Everyone’s heard of Texas Holdem poker, thanks in part to the plethora of ESPN shows devoted to it at all hours of the day, but what do you know about Omaha? No, not the city, Omaha poker.
Omaha is a poker variant for two to ten players. The rules are simple, with the object being to make the best 5-card hand using two of the four cards dealt face down to you, and three of the five cards dealt to everyone at the center of the table.
The flow of play goes like this:
To start a game of Omaha poker, the player to the left of the Dealer pays the Small Blind (usually half the minimum bet), and the player to their left posts the Big Blind (the full minimum bet). Keep in mind this all happens before any card are dealt whatsoever.
Each player is then dealt four cards, called Hole Cards. Keep these cards hidden, and only peek at them once. Otherwise you end up looking unsure of yourself, and could be seen as a possible mark for more experienced players.
After glancing at your cards, the betting begins with the player to the left of the Big Blind. Take a moment to consider the strength of your staring hand. Be mindful of pairs, straights or other powerful poker hands that you might already have, or are close to completing. Bet or bow out (called “folding) accordingly.
After the initial betting round comes the “Flop,” where three cards are dealt face-up in the center of the table. More betting follows this until all bets are called or all players but one fold.
Enter the Turn. This is when the fourth common card is dealt face-up next to the Flop cards, and a third round of betting begins. After that flows the River. This is the final common card, and after it is placed in the common area, a final round of betting begins.
The end game is called the Showdown. Any remaining players compare their best five-card poker hands. These final hands must use the two pockets cards and three of the common cards. The player with the best hand rank wins the pot. If players have the same hand, which happens occasionally, they share the pot. Repeat!
