An Easy 8-Step Guide to Mastering Omaha Hi Poker.

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Omaha Hi

Omaha Hi, officially known as Pot Limit Omaha (PLO), features a thrilling gameplay focused on substantial hands and even more remarkable draws. Unlike other formats, the pot limit structure prevents players from going all-in before the flop, yet this limitation does not lessen the game’s excitement. In fact, it's an excellent platform for beginners to understand the various poker hand constructions.

Typically, Omaha Hi engages players with four hole cards, although there are variations that allow for five or six hole cards as well.

Players receive 4 to 6 starting cards, enhancing their chances of making or pursuing different draws. It is quite common to witness multiple flushes revealed at the river, all sharing the same suit!

Explore the fundamentals of playing Omaha Hi through this interactive poker guide:

If you haven't yet delved into this poker style, 888poker offers a simplified guide featuring 8 steps that explain how to enjoy Omaha. The rules remain consistent regardless of whether you are playing with 4, 5, or 6 hole cards.

Table Positions in PLO

In Omaha Poker, seating positions function the same way as in Texas Holdem . Nevertheless, most Omaha Hi games follow a pot limit betting structure. Players must post two forced bets—the Small and the Big Blinds. The player in the Under-the-Gun position acts first before the flop, and just like in Hold'em, your table position heavily influences the hands you should play.

Beginner's Advice: Having an additional 4/5/6 hole cards compared to Hold'em doesn’t mean you should increase the number of hands you play. On the contrary, you must be even more selective about the hands you choose to engage with.

poker hands ranking

Poker Hand Rankings

Omaha Hi 4/5/6 hand ranking The hand ranking system mirrors that of Hold'em, where a Royal Flush represents the highest possible hand. Players must combine 2 of their 4/5/6 hole cards with any 3 community cards to create their hand. The good news is that with 4/5/6 options, winning hands will usually exceed the standard Two Pair. It's common to achieve straights, flushes, and full houses in this poker format.

Beginner's Advice: If you hold three cards of the same suit among your starting 4, remember that you can only utilize 2 of them to form a flush, meaning one is essentially wasted!

Pre-Flop Action

During pre-flop play, the individual immediately left of the big blind initiates the betting. They can either fold, call (match a previous bet or raise), or raise (enhancing the current bet up to the pot size). In Pot Limit Omaha, the minimum bet matches the big blind, mirroring the rules of Hold'em, with the maximum correlating to the current pot’s total. The betting sequence proceeds in a clockwise direction until all players have acted. If no other raises were made, the Big Blind has the option to check.

Newbie Tip: In PLO, just like in Hold'em, a $1/$2 table signifies that the small blind is $1 while the big blind is $2.

Post-Flop Action

Once the pre-flop betting concludes, the Flop—the initial trio of community cards—is dealt. These cards are available to all active players to build their best 5-card hand. The first active opponent to the left of the dealer starts the second round of betting, with action moving clockwise around the table, allowing every player an opportunity to act.

Beginner's Advice: In many poker variants, a significant portion of your hand strength is determined on the flop, so be cautious about which hands you choose to proceed with.

Post-Turn Action

Following the flop, a fourth community card, known as the Turn, is dealt. Similar to the flop, this card is also accessible to all players still in the hand. The remaining players will have the choice to check, bet, call (if there has been a bet), raise (in case of a bet), or fold.

Beginner's Advice: Draw toward the most favorable straights or flushes. It's not uncommon for lower straights or flushes to get outmatched on the river by superior ones.

Post-River Action

The River marks the fifth and final community card that all participants may use to craft their best 5-card combination. The post-river action mirrors the phases following the Turn and Flop. Those still in contention for the pot can act by checking, betting, calling (in response to a bet), raising (if there was a bet), or folding.

Trivia for Beginners: The origin of Omaha High is often attributed to either Chicago or Detroit in the late 1960s rather than its namesake city, Omaha, Nebraska, before it migrated to Las Vegas in the early 1980s.

Showdown Shenanigans

The Showdown phase comes into play after the fourth betting round, as long as multiple players remain in the hand. During this stage, each surviving player must utilize 2 out of their 4/5/6 hole cards, alongside 3 of the 5 community cards, to form the highest-ranking 5-card hand possible. The player with the strongest hand claims the pot!

Beginner's Tip: Remember that simply having one card in a suit does not qualify as a flush. You must use 2 from your hand and combine them with 3 from the community cards.

Read our ultimate guide for poker showdown .

Ready for Another Hand?

The dealer is prepared to commence a new hand, but are you ready? It's time to apply all the knowledge you've acquired thus far and gear up for the next round of Omaha Hi poker. Get set to place bets, call, raise, and aim for that spectacular Omaha Hi draw.

Take on the challenge of mastering a new poker game, then put your skills to the test at the Omaha tables on 888poker!

Omaha Hi poker FAQs

How do you play Omaha Hi poker?

In every round, players are dealt four hole cards. Following each of the four betting rounds, additional community cards are distributed. To form their best hand, players must combine two of their hole cards with three community cards. The game concludes once the final round ends and the remaining players display their cards. pre-flop , flop , turn and river What are considered the ideal starting hands in Omaha Hi?

Generally, these encompass high pairs or well-coordinated cards that can create robust draws, such as A-A-K-K suited pairs, A-A-J-T suited pairs, or K-K-Q-Q suited combinations.

In Omaha Hi, betting proceeds in a clockwise direction. Each player has the option to

How do you bet in Omaha Hi poker?

How does the dealer button function in Omaha Hi poker? check , bet , call , raise or fold .

The dealer button rotates in a clockwise fashion after every hand, highlighting the dealer for that round. The player seated left of the button places the small blind, while the next player to the left posts the big blind. The button also decides the order of betting and card dealing.

What distinguishes Pot-Limit from Limit Omaha Hi?

Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) is recognized for being a more aggressive format. Players have the flexibility to wager any amount up to the pot size. In contrast, Limit Omaha Hi is more restrained, featuring fixed betting amounts and stringent limits on the number of raises allowed during each betting round.

How does live Omaha Hi poker differ from its online counterpart?

The online variant is often faster-paced, allowing players to engage with multiple tables simultaneously. Additionally, it's common to encounter more inexperienced poker players in online settings compared to live games.

Online poker How can you gauge your opponents in online Omaha Hi poker without the benefit of physical cues?

In the absence of physical tells while playing online, players must depend on betting habits and timing cues, which reveal how long it takes an opponent to act. Relevant chat behavior can also provide additional insights.

Pot Limit Omaha (Omaha-Hi) Surpasses Hold'em!

Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) involves pots that can grow even larger than those in No Limit Hold'em. It's typical to witness multiple players going all-in on the flop, all chasing that enticing draw. This game can be intense, with swings that can make even the showmanship of Cirque du Soleil seem mundane! PLO has evolved significantly since its early days in Las Vegas and is poised to eclipse Hold'em as the leading poker game. Here are several compelling reasons why:

You gain 4/5/6 hole cards compared to the standard 2 in Hold'em.

Despite having 4/5/6 hole cards at your disposal, you can only use 2 to construct your hand.
You cannot rely on 'playing the board.' If all flush cards appear on the board and you hold no matching cards, you cannot create a flush.
There are more opportunities for straights in Omaha, often referred to as 'wrap outs.' You can end up with as many as 20 outs!
Think you frequently fall victim to getting “rivered” in Hold'em? In PLO, it's quite normal to see multiple flushes during the showdown – often all from the same suit.
For official Omaha Hi regulations, including comprehensive terms and conditions, please click

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