Omaha Poker

Also known as Omaha Hi, this game is a version of poker where one of the key characteristics to the game is the use of community cards. Each player is dealt a set of four hole cards (cards that are exclusive to each player) from a standard 52 card deck. They will then combine 2 out of their four cards with a total of three (out of five) community cards (cards which are inclusive to every player) to form the best possible poker hand.

In every round of Omaha poker a button (small chip that signifies the dealer) is placed in front of one of the players. The button moves one player to the left each subsequent round. Before any cards are dealt, the two players to the immediate left of the button must post blinds. The blinds are predetermined amounts of money referred to as the small blind and the big blind(which is typically twice the amount of the small blind). The blinds are posted to kick off the betting.

The dealer now deals every player (face down) a total of four cards. We refer to these as “pocket cards”. The other players will not see these cards until the end of the round, during the showdown. The first round of betting now takes place. The player to the left of the big blind will kick off the action in this round (the next three rounds are started by the player to the left of the button).

Once the action is over and all players have either folded or called, the dealer will burn the top card in the deck (discard it) and deal three cards face up on the table. This is called the flop. The cards in the flop will now be used by every player to aid in forming the best 5 card hand. After the flop, the second round of betting occurs. Players can either check, fold, raise or call.

Once everyone is satisfied, the dealer deals the “turn” or the “fourth street”. This is the fourth community card dealt to board. And another round of betting occurs.

If there are still players remaining in the round at this point, the dealer will turn over the “river”, the fifth and final community card. He river is commonly referred to as “ fifth street” and sparks the beginning of the last betting round.

When the final betting concludes, the remaining players enter the showdown. This is the point in the round where the players turn over their cards to reveal what they are holding. The player with the best 5 card poker hand, consisting of exactly two of their pocket cards and exactly three of the community cards, wins the pot. If two players happen to be holding the same ranking hand, they will equally share the pot.

If at any point during the round (hand) if every player but one folds, the player still in the game wins the pot.

To Summarize:

1. The first two players to the left of the dealer (button) post the small and big blinds.
   
   
2. The dealer deals four unique cards to every player.
   
   
3. The player to the left of the button acts first in the first round of betting.
   
   
4. The top card is burned and the flop (3 community cards) is dealt face up on the table
   
   
5. The second betting round takes place.
   
   
6. The top card is burned and the turn ( fourth street) is added to the board
   
   
7. Third round of betting takes place.
   
   
8. Top card is burned and the river ( fifth street) joins the board.
   
   
9. The final betting round takes place.
   
   
10. The best remaining hand, made up of two hole cards and three community, takes the pot.