Omaha - the rules of the game

Many professional poker players just love the game "Omaha". But what is this and what are the rules in "Omaha"? By and large, this is one of the varieties of "Texas Hold'em." However, even after retaining the basic rules, the very structure of rates and this game, Omaha has its own interesting features.

As already mentioned, in the card game of "Omaha" the rules are the same as in "Texas Hold'em". The most significant difference is that the players are handed out in each game are not two, but four closed "pocket" cards. As in Hold'em, to win, you need to make the best combination, only of the five cards.

Here, and reveal the main secrets and rules of the game in "Omaha" - in order to compose your combination, a player can use only a maximum of two of his so-called "pocket" cards of four possible.

Very many novice players forget about it. And when four cards of a suit or four consecutive cards come to such players, then such beginners are often very happy, naively suggesting that if they coincide with the already open cards on the board, they will automatically collect a straight or flush. But already at the showdown they are puzzled why they lost the pot.

As in Texas Hold'em, there are some differences regarding the structure of rates. That's why in the game "Omaha" the rules may differ slightly depending on whether you play in a no limit, limit or pot-limit version. However, the most popular option here is a pot-limit and limit game, in contrast to "Hold'em."

The rules of the game, "Omaha" and its structure, as already mentioned, are the same as in "Hold'em." There are four stages of trading - this is preflop, then there is a flop, then a turn, then the river. In fact, in the "Omaha" the rules are extremely simple. It is worthwhile to stop a little more in these stages of the game.

1. Immediately before handing over the cards, two players who are in the position to the left of the button (the button) bet the small and big blind (mandatory bets, with the small blind usually at least approximately half the big blind).

2. For each player, the dealer deals four cards face down. This is a pocket player card. After this, there is the first round of bidding of players in "Omaha" (that is preflop). The player can call (call) or raise (raise), or he can decide to fold (fold).

3. After bargaining on the table, spread three common open cards (this is called a flop). Then again there is a circle of trade. If there were no bets, then players can say "check". The player can bet on a new round of betting (make a bet).

4. Next, another (fourth) common open card (the turn) is laid out. And again - another round of trade.

5. Finally, the last circle is the river. Again, the open last card is laid out - and again there is a circle of trades.

If all players call the river bets, they open their cards. The player who has collected the strongest combination of five cards (two of his pocket cards and three common ones) wins the pot. If the combinations are equal, then the pot is divided between players with these equal combinations (split-pot).

When composing a combination, you can use only one of your cards or even none (in the event that open public cards form a stronger combination).