When Texas Hold’em first hit the poker world, it was soon recognized as the ultimate variant for strategic players. Then, along came Omaha poker, and it took over in the strategy realm. In this engaging variation, instead of two hole cards, you’re dealt four – or in the case of Six Card Omaha, six. The only catch is that you must use exactly two of your hole cards, in addition to three community cards, to create the ultimate winning hand. The strategic possibilities are so vast that it can take a lifetime to craft a complete Omaha strategy. If that sounds daunting, don’t worry. This article will give you some tips and tricks to get you started on a sound footing.

How to Play Poker Omaha Style

If you already know the basics of Texas Hold’em poker, you’ll pick up Omaha pretty quickly. Here’s a quick summary of how to play:

• You’re dealt four hole cards
• The first betting round commences
• The dealer places three community cards on the table
• All remaining players place their next round of bets
• The dealer places another community card on the table
• Another betting round begins
• The dealer places the final community card on the table
• The final betting round begins

The remaining players must turn all their hole cards over and use two of these cards combined with any three of the community cards to build a winning hand.

Sounds easy enough, right? Hold your horses. The most important thing to understand when it comes to playing Omaha online is the betting structure. Whereas Texas Hold’em is mostly No Limit, the most common Omaha situation is Pot Limit Omaha (PLO). It’s quite different from No Limit, so be sure to click on the link and do some studying.

Once you’ve got your head around that, you can start looking for Omaha poker games. To start, don’t get too hung up on strategy. To get a feel for the game, all you really need is a firm grasp of the best and worst starting hands in Omaha and apply the tips and tricks outlined below.

How To Play Omaha Poker

The most common mistake that rookie Omaha poker players make is playing with a Texas Hold’em mindset. Follow these tips to give yourself a fighting chance:

Don’t Overvalue Your Hand

You’ll have four hole cards in your grasp, making it easy to get carried away and overestimate the strength of your hand. Avoid falling into the trap of playing weak starting hands that have little potential to improve. Stick to hands with strong combinations and play aggressively when you have the advantage.

Draw to the Nuts

Having two additional hole cards also means that the average Omaha hand is stronger than the average Hold’em hand – and chances are that the strongest hand is going to be very strong. As a result, it’s best to avoid taking risks with a straight or a flush with a low high card. The more opponents you’re facing, the more you should draw to the nuts in poker. In fact, it’s best not to play any flush less than queen high if there are several opponents in the game.

Read Your Opponents’ Hands

Hand reading is a crucial skill in Omaha poker. It’s not just your hand that counts, after all. So, pay attention to the community cards, analyze your opponents’ betting patterns and make educated guesses about the strength of their cards (and the combos they could create.) This information will guide your decisions and give you an edge at the table.

Avoid Passive Play

This poker variant favors players who aren’t afraid to play boldly and with assertiveness. Taking a passive approach will cost you valuable chips and missed opportunities. Go for it whenever you can make well-timed bluffs, apply pressure on your opponents or seize control of the game (if the odds are in your favor.)

Bluff With Extreme Caution

Poker bluffing often wins the day in Hold’em, but it can lose you money in Omaha. That’s because experienced opponents will typically play to the strength of their hand, so they’ll most likely try to take you on if you’re representing strength. Once exposed, you’ll have an image as a weak player.

Use Your Position

In Omaha, you can exploit your position to either build a pot or control a pot. If the flop gives you the opportunity to draw to the nuts, get as much money into the pot as you can. The way to do this is raise if you’re in position and check-raise if you’re out. If the board is very wet, control the pot by checking through to the turn. If your hand improves, you can crush your opponent, otherwise you can fold without paying too high a price.

Play Poker Online at BetMGM

No matter what variant of poker you favor, you’re assured of a superb gaming experience when you play poker with real money at BetMGM. Choose from various poker variants, including Texas Hold’em, PLO poker and many more. You also have the chance to play exciting online poker tournaments!

Register when you’re ready to join in on the fun and get started with a generous online poker welcome offer.