Omaha poker: four cards, use exactly two
Omaha deals each player four hole cards. You must use exactly two of them with exactly three of the five board cards to make your hand.
Reviewed Oct 14, 2026
Answer first
90s| Feature | Texas Hold’em | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Hole cards | 2 | 4 |
| Cards you must use | 0, 1 or 2 | Exactly 2 |
| Usual betting | No-limit | Pot-limit |
| Starting combinations | 1,326 | 270,725 |
| Typical winning hand | Top pair or better | Straight or better is common |
Key numbers
Omaha in four numbers
In short
Key takeaways
- You must use exactly two hole cards; four hearts in hand with one on board is not a flush.
- Hands run bigger in Omaha, so a pair or two pair wins less often than in Hold’em.
- Pot-limit betting caps a raise at the size of the pot.
- Good starting hands work together: connected cards and two suits.
Cheat sheet
Starting hands from strong to weak
Glance the faces — compare in one second.
1Double-suited aces
Aces with two suits and connectors
2Rundown
Four connected cards make many straights
3Big pairs
Two pairs that can make sets
4Weak trips
Three of a rank blocks your own draws
On the felt
The two-card rule in action
Your hand
Three hearts in hand
Board
Two hearts on the board
Best hand
Not a flush — only two hand cards plus three board cards
Sequence
Pot-limit betting in one hand
Step 01
Blinds
Two players post a small and big blind, as in Hold’em.
Step 02
Pre-flop
Act in turn: fold, call or raise up to the pot.
Step 03
Flop, turn, river
Three, one and one board cards, each with a betting round.
Step 04
Pot-size raise
Call the bet first, then raise by the new pot size.
Step 05
Showdown
Best five-card hand using two plus three wins.
Why hands get bigger
Four hole cards give you six two-card combinations. With many players, someone often has a straight, flush or full house by the river.
Drawing to the second-best hand is costly. In Omaha, aim for the best possible version of your draw, such as the ace-high flush.
Reading the board in Omaha
On every board, ask what the best possible hand is. With three cards of one suit, a flush is possible; with a pair on the board, a full house is possible.
Because players hold four cards, the best hand is made more often than in Hold’em. Expect to see straights and flushes at showdown regularly.
Blockers matter. Holding the ace of a suit means nobody else can have the ace-high flush in that suit.
How often you flop certain hands
| Starting hand feature | Flop result | About how often |
|---|---|---|
| Any pair in hand | A set or better | 12% |
| Two suited cards | Flush draw or flush | 12% |
| Four connected cards | Straight draw or better | 45% |
| Double suited | Some flush draw | 24% |
Approximate rates for a single four-card hand.
Common mistakes
- Using three hole cards
- The most common rules mistake is reading a hand with three hole cards. Always pick two from your hand and three from the board.
- Overvaluing aces without help
- Two aces with two random cards play much worse than in Hold’em. They need suited or connected side cards.
- Drawing to low flushes
- When you hit a flush that is not the best possible one, another player often holds a higher one. Prefer ace-high draws.
- Calling pot-size bets light
- Pot-limit raises grow fast across three streets. A small preflop call can lead to big decisions later.
- Playing too many hands
- Four cards make most hands look playable. Strong players fold the majority of starts, even in Omaha.
Keep reading
Related pages
Go play
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Questions before and after you play
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01Rules
How many cards do you use in Omaha?
Exactly two of your four hole cards and exactly three of the five board cards, no more and no fewer.
Is Omaha harder than Hold’em?
The rules are similar, but hand reading is harder because players have six two-card combinations each.
What does pot-limit mean?
The largest bet or raise you can make equals the current pot, including your call.
What is Omaha Hi-Lo?
A split-pot game. Half goes to the best high hand and half to the best low hand of five cards 8 or lower, if one qualifies.
02Strategy
What is the best Omaha starting hand?
A-A-K-K double suited is the strongest. Hands with aces and connected suited cards are also strong.
How often do you flop a set in Omaha?
With one pair in your hand, you flop a set about 12% of the time. With two pairs, about 23%.
03More Omaha questions
Why is Omaha called an action game?
Players have more draws and more hands that feel strong, so pots get large more often than in Hold’em.
Can I play Omaha online in the US?
Some licensed online poker sites in states where online poker is legal offer pot-limit Omaha tables and tournaments.
What stakes are common for Omaha?
Card rooms often run pot-limit Omaha from $1/$2 or $2/$5 blinds, and Omaha Hi-Lo at fixed limits.
Sources
- Robert’s Rules of Poker Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Standard card room rules
- Nevada Gaming Control Board · accessed Oct 14, 2026Approved games and gaming revenue reports
- National Council on Problem Gambling — Help and resources Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER
- UNLV Center for Gaming Research Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Research library on casino games and gambling