Omaha Holdem Poker Rules
January 28, 2008
Omaha Hold’em, or commonly referred to as Omaha, is not quite as popular as it’s cousin, Omaha hi/lo split, but it does have many fans, especially online and in west coast card rooms. Omaha Poker has become one of the professional players’ favorite games. In fact at Full Tilt Poker you are more likely to see pro players at the Omaha and Omaha hi/lo tables, than you will at the No Limit Holdem tables. Why? With so many cards dealt to each player, you will almost always have some sort of hand that in other games would be worth playing. In Omaha however, many seemingly good hands are worthless. At the Omaha tables, the fish become even fishier because they catch more hands, many of them weak, and as we all know, weak players can’t throw away weak hands!
The Blinds and Dealer Button
Omaha is a fixed position game, just like Texas Hold’em. Your position is determined by who currently has the dealer chip or button in front of them. The dealer chip moves clockwise around the table after each hand is concluded. The dealer has the advantage of acting last on every round except for the first. The first money into the pot are the blinds. The first player to the left of the dealer puts in the small blind, which is usually half of the big blind. The player to the left of the small blind is required to put in the big blind, and this is generally equal to the small bet at the particular limit being played. For example, in a $10/$20 game of Omaha, the small blind would be $5 and the big blind $10. Blinds structures will vary, and they have an effect on the strategy to be used, so always make a point to know the blind structure before you sit down.
The initial deal is where we see the major difference between Omaha and Texas Hold’em. In Omaha, each player is dealt four cards face down instead of two. However, only two of these cards are allowed to be used in creating the players hand. This must be kept in mind as the hand progresses! The four down cards is the creates so much action for the Omaha variation of poker. It is not hard to find a nice hand when you are dealt four hole cards.
After everyone is dealt 4 cards face down, the player to the left of the big blind must either call the big blind, fold or raise. Each player acts in turn, folding, calling, raising or re-raising. The blinds are considered “live,” meaning that when the action gets to them in the first round of betting they can also fold, bet, raise. The big blind has the option to check if nobody has put in a raise.
The Flop
When betting action is completed on the first round, chips are raked into the pot and the dealer places three community cards face up in the middle of the table. Community cards are used by all players to create their best hand. Do not forget that you must use exactly two cards from your hand and three cards from the community board to create your best five card hand! A round of betting begins, starting with the player to the left of the dealer button.
The Turn
After betting action has concluded on the flop, another community card is placed face up in the center of the table, called the Turn. Bets generally double on the Turn. In our game of $10/$20, while $10 bets were made before, we now have to bet or raise $20 at a time.
The River
The final community card is placed face up in the center of the table, and the final round of betting takes place. Double bets are used on the river.
Showdown
When all betting is equalized on the River, a showdown occurs and the last player to make a bet or raise must turn over his down cards, revealing his best five card hand. If there was no betting on the final round, the first player still active to the immediate left of the dealer must show his hand. Each player in turn can either turn over his cards to reveal a better (or worse) hand, or muck his cards face down if he is the loser. Again, each player has to use exactly two of his hole cards and three from the community cards on the board to build their best five card hand. The player with the highest standard five card poker hand wins and takes the pot.
7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
January 15, 2008
Seven-card stud is a variant of stud poker. Until the recent increase in popularity of Texas hold ‘em, seven-card stud was the most popular poker variant in home games across the United States, and in casinos in the eastern part of the country. Seven-card stud is also played in western American casinos, but Texas hold ‘em is far more popular there. Two to eight players can play. The descriptions below assume that you are familiar with the general game play of poker, and with hand values. They also make no assumptions about what poker betting structure is used. In casino play, it is common to use a small ante and bring-in. In home games, it is typical to use an ante only.
Quick play overviewPlay proceeds as follows (”player” refers only to those who have not folded and are still in the game), with betting rounds in-between. Betting is clockwise, the player with the highest poker hand showing starts (ie 2-2 beats K-Q).
