Omaha

Omaha is a hold’em game, meaning that players at a table are dealt hole cards first, and then everyone shares in community cards spread on the table, or “board”. Before the last of four betting rounds, the last community card is revealed. In this respect, Omaha and Texas Hold’Em are very similar games.

The difference comes in that Omaha requires that two hole cards, and only two hole cards, be played as part of each hand. By implication, only three of the five board cards may figure into a given hand. Thus, if the board shows two pairs, and a player holds a matching card as one of the hole cards, Omaha rules prevent him from claiming a full house. Only three board cards may figure in the final hand. In Texas Hold’Em, players are not restricted in how many board cards and hole cards they must use.

Modern Omaha has another important difference over other hold’em games: Players are dealt four hole cards at the start of the game. The original version dealt only two, as in Texas Hold’Em.

Omaha is the “O” in HORSE, the most common mixed game played in poker rooms. Pot limit Omaha is a popular form of the game. A split pot version has gained popularity, often called Omaha Hi-Lo or Omaha/8 (for eight-or-better to qualify the low hand). Because of the four hole cards, high-ranking hands are common in Omaha, which accounts in part for its popularity. It also explains why veterans call it a game of “the nuts.” Often you have to have an invincible combination to be able to win a pot.