In online poker, there is no doubt that the Texas hold-em poker is still considered the most popular. But it probably would not hold that spot for long, as Omaha hold-em is steadily gaining ground in the poker popularity contest. You’ll find many respectable poker rooms and other live dealer casinos offering the Omaha Poker version.

Omaha hold-em, or simply Omaha, is the game of choice of a lot of poker players because it is perceived that the mathematical probabilities that poker nerds look forward to computing are more obvious there. Also, because these probabilities are more apparent, Omaha is said to be more of a game of wits than a game of chance.

Another characteristic that makes Omaha distinct from the other kinds of poker games is that in Omaha, it is not always the player with the highest hand who wins the pot. The object of Omaha is to come up with both the highest and the lowest hand. The two players who got the highest and the lowest hand respectively get to split the pot. In some cases, two or more players tie in having the highest and lowest hand, and so they split the pot amongst themselves. Of course it is entirely possible for just the player with the highest hand to get the whole pot to him/herself.

There are, however, restrictions as to how a hand of cards can be considered a low hand. First, the highest card in the hand should have a value not bigger than eight. Second, the five cards making up the hand should all be unpaired.

In addition, in Omaha, a player makes up his/her hand, be it the highest or the lowest, using exactly two of his/her four hole cards and exactly three of the five community cards.

Here is how Omaha is played, step by step:

1. The dealer deals out the four hole cards to each player one at a time. Once all the players have their cards, an initial round of betting is made. The person to the left of the dealer makes the small blind and the one to his/her left makes the big blind. The other players can then check the big blind, raise it, or fold.

2. After this first betting round is done, the dealer draws out the first three community cards, also called the flop. Another betting round happens, with players raising, checking or folding. Afterwards, the dealer draws the fourth community card, called the turn, which is then followed by another betting round with the subsequent raising, checking or folding. The same happens with the fifth community card, also known as the river.

3. The showdown happens among the players who have not folded after the river is placed down. Again, the players use exactly two of the hole cards and exactly three of the community cards. The players with the highest and the lowest hand win the pot and split it among themselves. If there are no hands that qualified for the lowest hand, then the player who got the highest hand gets to have the pot entirely to him/herself.

By: Dan The Poker Man

In this article You are going to discover how to get free texas hold em poker lessons from online poker schools. Not only will You learn how to play poker for free, but You also get free poker money to start playing with at real money tables. No deposit is required to get a free poker bonus and lessons.

Online Poker is booming for quite a while now and more and more people want to learn how to play poker. A while ago the only way to get a decent poker education was to read a good poker book like the ones from Doyle Brunson or Harrington for example. But the online poker boom has also brought up a new way of learning the game of poker. Online Texas HoldEm Poker Schools.

These free poker schools over a wide variety of material to help You learn how to play poker online. You usually have the choice of watching videos or reading poker strategy articles and discussing specific hands or strategies in a forum with other members. The bigger poker schools even offer free live coaching sessions with experienced online poker players.

Here’s an other great spect of the concept behind these poker schools. You join the poker school for free and get instant access to the basic lessons. After You have mastered the basics You are given the opportunity to take a quiz, that will verify Your newly gained poker knowledge. Passing the quiz will give You the chance to get a no deposit poker bonus from the poker school at one of their partner poker rooms.

You can then use the free poker bonus code and lessons to start building a poker bankroll for free. Apply what You have learned in the poker school and grow Your free poker money. If You keep playing and reach a certain amount of frequent player points the poker school will give You additional free poker money.

The good thing about online poker schools compared to poker books or DVDs is that everyone will find the right medium to learn with. If You are not feeling comfortable with reading articles about poker, then switch to the video section and learn by watching the strategy videos You are offered. The live coaching and the forum gives You the chance to get in touch with other players, discuss Your poker strategy and learn a lot from mistakes others have already made for You.

Since the poker education You get is free and supplies You with a starting capital without investing own money You can start playing online poker without any financial risk. This way typical beginner’s mistakes ( and we all make them when we start playing poker ) will not cost You any of Your own money. This takes a lot of pressure from You and helps You to develop Your best game.

By: Thomas Kraemer

Poker Books:  Whether your looking for a beginners manual or a book on improving strategy, there are numerous books available online or at the book store that any poker lover would enjoy reading. Some top picks from various sites include:

- Internet Texas Hold-Em: Winning Strategies from an Internet Pro by Matthew  Hilger  

- Harrington on Hold’em Volume I: Strategic Play

- Phil Gordon’s Little Green Book by Phil Gordon

- The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky  

- Winning Low-Limit Hold-Em (2nd Edition) by Lee Jones

- Hold-Em Poker for Advanced Players (Advance Player) by David Sklansky 

- Zen and the Art of Poker: Timeless Secrets to Transform Your Game by Larry Phillips

Poker Chips: A wide variety of poker chips are available, at an equally wide variety of costs. If you’re buying for a true Poker lover, Ceramic or Clay poker chips may be a good choice. Ceramic Poker Chips are casino grade chips. The graphics on these chips are actually part of the chip. Clay poker chips are rapidly becoming the most popular choice for chips. They have distinct feel and sound to them which is softer with a more solid sound. Also, they are not slippery like composite chips, which makes them stack better. Paulson poker chips have a distinct look and feel to them. These chips are true casino grade chips that are used by many casinos around the world, including well known Las Vegas casinos. You may also choose to customize your own chips with hot stamping, labels or full color chip graphics of your home casino logo.

Poker Chip Cases and/or Trays: There are a multitude of chip cases and trays on the market, from inexpensive plastic trays to outrageously expensive sets. Cases are typically made of Acrylic, vinyl, aluminum, leather or wood.  Acrylic or aluminum attaché cases are an inexpensive option, however If your poker player has clay chips or more expensive collectible chips, you may want to purchase a better quality case. You can also choose from different capacity chip cases, with the ability to store anywhere from 100 to 1000 chips. There are a variety of wooden poker chip case styles you can pick from, including custom cases made to your specifications. Poker cases may include chip trays or racks that can be used to protect and store your poker chips, or can be removed to stack player’s chips at the poker table. 

A Poker Table: If your poker player is serious about their game, they may enjoy their own poker table to add to their home gaming experience. The options range from $30 portable table tops that just sit on top of existing tables (such as your dining room table) to dedicated Poker tables costing hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Dealer Button / Card Protectors: Having a Dealer Button is essential for playing Texas Hold-Em Poker. This is an inexpensive way to enhance your games. A dealer button is used in Texas Hold-Em to designate the theoretical dealer for a hand of poker. Dealer buttons usually look like a big poker chip (or hockey puck) and have the word ‘Dealer’ written, stamped, etched, or engraved on one or both sides. They can be quite elaborate and cost up to $100. A plastic dealer button may be purchased for a few dollars and many poker chip sets come with a button included. You can also buy “big blind” and “small blind” buttons.

A card protector (card guard) is usually a large or unique poker chip or paraphernalia that is placed on top of your hole cards to “protect” them from being collected by the dealer or another player. Poker Card protectors make a unique gift and custom protectors make them one-of-a-kind.

Card Shuffler: An automatic card shuffler shuffles one or two full decks of cards into one. Automatic card shufflers are inexpensive ($10 to $25, generally), making this another great gift for budget-conscious shoppers.

Poker Video Games: Looking to play a little poker on your Playstation, Xbox or Nintendo? Check out these poker video games that are fun to play and make great gifts for poker fans. Some favorite picks are: World Championship Poker 2; World Poker Tour 2K6; World Series of Poker; or Stacked with Daniel Negreanu.

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By: Sven Asnien