Seven Card Stud Rules
The road to becoming a great 7 Card Stud player begins with learning the rules. While the following will get you started, you will most certainly want to check out our 7 Card Stud Strategy section to begin learning what it takes to be a winning seven card stud player.
Ante Up!
In 7 card stud, each player is required to put in an ante before being dealt cards. The ante is a fraction of a bet, and is completely up to the game organizer. Generally however, antes that are higher than 25% of the small bet at that particular limit are consider very high. Antes are generally 10-20% of the small bet. For example, in a $5/$10 game, antes would most likely range from .50 to $1.00, as the small bet is $5. Setting the antes to an appropriate level is much more important than one would think. If antes are set too low, then players can and should wait all day on great hands, lending itself to a very slow and boring game. On the other hand, if antes are set too high, it becomes correct to play almost any cards, and the game becomes a crap shoot rather than a game of strategy.
The Bring-In
After all antes are paid and pushed to the center of the table, everyone is dealt 2 cards face down and one card face up. The player with the lowest face up card must make a forced bet, called the “bring-in” to get the betting action started. If two players have low cards of the same rank, the “suit rank” actually comes into play. Suit rank goes in alphabetical order, clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades, with clubs being the lowest and spades being the highest. The bring-in bet is a predetermined amount, which is generally more than the ante, but much less than the small bet. To use the $5/$10 example again, a good bring-in amount to decide upon would be $2. For higher limit games, such as $10/$20, a good bring-in is $5. In most 7 Card Stud games, the player with the forced bring-in has the option of betting a full small bet as opposed to the predetermined bring-in amount.
The Betting Rounds
Each player to the left of the bring-in bet now has the option of calling, raising or folding. The player to the immediate left of the bring-in acts first and can either call the bring-in or raise it to a complete small bet. Once someone raises to a full small bet, each player in turn must either call the amount of the small bet or fold or re-raise. Once all betting, raising and calling has ended and bets are equal, this first round, also called “3rd street” comes to an end.
Fourth Street
Each player is dealt one more card face up and another round of betting begins. This time, the first person to act is decided by who has the highest hand showing face up on their “board.” The player with high hand on board has the option of checking or betting. Each player to his left acts in turn. If the player first to act checks, then the second player may check as well. However, once a bet has been made, each player must on his turn to act, call the bet, fold or raise. One variation many games make is that if the first player to act has a pair showing, he or she can make a double bet, ie. in the $5/$10 game, betting $10 instead of the normal $5 that would be bet on fourth street. When all bets are equal, we move to fifth street.
Fifth Street
On fifth street, each player is dealt another card face up. As the round before, the player with the highest hand showing on board acts first. It is important to note that betting doubles on fifth street. In the $5/$10 game, previously all bets were $5, but now they must be $10. The high hand on board can check, bet or if he is a total imbecile, fold. Each player acting after him has the same options until the first bet is made, and then players must call, fold or raise. Again, once the betting action has ended, we move to the next round.
Sixth Street
Each player is dealt yet another card face up and play moves exactly as it did on fifth street, using double bets and high hand on board acting first.
Seventh Street
Also commonly called the river, players are dealt their last card face down! The high hand on board acts first and double bets are used just as they were on 6th street.
Once all betting action has stopped on 7th street, the aggressor, the last person to make a bet or raise on 7th street turns his down cards up for the table to see. If there was betting on the last round, then the high hand on board turns over his cards first.Each player to his left in turn can turn their cards face up if their hand is better, or “muck” their hand face down if they are beaten. If you are new to 7 Card Stud, it is often best to turn your cards up, even if you think you are the loser, as many a winning hand has hit the muck when players did not realize they held a straight or flush. The dealer reads the cards and will determine the winner. The player with the best five card hand using any of the seven cards in his hand wins the pot.
