How to Play: 5-Card Omaha
Description:
5 Card Omaha is a popular variant of Omaha poker where each player is dealt five private cards (‘hole cards’) and must use exactly two of them in combination with exactly three of the five community cards to make the best possible five-card hand.
Game Setup
The game is usually played with a standard 52-card deck. The dealer button rotates clockwise after each hand. The two players to the left of the dealer post the small blind and big blind, respectively, to initiate the betting.
Dealing the Cards
Each player is dealt five private cards face down. This is followed by a round of betting. After the initial betting round, three community cards (the ‘flop’) are dealt face up in the center of the table, followed by another round of betting.
The Flop, Turn, and River
The game proceeds with the dealing of two more community cards:
- The Turn: A fourth community card is dealt face up, followed by a round of betting.
- The River: A fifth and final community card is dealt face up, followed by the final round of betting.
Showdown
After the final round of betting, if there are two or more players remaining, there is a showdown. Players reveal their hands, and the best five-card hand (using exactly two hole cards and three community cards) wins the pot.
Hand Rankings
The hand rankings in 5 Card Omaha are the same as in Texas Hold’em and Omaha Hi:
- Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same suit.
- Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit.
- Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank.
- Full House: Three of a kind plus a pair.
- Flush: Five cards of the same suit.
- Straight: Five consecutive cards of different suits.
- Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank.
- Two Pair: Two pairs of different ranks.
- One Pair: One pair of the same rank.
- High Card: The highest card if no other hand is made.
Strategies
5 Card Omaha requires a solid understanding of hand values and probabilities, as the extra card compared to 4 Card Omaha increases the number of possible hand combinations. Key strategies include:
- Playing hands with strong drawing potential.
- Avoiding hands that can easily be dominated.
- Understanding the importance of position and adjusting your play accordingly.
- Being cautious with marginal hands, especially in multi-way pots.
Game Type: Flop, turn and river
Split Game: No
Cards Dealt: 5
Max Players: 7
Best Possible Hand(s):
Sample Board(s):
Good Hands for This Game:
A-A-K-Q
A-A-J-10
