This document provides an introduction to Omaha Hi poker. It explains that in Omaha, each player is dealt 4 cards and must use exactly 2 cards from their hand along with 3 cards from the community board to make their best 5 card poker hand. It notes some key differences from Texas Hold'em, such as pairs generally being weaker and the likelihood of set over set situations. It defines poker terminology relevant to Omaha like runs, sooots, danglers, and the nuts. It encourages practicing Omaha on various online play money poker sites.

1. Introduction to
NL/PL Omaha-Hi
www.vermontpokerleague.com

2. First Things First
• You get four cards
• You do not have to play every hand
• You should be as selective, if not
more so, than in Hold’em

3. Omaha is like
Hold’em
• There is a dealer, small blind and big
blind.
• There will be 5 community cards
everyone uses with their dealt cards
to make their best 5 card poker
hand.
• There is a flop, turn and river.

4. Omaha is a little
different
• Each player is dealt 4 cards
• You MUST use 2 cards from your
hand (no more, no less)
• You MUST use 3 cards from the
board

5. Some Gotchas
• You must use exactly 2 cards from your hand.
• If you have AAAA in your hand, you do no have
quads, you have a pair of aces.
• If you have the Ace of hearts, and no other hearts
in your hand, you cannot make a heart flush,
even if the board is 5 hearts.
• Hand values change dramatically from street to
street.
• Somebody usually has the nuts.

6. You have Six (6)
Hold’em Hands

7. ...and so does
everyone else

8. Hold’em vs Omaha
Hold’Em Omaha
AA is 80% favorite against a “Naked” AA is a 60% favorite
random hand against a random hand

9. • Play hands that always make the nuts
• Pairs are not very good.
• “Runs” are though.
• They’re sooooooted
• “Danglers” are very bad.

10. Pairs are not so
hot.
• In Hold’em, a pair is usually enough
to win a pot at showdown. It almost
never is in Omaha.
• A pair is never the nuts.
• A set rarely is.
• Set over set happens often in
Omaha.

11. What’s a Run?
• A run is 4 cards very close in rank.
Hopefully with no gaps.
• 6,7,8,9. 4,5,6,8. 9TQK are runs.
• When the gap is high, the hand
makes more nut draws.
• When the gap is low, the hand makes
non-nut draws.

12. They’re Sooooted!
• Newsflash: Flushes are higher than
straights
• On a two-tone board, a straight draw
without a flush draw with it is junk
• On rainbow boards, backdoor
(runner-runner) flush equity is
valuable.

13. What is a Dangler?
• A dangler is a card that does not contribute to
the rest of the hand. Example: the “4” in KQJ4
• They dramatically decrease the potential value
of a hand
• Good flops for T987: 456, 567, 568, 56T, 56X,
678, 679, 67X, 69X, 79X, T7 + low cards, etc.
• Good flops for JT83: 679, 79Q, 333... that’s
about it.

14. Practice!
• Fulltilt, Pokerstars and Cake Poker all
offer play money Omaha Hi games.