Omaha poker is a game with rules similar to that of Texas Holdem. The main difference in the game is that you are dealt four hole cards rather than two and you MUST use two of your hole cards and three boardcards. You may only use two of the hole cards given to you to make the best possible Omaha hand. As my friend Randy says “Always two hole cards and exactly two hole cards. You ALWAYS play two cards from your hand. Not one, and not three. Not zero and not four. Two only two and always two. Big adjustment from holdem huh?”
Yes, Omaha is a big adjustment from Holdem Randy. The rules for Omaha Poker only slightly differ from that of Texas Holdem except the rule of being able to play the board at the showdown. Remember that in Omaha you must you two and only two of your hole cards and three and only three board cards to make a hand. This Omaha Poker rule makes it impossible to play the board at the showdown.
Omaha Variations – High Low – Hi Lo
Omaha poker is not only played for high, it is also played as a hi lo split, 8-or-better game. In the game of hi low Omaha, the players may use the best combination of any two hole cards and three boardcards for high (hi), and may also use the lowest combination of any two hole cards and three boardcards for low (lo).
Rules for Omaha Hi Lo
The main difference between Omaha and Omaha Hi Lo is that Omaha Hi Lo involves a low hand to split the pot. To receive half of the pot at the showdown, a player must qualify by having an 8-or-better low hand that is lower than all of his opponents’ hands. If nobody qualifies for the low hand, then the pot is awarded to the high hand in full.
Other Resources
In case we were unable to fully explain the rules of Omaha poker, we recommend reading these Omaha poker rules.
