Second only to Texas Hold’em, the poker variety of Omaha is continuing to increase in popularity around the world. With very similar rules to its Texas Hold’em counterpart, you will find that the rules are very easy to learn. But as with all games, it is a good idea to understand the basic rules before diving in.

Omaha is a community flop poker game which can involve between two and ten players.  Winning is accomplished by either moving through each round until all other players fold, or by showing a hand at the showdown which tops any of the remaining players in the game.  At this point all chips on the table are yours for the taking.

There are four rounds in Omaha, with the one before the community cards are revealed called the pre-flop, and the remaining three rounds known as the post-flop.  To successfully win a game you must stay in the game throughout all rounds which have another player, raising or calling as time progresses.  You may fold in any round, though you will leave the game, losing any stakes that you may have already entered.  In each round individual players make their moves one by one, taking into account the community cards which are revealed at the end of the first turn around the table.  A winning hand consists of two dealt cards and three community cards, making it vital to always keep a close eye on the table’s revealed cards.  And by grasping the basics early on you can ensure that your Omaha game is as credible as possible.

The game of poker is played worldwide by young and old. Poker tournaments have a widespread following, and world class players are now afforded rock-star treatment on tours. But where did this popularity originate from, and how has the game developed over the years?

The modern day game has its roots in the 16th Century game ‘Primero’. In addition, historians note influences from the Persian game ‘Ad Nas’, and the English ‘Three-Card Brag’, of around the same era. 

The advent of immigration to the Americas from Europe, Asia and further afield meant that these games spread, and by the 1800s poker as it is recognised today was being played in the region of the Mississippi Delta.

The game was played with increasing frequency on riverboats along the Mississippi, and with the advent of the gold rush and subsequent expansion of the US frontier, the game spread north and west, soon becoming a part of pioneer life. 

The American Civil War saw the game played amongst soldiers, spreading further throughout the country. In this era, the game also saw further game play developments, such as the introduction of stud poker and the straight hand type.

At the turn of the 20th Century, poker had begun to spread globally, and by the 1970s, the first World Series tournaments had begun. Poker was depicted frequently throughout various media from the 1960’s onwards as a recreational activity, and its popularity increased, boosted once again in the late 1990’s through online poker rooms, and televised tournaments with hole cameras that allow spectators to view all aspects of the game unrestrained.