Omaha Hi/Lo Rules
January 15, 2008
Omaha Hi/Lo Rules
Omaha Hold’em, 8 or better high-low split was in definite need of shortening, so poker players commonly refer to it as Omaha/8 or Omaha hi/lo. As with any other game of poker, the rules are mostly simple, but mastering the game requires a talented, relentless student. Omaha is also thought to be the game of the future, with its popularity growing very quickly, and already outgrowing many 7 card stud populations.
Qualifying Low hands
In Omaha hi/lo, the pot can be a split pot if there is a qualifying low hand. To qualify as a low hand, the player must have five unpaired cards that are 8 or lower. An ace counts as the lowest card in a qualifying low hand, and flushes and straights do not effect the low value. The best “low” hand would be an ace through five straight (A2345). This hand is commonly called the “Bicycle.” It is entirely possible for a player to have the best low and best high hand. Take for example a player has A2456, all of spades. He has a spade flush as a high and and an Ace through 6 low hand. Players can even use different cards in their hand to make a separate low and high hand. If a player has both the best high and best low hand, he wins the entire pot, also called “scooping” the pot.
The Blinds and Dealer Button
Omaha is a fixed position game, like Texas Hold’em. Position is determined by who currently is sitting behind the dealer chip or button. The dealer chip moves clockwise around the table after each hand. The dealer has the advantage of acting last on every round except for the first, and wise poker players know the advantage this brings. Also like Texas Hold’em, we use blind bets to get the pot started. The first player to the left of the dealer puts in the small blind, which is usually half of the big blind. The player to the left of the small blind is required to put in the big blind, and this is generally equal to the small bet at the particular limit being played. For example, in a $10/$20 game of Omaha, the small blind would be $5 and the big blind $10.
The initial deal is where we see the major difference between Omaha and Texas Hold’em. In Omaha, each player is dealt four cards face down instead of two. However, only two of these cards are allowed to be used in creating the players hand. This must be kept in mind as the hand progresses! The four down cards is the greatest stimulant for action for the Omaha variation of poker, as it is not hard to find a nice hand when you are dealt 4 cards.
After everyone is dealt 4 cards face down, the player to the left of the big blind must either call the big blind, fold or raise. Each player acts in turn, folding, calling, raising or re-raising. The blinds are considered “live,” meaning that when the action gets to them in the first round of betting they can also fold, bet or raise.
The Flop
When betting action is completed on the first round, chips are raked into the pot and the dealer places 3 cards face up in the middle of the table. These are community cards, used by all players to create their best hand. Again, do not forget that you must use exactly 2 cards from your hand and three cards from the community board to create your best five card hand! A round of betting begins, starting with the player to the left of the dealer button.
The Turn
After betting action has concluded on the flop, another card is placed face up in the center of the table, called the Turn. This card is also a community card. Bets double on the Turn. In our game of $10/$20, while $10 bets were made before, we now have to be or raise $20 at a time.
The River
The final community card is placed face up in the center of the table, and the final round of betting takes place. We again use double bets on this round.
Showdown
When all bets are equalized on the River, a showdown occurs and the last player to make a bet or raise must turn over his down cards, revealing his best five card hand. If there was no betting on the final round, the first player still active to the immediate left of the dealer must show his hand. Each player in turn can either turn over his cards to reveal a better (or worse) hand, or muck his cards face down if he is the loser. Each player has to use exactly two of his hole cards and three cards from the community cards on the board. If there is no qualifying low hand, then the player with the highest ranking hand wins. If there is one or more qualifying low hands, then the player with the lowest qualifying low hand and the player with the highest ranking hand split the pot.
Notes and Frequently asked Questions
The best low hand is determined first by looking at the highest qualifying low card in each players qualifying hand. Someone with A2358 would say he had an “eight low.” His opponent meanwhile has A2357. He has a “seven low” and wins the low side of the pot, since his seven is lower than the first player’s 8. If the players have qualifying low cards of the same rank, we simply move down the chain of cards until one player’s card is lower than the other. Example: A2368 beats A2378. Player one would note that he has an eight-six low, while the loser holds an eight-seven. It’s not often to have two players who hold identical low hands, but it happens, and this results in a split of the low side of the pot.
