Omaha Poker

Omaha Hold'em is played with a standard 52-card deck, with each player receiving four down cards as their initial hand. There is a round of betting after these cards have been delivered. Three board cards are then turned face-up (which is called 'the flop') and another round of betting occurs. Another card is turned face up, followed by a round of betting. A final board card is then turned up and a final round of betting ensues. These five board cards are 'community cards' and after the final round of betting has been completed, a player must use a combination of two cards in his hand and three cards from the board to determine his best hand.

Omaha uses a flat disc called a 'Dealer Button' to indicate the player, who in theory, deals the cards for that pot. The Button (player with the Dealer-Button) is last to receive cards on the initial deal and has the right of last-action on all betting rounds except the first. One or more 'blind' bets are used to stimulate action and initiate play. 'Blinds' are posted before the player looks at his cards. 'Blinds' count as part of that player's bet, unless the structure for a specific game or situation requires part or all of a particular 'blind' to be 'dead'. 'Dead' chips are not part of a player's bet and are taken into the center of the pot.

'Blinds' are posted by players in consecutive clockwise order from the Button. Action is initiated on the first betting round, by the player on the immediate left of the person who posted the furthest 'blind' clockwise from the Button. On all subsequent betting rounds, the action is started by the first active player clockwise from the Button.

RULES FOR OMAHA POKER

Winning hand must show all cards prior to pot being awarded. Cards speak for themselves. Dealers will assist in reading hands to the best of their ability, although it is the player's responsibility to protect his or her hand at all times.

Although verbal declaration with regard to the content of a player's hand is not binding, a player miscalling a hand with intent to cause another player to discard his hand, may, at the discretion of management, risk forfeiting the pot and/or be expelled from Parkwest Bicycle Casino property.

Buy-in for all Omaha Hold'em games is generally 10 times the minimum bet.

Check and raise is permitted.

A bet and three raises are allowed.

No limit on raises when only two players remain before the third raise has been made.

String bets or raises are not allowed. Putting a half raise or more into the pot must be completed. Anything less is a call only, unless the player has announced 'raise'.

A player who puts a single chip into the pot that is larger than the bet to him is assumed to have called the bet, unless he announces 'raise'.

No pot may be awarded until all losing hands have been killed. The winning hand should remain face up until the pot is awarded.

A card that is face up in the deck (boxed card) shall be treated as a 'scrap of paper'. A Joker, when playing in an Omaha Hold'em game that does not use a Joker, is also a scrap of paper. A card being treated as a scrap of paper is replaced by the next card below it in the deck, except when the next card has already been intermingled with another player's cards. In this situation, it will be replaced after that round of cards have been dealt. If a player does not call attention to the Joker among his down cards before acting on his hand, then he has a foul hand and forfeits all rights to the pot and all monies involved.

If a player's hole card is exposed due to a dealer error, he may not keep the exposed card. After completing the deal, the dealer will exchange the exposed card with the top card on the deck and place the exposed card face up on top of the deck. The exposed card will be used as the burn card, before the flop. If two or more cards are exposed on the deal, it is a misdeal.

If a player is dealt more or less cards than the game he is playing in calls for, and it is discovered before two players act on their hands, it is a misdeal. If it is discovered after two players have acted, all monies, antes and blinds are forfeited by that player.

If the flop has too many cards, it will be taken back and reshuffled excluding the burn card which will remain burned. No new burn card will be used.

If cards are flopped by the dealer before all the betting is completed, the flop is taken back and reshuffled, as above.

If the dealer turns up the fourth card on the board before the round of betting is completed, the card is not in play. After completion of the betting, the next card is burned and the fifth card is put up in the fourth card's place. After betting is completed, the dealer will reshuffle the deck, including the card that was taken out of play, but not the burn cards or discards. The dealer will then deal the fifth card.

If the fifth card is turned up before betting is complete, it shall be reshuffled in the same manner as the previous rule.

The winning hand must show all cards face up on the table; two cards up and the others face down is not a valid hand.

A player may enter play in the middle of the blinds. He may post or buy the button in between the small blind and the button.

A new player entering any Omaha Hold'em game has several options. He may: (1) wait for his big blind, (2) wait until the Button passes and then be dealt right in, or (3) be dealt right in. If he chooses the second or third option, the blind acts as his opening bet and he may either call by rapping the table or make the prescribed raise in turn.

If a player leaves the table for any reason and the blinds pass their position, they may resume play by posting the total amount of the blinds for the game or wait for the big blind. If he chooses to post the total amount of the blinds, the small blind goes to the center of the pot while the big blind is live. The player may also buy the button.

An all-in wager of less than half a bet does not reopen the betting for any player who has already acted and is in the pot for a previous bet. A player facing less than half a bet may fold, call or complete the wager. An all-in wager of half a bet or more is treated as a full bet and a player may fold, call or make a full raise.

Please contact the Player Rewards Center for more information.