Omaha Poker - Like Texas Hold'em Poker

While this poker game is similar to the famous Texas Hold’em, the hands are usually better since there are 9 cards in total to choose from.

How Omaha Poker is Played

This is really a fun game as the hands that can be made are awesome, given the fact that each player is dealt nine cards (rather than 5 or 7 in other poker variations). The terminology in this poker game is the same for other poker games, including: “hole cards” – four cards face down dealt to each player; “the flop” – three cards dealt face up; “the turn” – fourth card dealt to the table; “the river” – fifth card dealt to the table. The table has five cards. These are known as “community cards” and don’t belong to anyone. Players are able to use three of these community cards, along with their hole cards, to try and form the best poker hand possible. But it’s not so easy as everyone has access to these community cards.

Betting and Omaha Poker

In Omaha poker, betting occurs after the cards are dealt. After the first betting round is the three card flop, followed by another betting round. The one card turn card follows (and another betting round thereafter). Finally the fifth river card and final betting round and a showdown if necessary. The showdown is whereby one or more players remain in play after the last betting round. In this situation all other players are forced to reveal and compare their hands to determine the winner or winners of the game. The player’s four cards have to be all shown to qualify for winning a pot – two is inadequate and the player must forfeit their claim to the pot.

How Omaha Poker Differs From Texas Hold’em

The difference between the two poker games is that instead of getting two cards faced down, four are dealt and thereafter a betting round ensues. Still, the rules to the two games are more or less the same; in fact, they are the same, with the exception of not being able to play the board in Omaha like one can in Texas Hold’em. It doesn’t matter what is on the board, all players have to use three cards from the board and two from their hand. What is even more exciting about Omaha poker as opposed to Texas hold’em poker is that with the additional cards, there are more chances for players to win the game. But for those who are looking for the mega bucks in this game, they have to really be skilled in it since more players are looking for that big prize money as there is such a thrill in trying to outsmart the other players.