Omaha Holdem Poker

Omaha poker is also known as Omaha holdem or Omaha high (Hi) poker and they are one and the same game. Omaha is one of the most popular poker games played in the US and around the world besides Texas holdem. The game actually has not been around for awhile but it is quite simple to learn. There are also many variations of the game including Omaha Hi/Lo and PLO as some of the most famous and we will talk about each and every one of these on our guides. Check out the menu just to the right to read the full and detailed guides about the game. We will go through a few short and basic summaries below.

What is Omaha Poker? Learn How to play Omaha

If you have ever played Texas Holdem, then this game will come easily for you. The table uses a button marker that rotates around the table to each person, where the person to the left of this button pays a small blind and the person to the left of the small blind pays the big blinds. For example, in a $1/$2 table, $1 is a small blind and $2 is a big blind. Then each player is dealt their starting hands, which contain 4 hole cards that only they can see.

Players then start betting based on these cards. After this round of betting is over, the flop or 3 cards will be dealt to the center of the table for everyone to see and use with their hole cards. These flopped cards are known as community cards. Betting moves around the table clockwise. After this round of betting, a turn card (or forth community card) is dealt followed by a round of betting. Finally the river or last and fifth community card is dealt. A final round of betting takes place and if there are two or more players, a showdown takes place where they show their cards. The winner with the strongest 5-card hand will win. Although, players may only use two of their four hole cards to make their 5-card hand. A player must use two hole cards and only three community cards.

A Little History about Omaha Hold'em Poker's Origins

It may come as a surprise to your but Omaha was even more like Texas Holdem during past history. In fact, players were dealt two hole cards instead of four and they were required to use these two cards with any of the five community cards, which is a slight difference from Texas Holdem where you could use just one or both. Eventually, four hole cards were used and this game made its way into the WSOP (World Series of Poker) as one of the most common games and events.

What is more surprising about Omaha poker is the fact that the game itself was not invented in or had anything to do with the city of Omaha in Nebraska. The reason it was named Omaha was because players were required to use both hole cards in forming their final hand, which is the only subtle difference between this game and Texas Holdem. The history of this game is also very young. In fact, the game of Badugi and Razz poker are even older than Omaha, yet those two card games are relatively unheard of! This just shows how popular Omaha poker has become.

Play Omaha poker online in ring games, tournaments and freerolls

It is actually rare to find a no-limit Omaha poker game, but Pot limit (PL) is the most common type of Omaha to play. "PLO" stands for Pot Limit Omaha and is one of the most popular tournament and ring/cash game poker around. Omaha can be played at low stakes or high roller stakes, so players may bet pennies, nickels, dimes and all the way up to dollars and 100s of dollars with the table limits and stakes available. Omaha tournaments commonly reach in excess of $100000 and freerolls can also be just as large.

Many different variations of Omaha are available at the most famous online card rooms such as PokerStars and Carbon Poker. All of these places offer a wide range of tournaments, sit and go's, heads up, ring games and a ton of other variations of Omaha so check them out. They also have free "play money" tables, which are excellent for learning the game while you read our strategy guides and articles.