Poker Rules: Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo

Introduction: These games aren't enjoying much attention. The reason is probably because it is a little more difficult to learn than the other games. The rules are pretty much the same, but the strategy is what makes this game difficult. There are many many more odds to calculate in this game. And yes, if you like math, this game is for you!

Basic Game Rules: In Omaha the goal is to make the best possible 5 card combination of a total of 9 cards. However, in this game you won't be dealt all 9 cards. You will only receive 4 cards face down, and the rest of the cards will be so called "community cards". Everybody can use the community cards. You can only use 2 cards of the 4 you have been dealt initially and you may not use less. While in Hold'em you may use 0, 1, or 2 cards of the cards dealt.

The Betting: In the beginning, everybody is dealt 4 cards down. Basically, after the cards have been dealt, you will see everybody holding 4 cards facing down. There is a dealer button on the table, basically the person with the button is really the dealer (naturally, you don't actually deal, there is a designated casino dealer who does that). The first person in front of the dealer will be asked to post the "Small Blind" and the person next to him, the "big blind". The blinds are designed to put money into the pot initially to get some stakes onto the table. Everybody will now be asked to either call, or bet if they want to stay in the game, otherwise people can just fold as well without paying the blinds. A call means that you will match the amount/per player put into the pot so far. This means that if nobody has raised the blinds you will be able to play for the minimum, which is basically the "Big Blind" bet, as long as nobody behind you bets more money, which would mean that you would also be asked to match it to see the next card. As an example if you are playing 2/6 limit Omaha, the small blind will be $1, and the big blind will be $2 so the minimum amount to play with, after you have seen the initial 2 cards will be $2. If one of the players ahead of you raises the blind by $2, you will have to match $2+$2 = $4 to play (or fold). Betting continues within one round until everybody has just called or checked. So if the first player bets $3 on top of the $1 and everybody calls at a table with 9 players there would be a total of $36 in the pot. After this procedure, the "Flop" will be dealt. The flop consists of 3 community cards all facing up. Combine your two cards with the flop and see if you caught something. After the flop has been dealt, there is another round of betting. Each round after the flop has been dealt, there will be only one card dealt. The card dealt after the flop is called the "Turn" and the last card is called the "River". When the last round of betting is finished, the cards are turned over and compared. The winner takes the pot - The dealer is usually tipped as well. (Note: Only the person betting will have to show his hand, if everybody checks, the first person has to show his cards and all other can fold. If you bet and everyone folds, you do not have to show your hand at all.)

Besides the regular call, or bet options there are also the options to check or re-raise. If there hasn't been a bet ahead of you, you can always "check", which means that you also don't want to put more money down. With this option you stay in the game, but you don't put more money down. If everyone behind you also checks, the next card is dealt out practically "for free".

Omaha Hi/Lo: The rules are pretty much the same in this game. There is only one variance. Every card lower 8 or lower is also considered low. If you have 5 cards 8 or lower without any pair (this may be a straight or a flush as well) your hand will be considered a low hand. This still means that you play for the regular "high" as well. As an example: you hold a small straight, this will be low, but also high. If nobody can beat a straight you might win both the "high" and the "low". The pot is always split between the high and the low. If there is no low, because there are only 4 low cards, then the winner of the "high" will win all. Keep in mind that you have to play with 2 out of your 4 cards. For each game you can use a different combination or the same two cards, but it must be 2. So catching AAAA for the four cards you are dealt face down is a very unlucky hand, because you can't get the low, can't get the high (unless a pair of aces is good)

If you believe you have a strong hand (or want to make people believe you do) you can re-raise someone else's bet after they have bet a certain amount. Careful here, this can get costly as they can re-raise again. Also make sure that if you want to re-raise you will have to re-raise, the minimum re-raise is of what has been bet before and again the maximum is $6 for our example in 2/6 Limit Omaha. Also make sure you post the entire amount at once, the dealer will not allow a call, and then a bet but only a re-raise. If you want to be sure you put the right amount you can always say "re-raise $6" or "re-raise $2", then the dealer will help you and you will have more time.

Now to the most important part of the Rules:

Rank of Cards:(Lare Letters are the cards and small letters are the suit i.e. Ts = 10 of Spades)

More Rules and other info: