Omaha Poker

If you’re new to the world of poker, one of the main points to keep in mind is the fact that there is not one single version of poker. Simply put, poker game has different variants, with the most popular ones being Texas Hold’em and Omaha.

Omaha is also a community card variant just like Hold’em. The key difference between two formats is that a player is dealt 4 hole cards and 5 community cards are shared amongst players. The objective is to have the highest ranking hand by using 2 hole cards and 3 community cards.

History of Omaha Poker

Robert Turner is a legendary poker player most well-known for introducing the game of Omaha poker to Nevada in 1982. He changed the very idea of how poker was played and introduced a whole new world of possibilities and strategies.

For those who are interested in learning this variation, our beginner’s guide will help you set your cards straight!

What is Omaha Poker?

Omaha Poker is preferred by players who are looking for a more challenging and adrenaline fueled poker experience. Omaha shares a lot of similarities with Texas Hold’em but there are subtle differences between the two as well.

Differences between Omaha and Texas Hold’em

Here’s a quick comparison between Omaha poker and Texas Hold’em:

Category	Omaha	Texas Hold’em
Hole cards	4, 5 or 6 hole cards depending on the variant - PLO4, 5 or 6.	2 hole cards per player.
Hand requirement	Must use exactly 2 hole cards and 3 community cards.	Can use any combination of hole and community cards.
Popular variants	Pot Limit Omaha (PLO), Omaha Hi-Lo	No-Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit, Limit
Complexity	Complex and requires more strategy due to the higher number of hole cards.	It is the most commonly played variant of poker, easier to learn.
Bluffing	Bluffing is less frequent, due to stronger hands being formed on an average.	Bluffing is common and used strategically.

Popular Omaha Poker Variations

Omaha Hi:
In this version of Omaha, the player whose five-card combo makes the strongest ranking hand takes the pot.

Fixed Limit:
A player has the option to raise the limit up to four times during the course of the game. The bet or raise has to be equal to the size of the blinds. Since folding is not a part of this version of Omaha, players can stay in the game without shouldering heavy costs.

Omaha Hi/Low:
As the name implies, this version of Omaha poker has the highest hand and the lowest hand split the pot. It is possible for a player to have the highest possible hand and the lowest possible hand at the same time. In such cases, the player wins the entire pot.

PLO 4:
Pot Limit Omaha 4 or PLO 4 is a popular variant of the Omaha poker format where each player receives four hole cards, and must use two of them with three community cards to form their strongest hand. Pot-Limit betting rules make it interesting in regards to strategy, and bigger pots.

PLO 5:
Pot Limit Omaha 5 or PLO 5 is a popular variant of the Omaha poker format where each player receives five hole cards, and must use two of them with three community cards to form their strongest hand. Pot-Limit betting rules make it interesting in regards to strategy, and five hole cards increases the chances of getting strong hands on an average.

PLO 6:
Pot Limit Omaha 6 or PLO 6 is a popular variant of the Omaha poker format where each player receives six hole cards, and must use two of them with three community cards to form their strongest hand. Pot-Limit betting rules, and six hole cards make it a little more complex, as the probability of everyone getting good hands increases.

How To Play Omaha Poker

If you’re interested in learning how to play Omaha poker, here’s what you need to know at a glance.

A deck of 52-cards.
Poker chips for betting.
A button for the dealer and buttons for players who make mandatory bets before each round.

Now let’s have a look at the different stages the game unfolds in.

Pre-Flop: Each player receives 4 hole cards face down. The game then progresses based on each player’s perceived hand ranking and table position.

The Flop: This is the stage where the first three community cards are revealed to the players. This is known as the flop. Players then decide which action to take based on their hole cards and community cards.

The Turn: After players have placed their bets in the flop round, the dealer discards the top card of the deck and reveals the fourth community card.

The River: The dealer discards another card and showcases the final community card, the river. Players have to create the strongest possible hand using their hole cards and community cards.

Showdown: If, after the final round of betting, there are many players still in the game, a showdown occurs. Simply put, the player whose five-card combo of hole and community cards is ranked the highest wins the pot.

Advantages of Playing Omaha Poker

Omaha poker offers a more complex and thrilling alternative to regular Texas Hold’em poker. Here’s why Omaha is more appealing if you like complex strategies, and bigger pots:

More action:
Four, five or six hole cards instead of two like Texas Hold’em, increases the chances of getting stronger hands. This leads to dynamic strategy and exciting gameplay.
Bigger pots:
The chances of everyone getting strong hands, increases the betting amounts. This results in bigger pots and heightened stakes in every round.
Strategic depth:
Trying to manage 4, 5 or 6 hole cards allows for a lot of combinations, creating more complex strategies. This type of gameplay is more rewarding for skilled players.
Pot-Limit structure:
The pot limit betting structure in Omaha adds control to the monetary spends, but also makes for bigger pots. Players tend to bet bigger amounts within a limited structure due to the probability of getting strong hands.

