How to Play Omaha Hi
Omaha Hi, a game for between 2-10 players, has gained popularity, both in the US and abroad, due to its fast paced play and relatively simple game rules. Omaha Hi consists of 4 Betting Rounds. Throughout the game each player receives 4 facedown “Pocket Cards”. 5 face-up “Community Boardcards” are placed in the center of the Table, to be shared by all the players. Each player creates the highest valued Poker hand, using any 2 of his/her 4 Pocket Cards and any 3 of the 5 Community Boardcards.
Pacific Poker offers a variety of Tables, designed for different numbers of Players, and offering various Table Betting Limits.
In the game of Omaha Hi, each Table has both a Lower and Higher Limit Stake (Betting amount). A Table’s Lower Limit Stake is always half the Higher Limit Stake (i.e. a $1/$2 Table, or a $5/$10 Table).
In the first two Betting Rounds (see the Betting Rounds below), of a Omaha Hi game, Members Bet (wager) in multiples of that Table’s Lower Limit Stake.
In the final two Betting Rounds, of a Omaha Hi game, Members Bet in multiples of that Table’s Higher Limit Stake.
The Buy-in
In order to Sit-in (join) a Pacific Poker Omaha Hi Table, Members must purchase a minimum amount of Chips to play with (“Buy-in”). At Pacific Poker, the minimum Buy-in amount is 10 times the Lower Limit Stake of that particular table (i.e. at a $1/$2 Table the Member must Buy-in with a minimum of $10).Posting
A Member entering a Pacific Poker Omaha Hi Table is required to pay an initial fee (“Post”), equal to that Table’s Lower Limit Stake. The Post follows the same rules as the Blind Bets (see The Blind Bets below) and allows the Member to Sit-in at the Table.
Members have the option of "Sitting Out", and waiting for the Big Blind before beginning to play. Posting ensure fairness to all Members, by preventing players from entering a Poker game in a Late Position in order to avoid placing Blind Bets.
The Dealer (The "Button")
In Pacific Poker’s Omaha Hi, the Members take turns acting as the Dealer. The Dealer is identified by the Button:
After each hand, the Dealer Button moves left, in a clockwise fashion, to the next Member who is Sitting-in at the Table.
The Blind Bets
In Pacific Poker’s Omaha Hi, Antes do not “seed” the Pot. Instead, the Pot is formed, initially, through the use of “mandatory” bets, known as "Blind Bets".
The first Blind Bet, known as the Small Blind, is posted by the first Member Sitting-in to the left of the Dealer in a clockwise fashion. The amount of the Small Blind Bet is half of that Table’s Lower Limit Stake. On Tables with Lower Limits Stakes greater than $1, the Small Blind is rounded down to the nearest dollar.
The second Blind Bet, known as the "Big Blind", is posted by the second Member Sitting-in to the left of the Dealer in a clockwise fashion. The amount of the Big Blind Bet is equal to that Table’s Lower Limit Stake.
Both the Big and Small Blinds, in Omaha Hi Poker, are considered “Live” (active) Bets and therefore, according to Poker rules, can be Checked, Called, Raised or Folded.
Missing the Blind Bets
Occasionally, a Member may choose to temporarily Sit-out from a Table:- If, while Sitting-out, the Member misses his/her turn to place the Small Blind, upon re-Sitting-in that Member will be required to Post. This Post consists of a live Bet equal to the Big Blind.
- If, while Sitting-out, the Member misses his/her turn to place either the Big Blind or both the Small Blind and the Big Blind, upon re-Sitting-in, that Member will be required to Post. This Post consists of a live Bet equal to the Big Blind, plus an additional “Dead” (non-active) Bet, equal to the Small Blind , which is donated by the Member directly to the Pot.
