French Omaha

The main rule of Omaha can be summarized by the following phrase: “Two cards from your hand an three cards from the board.”

In Omaha, each player gets 4 hole cards (as opposed to Hold’em where everyone gets 2), and must use exactly 2 of the 4 to make a hand. This means that out of the five cards that will make up the board, the player must use exactly 3 in his hand.

With the exception of the number of cards dealt, the rules of Omaha resemble the Hold’em rules very closely.

Omaha can be played pot limit or limit. It is not possible to play no limit. There are four rounds of betting and the goal is to create the best combination of five cards out of the nine available.

Understanding Pot Limit
Pot limit is an intermediary bet between no limit and limit. The bets and raises cannot exceed the size of the pot (the pot limit). This variety is supposed to limit pot size, but often the results are the same as in a game of no limit, which is to say that players bet their total stack in one round.

A pot or pot limit raise corresponds to the amount of:

1. The pot in question.

2. The total bets on the table.

3. The total that the player must see before raising.

Example of a raise in Pot Limit at a $1/$2 table:

The flop has been dealt. There are three players in the hand. The pot is $10.

Player 1 bets $4, player 2 sees the bet. How much can player 3 raise?

Taking the aforementioned rule into account, we have:

1. $10 in the pot

2. $8 in bets on the table

3. $4 that the player must see

Player 3 can therefore raise $22.

Does this seem complicated?

Not to worry, the software always shows you the maximum authorized raise.


THE BUTTON

The button indicates the dealer. It moves from right to left and changes players after each hand.

THE BLINDS

As with Hold’em, there are no antes and the two players to the left of the button must pay the blinds. The blinds are forced bets that are meant to encourage action. The player seated to the immediate left of the dealer must pay the small blind and the player to the left of the small blind must pay the big blind. Everyone at the table must pay blinds at some point, which, like the button, move around the table from right to left.

The small blind :
The small blind must place a bet corresponding to half of the minimum bet (For example, at a $1/$2 table, the small blind must bet $0.50).

The big blind :
The big blind must place a bet corresponding to the minimum bet (at a $1/$2 table, the big blind must bet $1).

When you sit down at a table for the first time, you must pay the big blind. You have the option of waiting until you are in the big blind position to pay. If you don’t pay the blinds due to absence, you must pay the blind when you return to the game. If you miss three rounds of blinds, another player will replace you.



BETS

There are four rounds of betting in Omaha, the first follows the dealing of four cards to each player. The second is after the flop and the third round of betting follows the river. When all the bets are placed, the remaining players begin the showdown.

BETTING STRUCTURE

Minimum bets are determined by the size of the blinds at the table at which you are playing.

Pot Limit Omaha

For example, at a $1/$2 table, the authorized bet for the first two rounds is $1 and $2 during the next two rounds. There cannot be more than one bet and three raises per round.

Therefore, a player cannot bet more than $4 on the first two rounds and $8 on the two last rounds, for a total of $24 on one hand.

Omaha Pot Limit

For example, at a $1/$2 table, the minimum bet is $1 during the first two rounds of play and $2 during the second two rounds. There can be no more than one bet and three raises per round. One raise must be at least the double of the previous bet and cannot exceed the size of the pot.

THE SHOWDOWN

The last player to bet or raise must show his cards first. The hand that takes the pot is the best combination of five cards out of the nine available to each player, and must include exactly 2 cards from the player’s hand and three from the five on the board. The pot is shared in case of a tie.