Rules of Omaha High Poker

The rules of Omaha Poker, like Texas Holdem is based on a community card game. Community cards, or board cards are cards which are dealt face up in the middle of the table and which can be used by all players in conjunction with their hole cards to make a five card poker hand.

In a game of Omaha high poker, the rules state that each player is dealt four hole cards (cards for the player's eyes only).

Unlike in a game of Holdem, a player may use any combination of five cards from their hole cards and the board cards to make a hand, in Omaha poker rules, a player must use precisely two cards from their hand and three cards from the board.

Playing Omaha Poker

The rules of Omaha high poker state that at the beginning of a hand in Omaha poker, before any cards have been dealt, the blinds are posted. The blinds are bets made by the two players to the left of the dealer. The player to the immediate left of the dealer posts the small blind, the player to the left of the small blind posts the big blind. The blinds are posted before any cards are dealt to help get the betting underway.

Rules of Omaha High - First Round

Once the blinds have been posted, the Omaha players are dealt their hole cards and a round of betting is to follow.

• The first player to act is the player to the immediate left of the big blind. At this stage in the Omaha game, because of the blinds, each player has three options: FOLD, CALL or RAISE
• To fold is to throw in your cards and take no further action in the hand
• To call is to match the previous bet in order to remain in the game
• To raise is to make a bet in excess of the previous bet by at least the table minimum

Each poker player in turn (in a clockwise direction) must make a decision and to stay in the game must continue to bet until all remaining players have staked an equal amount (this holds true for each of the four rounds of betting).

Note: If, when the action comes round to the big blind and none of the remaining players have made a raise (therefore all betting is even), the player on the big blind has the option to either raise or CHECK. To check is to pass without placing a bet and yet remain in the game. In all instances other than on the big blind in the first round, the option to check can only be used when no prior bets in a round have been made.

Rules of Omaha High - Second Round

Once the betting is even, the Omaha game continues with the dealing of THE FLOP (the first three board cards) which in turn prompts another round of betting. This time however, and for each subsequent round of betting, the first player to act is the first active player to the left of the dealer. In this and the next two rounds players can either check, fold, bet/call or raise, depending on the actions of the poker players before them.

Rules of Omaha High - Third Round

The third round of betting commences after THE TURN (the fourth board card) has been dealt. Play begins again with the first active player to the left of the dealer, each player making a choice in turn as in the previous round.

Rules of Omaha High - Fourth Round

The fourth and final round is begun after the dealing of THE RIVER (the fifth and final board card). Betting resumes (or not as the case may be) until all bets are once again even.

Rules of Omaha High - The Showdown

When, after the river card, all betting has finished, the remaining players must show all of their hole cards face up on the table in order to determine the winner. When playing Omaha High poker, this is called THE SHOWDOWN.

Remember: A hand must comprise of precisely two of the four hole cards and three board cards.