Rules of Omaha

(You must use exactly two of your hole cards in combination with three community cards to form your best five-card hand. This is important. We'll mention it again, a few more times. You must use exactly two of your hole cards . . .) Omaha is an exciting variation of Texas Hold'em. The community card and betting structure is exactly the same as Hold'em, except that each player is dealt four hole cards instead of two. With so many more cards on the table, the chances of something good happening increase dramatically. However, you must use exactly two of your hole cards in combination with three community cards to form your best five-card hand. (Are we emphasizing this enough?) Once you get that four aces do not make a good starting hand (How many aces are going to show on the flop to match your pair? How are you going to make a flush?), you're ready for some fast-paced action.

Order of play

1. Each player is dealt four hole cards, face-down. (Your hole cards will appear face-up on your screen, but no one else can see them. We promise.)

2. There is a round of betting, started by the two blind-bets.

3. Three cards, the flop, are dealt face-up to the center of the table. These are community cards that all players use in making their hands.

4. There is a round of betting.

5. A fourth community card, the turn, is dealt face-up to the center of the table.

6. There is a round of betting.

7. A fifth community card, the river, is dealt face-up to the center of the table.

8. There is a final round of betting.

The best five-card hand wins the pot. A five-card hand must include exactly two hole cards and three community cards. (Does this sound familiar yet?) If multiple players show the identical best hand, the pot is split evenly between those players.

Omaha is offered in Fixed Limit and Pot Limit structures. In Fixed Limit Omaha, the first two betting rounds (preflop and on the flop) are at the lower limit; the last two rounds are at the higher limit.

Both Fixed and Pot limit Omaha are offered High-Low Split (8), as well as High Only. Pot Limit Omaha High-Low Split is guaranteed to cleanse your soul and fry your brain. Don't say we didn't warn you.