Omaha Poker Actions

When playing Omaha poker, each player can take certain actions to influence the game and improve their chances of winning the pot. The three major actions are,

Calling: In Omaha poker, calling refers to matching the bet amount placed by another player. By calling, players can continue to stay in the game and observe the community cards that will be revealed in further rounds.

Raising: When playing a game of Omaha poker, a player may sometimes choose to raise the bet amount. This forces other players to match the amount and can also help thin the table.

The Flop: In Omaha poker, the flop is an important stage as the first three community cards are revealed and it gives players a chance to evaluate and reassess their strategy.

All-In:In Omaha poker, the increased number of hole cards makes it easier to get stronger hand combinations. Hence, players can go all-in during most hands. Going all-in means betting all your chips or money in one particular round, if you are confident of winning or are bluffing to make other players fold.

Check:This action works the same way in all poker formats. To ‘Check’ means to pass the ongoing action to the next player without betting more or raising the pot.

Players

In Omaha poker, two to nine players can play together. The later the position, the greater the advantage. However, with a smaller player count, bets happen more frequently and the game moves at a faster pace.

Deal

A dealer distributes four hole cards to players. Only the player is allowed to see the cards. Next, the community cards are revealed and it is up to each player to make the best five-card combo using two hole cards and three community cards.

Blinds

Every game of Omaha poker begins with two blinds, a big blind and a small blind. The game starts in a clockwise direction with the player next to the dealer starting with a small blind. After the small blind, the player sitting next to the person who played the small blind plays the big blind.

Betting Limits

The three popular versions of Omaha poker are

Pot Limit: Games are referenced as per their respective pot limit.
Fixed Limit: The small blind is half the size of the big blind.
No Limit: It is up to the player to bet their preferred amount.

Hands in Omaha Poker

The hand rankings in Omaha poker are:-

Royal Flush: A royal flush is an ace high straight flush.
Straight Flush: Five cards of the same suit in sequential order.
Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same value but belonging to different suits.
Full House: A combination of three of a kind along with a pair.
Flush: Five cards of the same suit irrespective of their order.
Straight: Five cards of different suits but having a sequential order.
Three of a Kind: Three cards holding the same value but belonging to different suits.
Two Pair: Two pairs of two cards of the same value, the suit does not matter.
One Pair: Two cards having the same rank. Suit does not come into play here.

Omaha Poker Rules and Strategy

Playing Omaha poker is not so different from playing any game that involves strategy and skill. A good strategy in Omaha poker can bring you one step closer to winning the pot! Here are a few pointers to know to help formulate a winning strategy.

Choose the best cards: In Omaha poker, each player is given four hole cards but can use only two of them to make a five-card combo. Each player must carefully observe and be ready to change strategy as the game progresses and the community cards are revealed.
Know how to and when to bluff: Omaha poker gives players more opportunities to bluff. The better the understanding of the game, the greater are the chances of bluffing successfully and winning.
Position is Crucial: When playing Omaha poker, the position or rather the seating arrangement is extremely important. The later the play, the better the chances of gaining more information and making informed decisions.
Reading Opponents: The art of reading your opponents is crucial to any poker game. It involves observing betting patterns, timing, and how the community board is playing out.
Bankroll Management: In PLO or Omaha, bankroll management plays a vital role due to larger pot sizes and high variance. Players should distribute their money carefully over multiple buy-ins, and adjust based on skill, avoiding over leveraging of their bankroll in one round or game.

PLO vs No Limit vs Fixed Limit Omaha Rules

Pot Limit Omaha Rules (PLO Poker)	No Limit Omaha Poker Rules	Fixed Limit Omaha Poker Rules
Bets and raises are fixed as per the pot limit poker rules.	A player can bet the amount of their choice.	Small blind and big blind decide the amount.
Money won by a player with a single hand is limited.	There is no limit on winning money with a single hand.	Money a player can win with a single hand is limited.
Players are encouraged to make smaller bets and be more strategic in their gameplay.	Players are encouraged to be risk takers and raise to improve the overall pot.	Players are encouraged to be cautious and favour a strategic approach.