Never forget: You form your hand using exactly 2 cards from your hole cards and 3 from the board.
You can use two of your cards to form a high and and two others to form a low hand. Keep all of your options and possible hands in mind!
An interesting event happens every now and then in Omaha hi/lo, and it is called “getting quartered.” This occurs when two players tie for the high side of the pot and a third player is the only one with a qualifying low hand. The low hand gets half the pot, and the two high hands split the high side, hence they only receive a fourth, or a “quarter” of the entire pot. The same thing occurs when two players have identical lows, and another player has the high hand. The high hand takes the high half of the pot and the two low hands split the low side of the pot. Getting quartered is almost always a bad thing, as you will tend to put more money into the pot than you will get out of it, unless there were a lot of players in the hand donating towards the pot from the beginning.
Razz
January 15, 2008
Razz Poker
Razz, also called 7 card stud low, gained incredible popularity during the 2004 World Series of Poker. The object of the game is interesting enough. Whoever makes the worst hand wins! Even pro players will tell you that Razz can be one of the most frustrating poker games. Like all the popular poker games, it is certainly worth learning and becoming proficient at, especially if you enjoy HORSE tournaments and ring games. Let’s look at where to play Razz poker online, and then some basic rules and strategy to help you win once you get there.
Razz Poker Rules
Razz is an ante game. Everyone is required to put in their ante before the cards are dealt. After the cards are dealt, Razz plays very much like 7 Card Stud with a few important differences.
In Razz, the highest up card on third street has to make the forced bring in bet. This starts the action. On all subsequent rounds, the lowest hand showing acts first. If there is a tie for low hand showing, the first active player clockwise from the dealer begins the round’s action. Another difference is the fact that if a player pairs his door card, there is no double bet option like there would be in standard 7 card stud.
The lowest hand wins the pot at showdown. Aces count as low and flushes and straights are ignored. This means the best five card hand in Razz is Ace,2,3,4,5. Figuring out the best low hand is simple enough. Start with the top card and work down. An eight low beats a nine low for example. If the top card is the same rank, then you move to the second card. 86543 beats 87543. One player has an eight-six low and the losing player has eight-seven.
Razz Poker Strategy and Tips
Razz is a game of patience. It is important to play tight, yet attempt well timed ante steals when the chance presents itself.
Razz starting hands are easy to remember. If you have three cards between Ace and five, you have a great starting hand. A23 is the best starting hand, but any three cards between Ace and five (no pairs of course!) is a hand to bet and raise with on third street. Three card starting hands between Ace and six are good starting hands and should be played aggressively as well, but with a little more caution if several other players with lower door cards are ramping up the action. Three cards of seven or lower is a good starting hand that you’ll want to see 4th street with, even if you have to call a bet or two to do so. A three card eight is becoming marginal. If you can limp in or steal the antes with it, do so. Playing three card eights routinely will cost you chips in the long run.
The other players’ up cards. This is a very important aspect to razz strategy. Observant Razz players will view the upcards and tend to have a much better idea of their relative hand strength. Sometimes the up cards will tell you exactly what to do. If you have three cards to a nine low and there are no other up cards lower than a nine, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have the best hand on third street and can bet and raise, even though a “nine low” isn’t typically a hand that you would play. You should continue to keep an eye on the other players’ porches as the hand progresses. Even if you catch low cards that pair your hole cards, if the other players are catching bad high cards, you can still usually win the pot by betting aggressively.
Live and Dead Cards. This is an important aspect of 7 card stud. While in that game, you are wanting your cards to be “live”, in Razz you prefer them to be “dead.” For example, if you hold Ace, 3, 6 to start and you see two other threes, a six and an ace, you can feel even better about your hand because it means there is less of a chance that you will make pairs! Catching pairs can kill a great starting Razz hand, so the more dead cards you see the better.
