One wonderful thing about poker is that there is always something new and exciting surrounding it. New to the world of poker is Omaha hold’em, a variation of Texas hold’em where four cards are dealt instead of two.

The extra two cards open up a whole new avenue of possibilities while playing poker. The main idea behind Omaha is to offer you the extra two options to obtain the best hand possible. Essentially it boils down to which two of all four of your cards will best fit with the community cards that are down on the table. In normal hold’em you only have the two cards you are dealt and you have to use them as best as possible, and in Omaha you at least have a choice.

The result is that you get to play more hands and have more opportunity to win. What many people don’t realize is that poker isn’t only about the cards. If that was the case, then you’d probably have more fun playing bridge, but because of the betting involved it adds a new dimension to the game and forces you to keep your wits about you.

The rules and strategies of the game of Omaha is the same as other hold’em varieties, everyone is dealt either two or four cards. These cards are used in playing the round. To enter into the game, you must place a bet (the big blind) before the cards are dealt. The betting strategy from then on will depend on the cards in your hand, as in any other brand of poker, you will raise, call, or fold.

After the first round of betting the first set of community cards are dealt onto the table, the flop, where you can then assess the strength of your hand. Another round of betting will then commence and once again you can call, raise or fold your hand. After everyone has completed their betting the next community card, called the turn, is then dealt onto the table and there is another round of betting.

Once the last card is dealt (the river), the final round of betting begins and here is the card that will make you either a winner or a loser. Either way, you are ready to start all over again to either win back a loss or add to a win. The rounds of betting allow you to judge the strengths of your opponents’ hands and with experience and developing your skill at perception and insight, you will know when to bet and how much.

All forms of poker involve the challenge of playing against people rather than just the cards. Most of the time a person is unpredictable, until you begin to learn their playing style. If you can pick up on how they play, then you can predict what a person will do based on how you play.

With experience and the effort required to sharpen your people-reading skills, you will overcome your opponents every time – well, that and a little luck.

The author is a successful limit cash game player. He plays poker online and receives Rakeback at Ultimate Bet and competes in the monthly Races and Rolls Freerolls.