Rules

Each player is dealt four cards face down. These cards are also called the hole cards and no one can see them but you. After these cards are dealt there is a round of betting known as the preflop betting round.

Next, three cards are dealt face up on the board. These three cards are called the flop. After another round of betting, a 4th card, the turn, is dealt face up on the board. Another round of betting follows. Then a 5th card, the river, is dealt. A final round of betting follows the river. At this point, all remaining players reveal their hole cards.

Each player must choose exactly two of his hole cards and combine them with exactly three of the board cards, to form a 5-card poker hand. The player with the best poker hand wins. Unlike Texas Hold'em, the players cannot choose how many cards they want to use from their hole cards. They cannot use three cards or one card; they must use exactly two cards.

For example, if a player has AA96 in the hole, and the board is KQJT6, the best hand he can make is AAKQJ, or a pair of Aces. If a player has AQJ2 in his hand and the board is 777AQ, the best hand he can form is 777AQ, or three of a kind 7's. He cannot pair his Ace or Queen with the board without destroying the trip 7's he has.

As a beginner, you want to be very selective with your starting hands in Omaha. You are looking to start with four cards that work well together for high. Here are examples of good working hands to play in Omaha high. (A A K Q) (A K K Q) (A K Q Q) (K Q J 10) (Q J 10 9) (J 10c 9 8).

You notice that all of these hands have flush and straight potential, and some have pairs for a chance at making trips or a full house. When you play you, are also looking for flops that hit your hands, as you do in Hold’em. If you get a good flop you will probably stay all the way with the hand, betting your draw, accordingly. If you get a bad flop, you will have to decide if it is worth staying further.

One point for new Omaha players to note is that winning hands are usually higher than winning hands in Texas Hold'em, since players have 4 hole cards to choose from. Often times the best hand is a straight or flush. When a pair is showing on the board, a full house commonly wins. Of course, the number of players in the game affects the quality of the hands, but in general, hands are higher than in Texas Hold’em.

Because the hands are usually higher in Omaha, it is important for beginning Omaha players to simply recognize what the nuts are for a given board. The nuts refers to the best possible hand. Knowing that you have an unbeatable hand means that you can put in unlimited raises; otherwise, play cautiously, even if there is only one card that can beat you.

Practice reading the board and all hands when you aren’t involved in a pot. This will help you read your own hands when you are in a pot, and will help keep you from overlooking your hand.

Suppose you have A A K Q. Which of the following flops below would you prefer?

a. J 9 10
b. A J 10
c. K J 10
d. Q Q J

You flop the nuts with flop A, a King high straight, but notice that there is a flush draw in hearts against you. Flop b you flop the nuts, an ace high straight with a set of aces, and also the nut flush draw. Flop c you flop the nut straight, but three hearts are on the flop, so you don’t have the nuts as someone could have a flush. Flop d you flop trip Queens with an ace kicker. Flop b is the flop you want. It’s a monster flop for your hand.

Suppose you have A K K Q. Which of the flops below would give you the best draw?

a. A 2 J
b. 10 7 J
c. 8 5 4
d. 2 4 Q

Flop b is the best draw; you have a straight, made. But, you also have a Royal flush draw, a straight flush draw, and a simple flush draw.

Three players are in this pot for a showdown on the river.

Here is the board, K J 9 9 J. Read each five card hand. Now who is the winner?

a. A K K Q
b. 9 A 4 9
c. 10 Q Q J

Player A has kings full of nines. Player B has quads, four nines. Player C has the best hand, a king high straight flush.