Culture & Cosmos Card Games

How to Play Omaha Poker

Omaha poker is a card game that is played only with high hands. However, there is also a popular high-low split version (known as "Omaha Hi-Lo," "Omaha hi/lo" or "Omaha high/low") that a lot of people play. In Europe this game is commonly known as Omaha limit high-only while in the United States it is becoming more commonly known simply as HiLo. Regardless as to what you prefer to call it, you should know the rules before trying it at the casino.

Omaha Holdem Poker rules are based on Texas Holdem. There are some main differences though. These include:
* Players will be dealt four pocket cards.
* Players have to use two pocket cards and three community cards in order to put together their best poker hand.
* There can be 10 players at most.

Whenever you are playing Omaha poker each player will be dealt four cards, facing down. These are the pocket cards. After everyone has been dealt his or her cards, the betting round will begin. This is the same with Texas Holdem but the following will also occur:
* The preflop occurs whenever two cards are dealt to each player, facing down. This starts with the small blind.
* The flop will then occurs as the dealer will lay the first three community cards out in the middle of the table.
* After the flop there is the turn. At this time a fourth card will be dealt face up, also in the middle of the table.
* The game concludes with the river, which is when a fifth, and final card will be dealt face up in the center of the table.

Once everyone has been dealt, the player who has the best five-card hand is the winner.