Omaha hold 'em

, Often abbreviated to Omaha Omaha, is a variation of the card game Poker. Omaha has evolved from the variant Texas Hold'em, and follows the same gameplay. Unlike Texas Hold'em, each player gets four cards, and an Omaha hand always consists of exactly two of the four cards of a player and exactly three of the five community cards (community cards).

• 4.1 Example

The rules

The rules of Omaha are similar to those of Texas Hold'em with the following differences:

• Each player begins with four cards face down (hole cards)
• A hand consisting of two of the four cards from the player's hand and three of the five community cards from the board

Game play is the same as in Texas Hold'em, and all common in Texas Hold'em types of limits are played with Pot Limit is by far the most common variant.

Differences to Texas Hold'em

Omaha can on average significantly better than Texas Hold'em hands, which is why it is often referred to as a game of the nuts, so the best possible hands in relation to the community cards. Unlike Texas Hold'em, a player can make in Omaha from his four hole cards are six possible combinations of two cards. Thus, the probability increased significantly compared to Texas Hold'em that you can make a good hand with the community cards.

There are usually more opportunities for draws than Texas Hold'em, because of the larger number of possible combinations. While Texas Hold'em is almost always the strongest hand on the flop has the highest probability to win, this is much more often in Omaha is not the case.

Omaha Hi

To determine the best hand in Omaha Hi the normal rating applies. The best combination of exactly two hole cards and exactly three community cards each player is compared and the player with the best hand gets the whole pot.

Example

The following hand shows a showdown between two Omaha hands. Player 1 on the left (K- 9-6 -6) wins the hand with three of a kind kings (CCC -10 -9) then player two on the right side (AQJ -8) with two pairs kings and eights (KK - 8-8 A ). Player 1 uses K -9 from his hand of cards, and KK -10 best of the community cards for his hand, player 2 uses A-8 of his hand cards, and KK -8 from the community cards.

Player 1 has no full-house, because it must use exactly two cards from his hand, and for the full house kings over sixes he would have K -6-6 use of his hand cards, which contradicts the rules. Player 2 has no road, because he also has three of his cards ( AQJ) would need to use. In addition, both players have no flush, because they would have to use the four cross - maps of the five community cards, but must use exactly three. For a flush always requires at least two suited cards in hand.

Omaha Hi -Lo

Like most poker games can also be played as Omaha High-Low: The pot is split between the best high hand and the best low hand. For the determination of the best high hand the normal rating applies. Mostly the 8 or better system is used for the low hand. Here the players qualify for a low hand, which may have five different cards 8 or lower ( with the ace as the lowest card). Here are no roads or flushes - that is roads and flushes do not change the rating of the low hand. For at least three different cards 8 or lower are in the community cards, as otherwise no low hand is possible. The best possible low hand is 5-4 -3-2 - Ace (also called Wheel ). When comparing two low hands you upgraded from the highest card down. So is 6-5-4-3-2 a better low hand than 7 -4-3 -2- Ace ( counted from the top is already the 6 lower than the 7), and 7-6 -4-2 - ace beats 7-6-4-3- ace ( the first three cards are the same, but the 2 is better than the 3).

Players can for the high hand and low hand using the different cards, but must use exactly two of their four hole cards. If no players have a valid low hand, the entire pot goes to the player with the best high hand. Otherwise, the pot is split, whereby a player both the best low and the best high hand can have and thus wins the whole pot - a so-called scoop. If two or more players have an identical low hand, then the pot for the low hand is divided between the players (see split pot ), just like the case of identical high hands.

Example

The following hand shows a showdown between two of Omaha Hi -Lo hands. Player 1 on the left (A -2-4 -K ) wins the low hand with a 5 -Low (5 -4-3 -2-A ) against player 2 on the right side (5 -5-2 -A ) having a valid low hand, since it can not form a hand with five different low cards. Player 2 wins the high hand with a full house of fives over boys (5- 5-5 -YY ) against player 1 with a Heart Flush ( KJ -5-4 -3). The pot, these two players would share.

Importance

The major international poker event, the World Series of Poker ( WSOP ) Omaha has many variants since 1983 a permanent place. Also in the casinos and online poker rooms Omaha is one of the most popular variants, and almost every poker room offers Omaha Poker. Pot limit Omaha (PLO ) is especially among professionals the most popular poker variant, since the game is extremely " action-packed " and therefore very well suited for top players to use their excellent decision-making power.