Omaha Poker Rules and Game Play

Popular in Europe for years, Omaha poker is rapidly gaining fans worldwide over the last few years and now sits comfortably as the second-most played poker variation in the world.

The newfound lust for Omaha can be attributed to a couple of things: For one, there's a natural similarity in the rules to Texas Hold'em, making the switch over an easy one for most players.

Second, and likely the biggest draw, is the game's all-out action. Unlike Holdem, Omaha players are much more inclined to make and call more bets and to play more hands to completion.

This increased action can make the game incredibly exciting and infinitely more interesting to both beginners and professionals alike.

There are only two differences between Hold'em and Omaha:

• Every player is dealt four cards in Omaha (instead of two in Hold'em)
• There are more rules for evaluating the winning hand at showdown.

To skip directly to the rules for an Omaha showdown, click on this link here.

If you're coming into this article fresh, and would like to learn how to run and play a game of Omaha Poker, just keep reading. You'll find that the game is simple to learn, and a lot of fun to play.

This article will cover all the aspects of Omaha in broad strokes. If you need more detail on anything in this guide such as:

• How to decide the denominations of chips you should use.
• How to pick the stakes of your game (set betting limits).
• More details on how betting, raising and calling works.
• Glossary of poker terms used in this guide.