- US players acceptedOmaha poker, also known as Omaha Hold'em, is a Texas Hold'em variation where every player is given 4 cards and must produce the best hand by using only 2 of them, in addition to 3 others from community cards.
It was an American professional poker player Robert Turner, who first used Omaha in a casino setup. He introduced the game to Bill Boyd, also a professional poker player. It was Boyd who offered the game to a casino in Las Vegas and called it Nugget Hold'em. Limit Omaha represents the O in H.O.R.S.E., which is a poker form played with high stakes in casinos. The word Omaha may have several definitions in different places. In North America, it may mean various poker games. The original one is referred as Omaha Hi-Lo or Omaha/8. In Europe, the word means a higher game version, typically the pot limit Hold'em. PLO means pot limit Omaha. All these variations can be found in some casinos and also online.
Omaha is known as the game of the nuts because in the best low or high hand, the nuts will most probably win the showdown. Omaha differs from Texas Hold'em on the number of cards dealt. In Texas Hold'em two hole cards are dealt while in Omaha, four hole cards are dealt for each player. During showdown, the hand of every player is the best hand made from the exact three of the five on the board and another two from his own cards. In Europe, PLO or pot limit Omaha is widely played online and in high stake games. It is often played high-only. In this variation, players can bet as much as the pot at any given time.
Like other poker variations, Omaha is easy to learn but difficult to master. Experience is still the best teacher when it comes to this game. Like Texas Hold'em, games starts by placing blinds. The first player places the small blind, the second on the big blind. Omaha poker is more action packed than Texas Hold'em. It is because of the additional possibilities by the two added cards. The more cards are dealt, the more hands are produced. In Omaha, if a player has not yet flopped a hand, the others have at least flopped a type of draw. High cards and big draws are important in the game of Omaha. The best hands in this game are the cards that can work together. Every player must also be keen on the board.
Omaha poker has also grown to have tournaments following the status of Texas Hold'em. Tournaments of this game are offered basically the same as Texas Hold'em, where large pots are waiting as well as entry fees. Sit and go tournaments also take place, which are less long to finish. Omaha is a lot more complex than Texas Hold'em and is not easy to comprehend especially by the masses. A good strategy is very important in winning Omaha, making the prestige higher as compared to standard poker games. That is why Omaha is played by professional during tournaments, though amateurs also try their skill in this game.
