Omaha is played like Texas Hold'em, with one big difference: you get four private cards, and your final hand must use exactly two of them plus exactly three of the five shared cards.
Teach it in a minute
- The goal: The same as Hold'em: win the pot with the best five-card hand.
- Your turn: Fold, check, call or raise, exactly as in Hold'em. Bets are capped at the size of the pot.
- How a hand goes: Four cards each, then the same flop, turn and river with betting between.
- What people get wrong: You must use exactly two of your four cards and exactly three shared cards. One heart in your hand plus four on the table is not a flush.
- First-game tip: Big hands are common here, so only get excited about the best possible version of your hand.
The rule that catches everyone
- Four hearts on the board and one heart in your hand is not a flush. You need two hearts in your hand.
- Three Kings on the board doesn't give you three of a kind unless two of your own cards make a better hand with them.
- You can't play the board on its own: two of your cards are always part of your hand.
The blinds: automatic, not a choice
Exactly as in Hold'em: the two players left of the dealer put in 5 and 10 before the cards come, automatically. Those chips count towards their bet, and the big blind can check if nobody raises.
How a hand goes
- Blinds, then four cards each.
- Betting, then the flop (3 shared cards), betting, the turn (1), betting, the river (1), and final betting.
- Showdown: best hand using exactly two of your cards and three from the board wins.
Your moves
Fold, check, call, bet and raise work as in Hold'em. The buttons offer fixed sizes, never more than the size of the pot (pot-limit).
Why it plays differently
With four cards each, everyone has many more ways to make big hands. Flushes and straights are common, so a good hand often isn't the best one. Aim for the best possible version of your hand.
Why it works like this
- Four cards, but use exactly two. It gives everyone many more combinations (six pairs from four cards), which makes big hands common and the game more exciting, while keeping it a five-card hand.
- Bets are capped at the pot (pot-limit). With so many strong hands around, no-limit betting would make hands swing wildly. The cap keeps any one decision from risking everything.
- The blinds go in automatically. As in Hold'em: there is always something to win, and the seats rotate so everyone pays equally.
Common questions
- Can I play with friends? Yes. Press Play with friends to make a room, then send the link. The table has four seats; computer players fill any empty seat, and a friend who arrives later can take one over. Each player has their own coach, which only sees their own cards.
- Can the coach help at a real Omaha game? Yes, at home games. Press Real table, tap in your four cards and then the shared cards, and tell it how many players are in, the pot and the price to call. Using it in a casino, a card room or online poker is against the rules.
- Why isn't my flush a flush? Check you have two cards of that suit in your hand.
- Can I use three of my cards? No, exactly two, always.
- Do I choose the blind? No, it's fixed and automatic.
At this table
Same table as Hold'em: four players, 1,000 chips, blinds 5 and 10, pot-limit betting.
Card Room Coach