Top Pot Limit Omaha Starting Hands

Here is a list of the top 30 starting hands in Pot Limit Omaha, keeping in mind the PLO 4 variant, where the player is dealt four hole cards:

Rank	Starting Hand	Strength and Ideal Scenario
1	A♠ A♣ K♠ K♣	Great in early positions; very strong, ideal for raising pre-flop
2	A♠ A♣ Q♠ Q♣	Best as an opener with a good stack.
3	A♠ K♠ Q♣ J♠	Ideal for aggressive play in late position.
4	A♠ K♠ J♠ 10♠	Strong suited connectors for straight or flush potential.
5	A♠ A♣ J♠ 10♠	Great for building a straight or flush.
6	K♠ K♣ Q♠ J♠	Strong for raising, especially in late positions.
7	A♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠	Great for deep stacks, suited for flopping straights or flushes.
8	A♠ J♠ 10♠ 9♠	Good for late position aggression.
9	K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠	Best for big potential post-flop hands.
10	A♠ A♣ 9♠ 9♣	Great for sets and two pairs, especially on lower boards.
11	A♠ K♠ 9♠ 9♣	Strong hand for aggressive play, especially in big pots.
12	Q♠ Q♣ J♠ 10♠	Solid for big flops, but requires good post-flop skill.
13	J♠ 10♠ 9♠ 8♠	Great for hitting straight or flush draws, in multiplayer pots.
14	7♠ 7♣ 6♠ 6♣	Good for fishing out weaker players and hitting lower boards.
15	A♠ 10♠ 9♠ 8♠	Strong hand for deep stack play, suitable for hitting straights.
16	K♠ J♠ 10♠ 9♠	Ideal for aggressive post-flop play, especially in late position.
17	A♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠	Good for low-stacked scenarios, ideal for multiplayer pots.
18	9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠	Good for small and medium pots, ideal for hitting a straight.
19	6♠ 6♣ 5♠ 5♣	Good for fishing out weak players, hitting low straights, and suited for small pots.
20	Q♠ Q♣ 8♠ 8♣	Great for building strong two pairs or sets
21	A♠ K♠ 8♠ 8♣	Great for straight and flush potential; aggressive play is ideal.
22	10♠ 9♠ 8♠ 7♠	Best in multiplayer pots, aggressive with a deep stack.
23	A♠ Q♠ 7♠ 6♠	Good for hitting straights or flushes.
24	7♠ 7♣ 4♠ 4♣	Good for fishing out weaker opponents, especially in multiplayer pots.
25	J♠ J♣ 8♠ 7♠	Ideal for post-flop play, especially with strong draws.
26	K♠ 10♠ 9♠ 7♠	Best for late position play, especially with more players involved in the final pot.
27	A♠ 10♠ 7♠ 6♠	Ideal in deep stack situations for post-flop play.
28	5♠ 5♣ 4♠ 3♠	Great for low-stack or low pot situations, effective for bluffing.
29	A♠ 9♠ 8♠ 7♠	Ideal for multiplayer pots, especially in deep stack scenarios.
30	10♠ 10♣ 9♠ 8♠	Ideal for post-flop play, solid for hitting big hands.

Conclusion

Omaha poker is an exciting and popular variant of traditional poker. Now that you have a better understanding of the basics of Omaha, it is time to test your skills! Download Pocket52 poker app and start playing the game for free.

FAQs on Omaha Poker

1. Is Omaha Poker the same as Texas Hold’em?

No, Omaha poker is a popular variant of poker. In this version, players are given four hole cards as opposed to two received in Hold’em.

2. What are the starting hands to play in Omaha?

When playing Omaha poker, a good starting hand is one that has many connectors and a high potential. Pairs, suits etc at the start improve chances of winning.

3. How does the betting work in Omaha Poker?

Betting in Omaha is quite similar to Texas Hold’em. Players have the option of taking actions like Check, Raise, Bet and Fold. The game follows the typical poker order of pre-flop, flop, turn and river.

4. Can I play Omaha Poker online for real money?

Yes, you can play Omaha online for real money. Make sure you play real money poker on a trusted and secure platform like Pocket52 for the best and most secure gaming experience.

5. What is PLO Poker?

PLO (Pot Limit Omaha) is a poker variant where the players are dealt four, five or six hole cards depending on the format of PLO. Players must use two hole cards in combination with three of the five community cards to make their best poker hand.

6. What is the best hand in Omaha poker?

The best starting hand in PLO 4 is A♠ A♣ K♠ K♣, these hole cards are great for early positions and preflop raising.

7. How does PLO differ from Texas Hold'em?

The key difference between PLO and Texas Hold’em are the hole cards, and betting styles. In PLO, players are given four, five or six hole cards, whereas in Texas Hold’em, players only get two hole cards. There is a fixed pot limit in PLO as the name suggests, whereas in Texas Hold’em, the more common version is a no limit game.

8. What are the basic Omaha poker rules?

In Omaha poker the players are usually dealt four, five or six hole cards depending on the format - whether it is PLO 4, 5 or 6. The basic rule is to use two of the hole cards, and combine them with three of the five community cards to make the best possible poker hand combination.