Jamming vs. Slow Playing: Razz is not really a slow playing game. There are exceptions of course, but generally speaking if you have a good hand, you want to jam it. One reason is that by jamming it, you generally create a big enough pot on third street that it allows you to call on fourth street even if you catch a bad card, based on the size of the overall pot. You can get right back on track with another good low card on fifth street. By all means, do your best to use overly loose and aggressive players weaknesses against them, but you won’t go wrong by just betting and raising when you have the best of it.
Best Draw vs. Made 9 Low after five cards. A interesting feature of Razz is the little known fact that after five cards are dealt, the best drawing hand is a favorite over any made nine low. In most forms of poker the made hand usually leads the betting to make the draw hands pay, but in Razz, the opposite is true on fifth street. Things are back to normal on 6th street however. With one card to come, the made nine low is now a favorite over the best draw and should definitely lead the betting.
Knowing when to fold ‘em. If you make a habit of starting with sub par hands or drawing with weak hands vs. powerful boards and stronger draws, then you will just be leaking chips and blowing your bankroll. As with other poker variations, if it looks like you are beat, you probably are. Save your money for when you have the best hand and then play aggressively. Especially in low limit games, players tend to have the hands they represent, so don’t pay off three or four more bets to “keep them honest”! When good hands turn bad, release them. Patience!
Stealing the Antes. Ante stealing is important, especially the higher up you go in limits. Several situations are great for ante stealing attempts. First, if the bring in player is immediately to your left and it is folded up to you, you should always complete the bet to steal the bring and antes. You do not have to be successful every time for this to be a profitable play. Another good stealing shot to take is when you are the lowest up card. You’d prefer to have reasonable cards in the hole, but this steal attempt is not unlike completing with an Ace door card in 7 card stud, representing aces. You can also attempt to steal with second highest up card if it is folded up to you in late position. Don’t get carried away here. Stealing becomes less effective and less profitable the lower the limits you are playing. Always be willing to let go of a steal attempt if another player plays back at you!
Texas Hold’em
January 15, 2008
Texas hold ‘em (also hold’em, holdem) is the most popular poker game in the casinos and poker card rooms across North America and Europe. Hold ‘em is a community card game where each player may use any combination of the five community cards and his own two hole cards to make a poker hand, in contrast to poker variants like stud or draw where each player holds a separate individual hand.
After slow but steady gains in popularity throughout the 20th century, hold ‘em’s popularity surged in the 2000s due to exposure on television, on the Internet, and in popular literature. During this time hold ‘em replaced 7 card stud as the most common game in U.S. casinos, almost totally eclipsing the once popular game. The no-limit betting form is used in the widely televised main event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and the World Poker Tour (WPT).
Because each player only starts with two cards and the remaining cards are shared, it presents an opportune game for strategic analysis (including mathematical analysis). Hold ‘em’s simplicity and popularity have inspired a wide variety of strategy books which provide recommendations for proper play. Most of these books recommend a strategy that involves playing relatively few hands but betting and raising often with the hands one plays.
No Limit / Pot Limit
January 15, 2008
No Limit Texas Hold’em is said to be the purest form of poker.You can also play No Limit games of Omaha Hi/Lo and No Limit Hold’em Tournaments.
General rules for No Limit Poker
The main difference between regular No Limit Hold’em and Limited Hold’em is when it comes to the betting amounts so once you know how to play Limited Texas Hold’em or Limited Omaha Hi/Lo, the rules to No Limit are very easy to learn.
The betting rules for No Limit, therefore, are very simple:
Minimum eligible raise: The raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. For example, if the first player to play bets $10 then the second player must raise a minimum of $10 (total bet of $20).
Maximum eligible raise: All (and we mean all) of the chips you have at the table!
When playing Poker you have a betting “slider” which allows you to bet many amounts between the minimum and maximum allowable bet size.
It’s important to remember that there is no cap to the number of raises in No Limit games!
No Limit games are very exciting and for newer players we recommend getting familiar with the large betting amounts at the Tournament tables where you can better control the amount of money you wish to risk.
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