Viva Macau Poker - Omaha High

Omaha poker is similar to Texas Hold'em in that players make up their best five card hand from a combination of individual and community cards. In Omaha, however, each player is dealt four cards, as opposed to the two they receive in Texas Hold'em.

Like Texas Hold'em five community cards are dealt face-up on the "board". Players use three of the five community cards together with two of their hole cards to make the best five-card poker hand. There are three variations of Omaha High Poker at Viva Macau.

Limit Omaha High: In this game there is a specified betting limit for each round of betting and for each hand.

Pot Limit Omaha High: In this game a player's bet is limited to what is currently in the pot.

No Limit Omaha High: In this game players are permitted to bet all of their chips at any time.

Basic Play

1. Blind Bets
2. Deal - each player is dealt 4 cards
3. First betting round
4. The Flop - the first three community cards are dealt
5. Second betting round
6. The Turn - the fourth community card is dealt
7. Third betting round
8. The River - the final community card is dealt
9. Final betting round
10. Showdown

Omaha High - The Dealer Button

A "dealer button" is used to indicate the dealer for each hand in Omaha High Poker. At a new table, the first player seated gets the dealer button. At the end of each hand the button moves clockwise to the next player. This ensures that each player has the chance of playing early or late and that every player gets a chance to post the "blind bets".

The first player to get the dealer button in a Single Table Tournaments is determined through a high card draw. Each player will be dealt one card and the player with the highest value card goes first. If two or more players have the same value card then they are ranked according to suit - high to low - spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs.

Omaha High - The Blind Bets

The two players to the left of the dealer are required to place bets, called the blind bets, before any cards are dealt. The player to the immediate left of the dealer button is required to place the "small blind" (usually equal to half the lower stake) and the next player to the left places the "big blind" (equal to the lower stake limit). This sets the action in the game as there is now something for everyone to win. Once the blind bets have been made, the cards are dealt and the next player to the left starts the first betting round.

Both the small and the big blinds are considered live bets and therefore the player has the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action comes back around to their position. After the flop and after each subsequent betting round, the first active player left of the button is first to act.

To prevent players from "blinds" abuse, when a player sits down at an active table, they will be required to post the equivalent of the big blind. Players are required to post the small blind and the big blind upon re-entry (returning from sitting out) to the game if both blinds are missed (only the big blind amount is posted as a live bet and the remainder is added directly to the pot). Alternatively, players have the option of sitting out and waiting for the button to rotate to their position before starting to play.

The mandatory posting of the blind is in place to ensure fairness to all players; preventing players from constantly switching seats to gain a positional advantage, or from entering games in a late position and then leaving before they are required to post the big blind.

Omaha High - First Betting Round

Once the blinds have been posted, each player will be dealt four hole cards. The player immediately clockwise the big blind, starts the first betting round. They will have the option to bet, raise or fold. At a minimum this player must bet the equivalent of the big blind to stay in the hand.

All remaining players can then call, raise or fold. To "call" means to bet the same as the previous player, including any raises. If the first player folds, then the next player will have the option to bet while the remaining players can call.

The bets in the first betting round are set at the lower limit of the stakes structure, so in a $10/$20 game the value of a bet is $10 while the raise is $20 (a raise includes a call of the previous bet plus an additional bet).

Omaha High - The Second Betting Round

The dealer will turn over three community cards on the table, known as the "flop". Another round of betting will commence, this time beginning with the player immediately to the left of the dealer. The player can bet, check, or fold. To check is to remain in the hand without making an additional bet. If any player bets, the rest of the players must either call or raise to remain in the hand.

Like the first round, the second round also limits the bets and raises to the lower limit of the stakes structure.

Omaha High - The Third Betting Round

Next the "turn" (the fourth community card) is dealt face-up on the board. Play begins with the active player immediately clockwise the button. Bets and raises are limited to the upper limit of the stakes structure. On this round of Omaha High, betting doubles from the small bet to the big bet.

Omaha High - The Final Betting Round

The river is the fifth and final community card in Omaha High poker. Betting begins with the active player immediately clockwise the button.

The player to the left of the dealer button can bet, check, raise or fold. Like the third round, bets and raises are limited to the upper limit of the stakes structure.

Omaha High - The Showdown

In Omaha High poker, players must use two of their four hole cards in combination with three of the community cards to make up their best first card Poker Hand. If two or more players have the same hand then the pot is split equally between them.

Omaha High - Betting Exceptions

Limit Omaha High: Maximum of four bets are allowed per player in a betting round - (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise and (4) cap.

No Limit and Pot Limit Omaha High: The number of times a player can raise is not limited. However, a player can not raise themselves. So, if a player raises and then all the remaining players call or fold, then the player who raised would not get an option to raise because they were the last to raise.

A player is declared All-In if they do not have enough chips to call. This player is eligible for the portion of the pot to the point of their final bet.

All further bets by other players go to a "side pot" which any All-In players are excluded from.

 

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