Omaha – the Rules of the Game
1. As a rule, it is played with a pack of 52 sheets. The seniority of the cards is
usual: the senior card is ace, the junior one is two.
2. The goal of the game is to win the bank consisting of the bets made in the
process of trade by making the best poker combination out of two cards of one’s own and three widow cards.
3. The game begins with two players sitting on the left of the dealer and making
obligatory bets blindly (this bet is called Blind). The amount of the bet varies depending on the cost of the game. For instance, if the bet is 1-2$, the size of the bet of the first player will make 0,5$ (Small Blind), and that of the second player will be 1$ (Big Blind). These bets are made before the cards are dealt round.
After the obligatory bets have been made, the players are dealt round four cards each blindly.
4. The next stage of the game is called preflop.
At this stage the widow is not laid out yet and the players hold a circle of trade
basing on their four cards.
The trade takes place as follows. The first word belongs to the player sitting on the left of the player who has made Big Blind.
The player has the right:
- to fold his cards without making any bets;
- to make a bet;
- to miss a turn and to remain in the game (check). A check is admissible in case the player has already made a bet in the current circle, the bet being equal to the last one made before his bet;
- to call the bet;
- to raise the bet.
The amount of the bet and the raise depends on the type of Omaha Poker.
The trade is held until all the players who have remained in the game have called their bets. They don’t usually hold more than three circles. The last word belongs to the player who has made Big Blind. After the bets have been called, they are gathered in the bank and the first three widow cards (flop) are laid out onto the gaming table.
5. Flop – turn – river.
After the three widow cards (flop) have been laid out, the circle of trade is held again. After the bets have been called, they are added to the bank, and the fourth widow card is laid out onto the gaming table. The circle of trade takes place again, the bets are called, they are passed into the bank, and the last widow card is laid out – River. After River has been laid out, another circle of trade is held by similar rules, and the rest of the players open their cards. The winner is the player with the best poker combination out of his two cards and three common widow cards. If all the players fold their cards, the last player who remains in the game wins.
The sequence of the first word passes clockwise from deal to deal and from player to player. For the players’ convenience, they place a round disc on the gaming table – a button indicating the sequence of deals and the first word.
Another type of Omaha is poker Omaha Hi Low.
Depending on the way of making bets, poker Omaha is divided into: Ordinary Omaha and Omaha Pot Limit.