Omaha is now the second most popular poker game in the world next to Texas Hold'Em. No one is quite sure where Omaha poker was invented or came about, but the game surfaced in the 1980s in Las Vegas and grew from there. Now it is the most popular poker game among poker pros and many high stakes games are played in Omaha.
The game is similar to Texas Hold' Em, except that players are dealt four cards instead of two. Players must form the best five card hand using three community cards and two hole cards. Players cannot use one hole card, and four community cards. It must be exactly three community cards and two hole cards. Before the cards are dealt, two players post a small and big blind which is dependent on the stake level. Four cards are dealt to each player, and there is a pre-flop betting round. After the pre-flop betting has ended, three community cards are dealt, and another round of betting occurs. A single turn card is then dealt, and another round of betting occurs. Lastly, the river card is dealt, and one final round of betting occurs, and the remaining players must go to showdown where a winner is declared.
The most popular form of Omaha is Pot Limit Omaha (PLO), in which betting is based on the size of the total pot. This form of Omaha is available at nearly every online poker room on the internet and in poker rooms across the country.
Omaha Hi/Lo is another form of Omaha that has a high hand and a low hand. There are two separate pots for each hand, and aces count as low in the low hand, making the nuts A, 2, 3, 4, 5. This form of Omaha is usually almost always fixed limit, but Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo is becoming more popular.
