Omaha Poker for Beginners
Texas Hold’em is a super popular poker game, what many online poker players fail to realize is the beauty of Omaha Poker. A game that is full of action with a lot of skill involved. Many Omaha Poker players in fact were big Texas Hold’em players who needed a change of scenery so to speak.
The great thing about Omaha though is that once you have the basics down, there is much more value in it and thus you have better chances of profit.
If Texas Hold’em is a poker game known for strategy then Omaha is a game based on mathematical calculations. But don’t let this statement put you off.
There is always the assumption that Omaha is a complicated game but it really isn’t. In fact, we will go as far as to say, that once you have the basics down, it is far easier than Texas Hold’em as most of your decisions are automatic.
Omaha Poker Rules
If you are a new poker player then first have a look at the rules of Omaha Poker. The rules are very similar to Texas Hold’em, here you can learn how to play Texas Hold’em. It is recommended to first learn Texas Hold’em as this gives you a great base for Poker in general and also for (Pot Limit) Omaha.
Playing with a Pot Limit
First of all, Omaha is often played with a Pot Limit. This means that you cannot just go all-in at any time, there is a limit to it. You might think this kills the action, but it is often the other way around. There is always action going on in PLO, the pot goes up quickly and all-ins happen more often than in No Limit Texas Hold’em games.
The structure of the game is standard, there is a dealer, a small blind and a big blind. The betting rounds are pre-flop, post-flop, after the turn and after the river.
Four cards in your hand
The biggest difference in rules between Omaha and Texas Hold’em is that you get four cards in your hand instead of two. At the end of the hand you still make a combination of five cards, this combination of five is always made with two cards from your hand, and three of the community cards.
Omaha Poker Strategy
Having four cards in your hand gives a new dimension to the game. It changes the value of hands at showdown. Strong combinations such as full houses and flushes happen more often. Drawing for straights and flushes is very common. If the board is paired a full house or trips will be much more likely. Hands like 7-8-9-10 (especially double suited) are great starting hands for Omaha. If you have a hand like K-K-9-4 you might think, yes a pair of kings, but for this hand to win at showdown, you very likely need to improve.