and which are the ideal starting hands to position yourself well for the pot.
Omaha poker: elementary rules
In Omaha poker, the rules are very simple. Different from what you are used to, but easy to assimilate. To begin with, each player is dealt four cards. These cards are non-transferable and each player must use them to make the best hand. Once everyone has their four cards, five community cards are revealed in the center of the table.
The objective is the same as in Texas Hold’em games: use community and hole cards to make the best hand. The peculiarity lies in the proportions of these two groups of cards used in each type of style.
While in Hold’em the combinations are indistinct, and community and player cards can be used in variable proportions, in Omaha poker three community cards and two-hole cards must always be used. Any hand formed with another balance of cards will not be valid and will be discarded.
These rules are common to the three main types of Omaha games:
- Pot Limit Omaha. Known by the abbreviation PLO, it allows each player to bet the full amount of the pot, but no more. It is the most popular type of game among the Omaha-playing community.
- The minimum bet is equal to the big blind.
- The minimum raise must be at least equal to the previous bet of the round.
- The maximum raise is always the size of the pot.
- No Limit Omaha. Abbreviated NLO, it is a type of game in which there are no limits at the time of betting, being able to put all his chips in play if the player considers it appropriate.
- The minimum bet is equal to the big blind.
- The minimum raise will always be at least equal to the previous bet or raise.
- The maximum raise will be equal to the total amount of chips the player has on the table.
- There is no maximum number of raises allowed: each player chooses how many to make.
- Limit Omaha. Limit Omaha establishes fixed limits for bets. Round after round, these limits must be respected, and any bets exceeding the limit will be voided.
- On preflop and flop, bets and raises will be equal to the big blind.
- Those same bets and raises are doubled on the turn and river.
- A maximum of four bets are allowed per player.
About Omaha poker and starting hands
The rules of Omaha poker are simple and easy to assimilate, but using them to master the game is different. Let’s look at some key aspects of playing Omaha poker with ease:
On the preflop and on the flop
In the early stages, each player is free to call or raise the big blind once the betting round begins. The structures of these bets will be different, depending on the game mode: No Limit Omaha, Pot Limit Omaha or Limit Omaha.
Once the first betting round is over, the flop is dealt and the three cards that compose it are revealed. When everyone sees them, the action resumes from the position just behind the BUTTON.
In case we are talking about a fixed limit Omaha poker game, all bets and raises will be made in fixed increments of the small bet. If you do not know how to play Omaha poker or it is your first time, the most recommended modality are fixed limit games to play with fixed intervals in the bets, which simplifies things at the time of making calculations and establishes more accessible game routines.
On the turn and on the river
On the last two streets the last two community cards of the five total are revealed, one on the turn and the other on the river. As in the preflop and on the flop, the action resumes with the player just behind the BUTTON.
In addition, the betting and raising intervals do not vary in fixed-limit games, which is perfect for beginners or for those who prefer not to worry about choosing the amounts to bet at any given moment.
As for the starting hands, the truth is that it is something that, basically, does not have an extreme complexity. Whatever the Omaha poker variant you play, the best starting hand will always be A A K K, followed by A A J 10 and A A J J of any suit, although hands with double clubs are very top.
The dynamics of Omaha poker make its rules easy to apply. Despite being conceived in a different way than Texas Hold’em, any professional player or one who has been used to playing Texas Hold’em for years will be able to adapt to the rules of Omaha without any problem. If this is your case, you should not worry, with these notions you will have more than enough to start playing a game of Omaha. Time, practice and experience will do the rest.