Poker Rules for German Players
¿Both Texas Hold"Em and Omaha are identical in the procedure in which the games are played. The rules of these games are the same for both German and US players.
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The two players to the left of the dealer put the big and small blinds into the pot to start the game. These are the only players with money in the pot before any cards are dealt. The dealer gives each of the players two cards face down. In Omaha, the players receive four cards. The player sitting next to the player that placed the big blind starts the betting when he/she looks at the cards. If this player decides that the cards are no good, he/she will throw them away and not place a bid. Then each player in turn will either bid or fold.
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Once this round is complete, and there are players who have bet, the dealer throws away (burns) the top card on the deck and then places three cards face up in the middle of the table. These are the cards the players can use to match with what they have in their hand to make a poker hand. Then another round of betting ensues, after which the dealer lays another card face up. This is called the flop. After this there is another bet and then another card called the turn. The final round of betting ends with the River card and when the players show what cards they hold in their hands a winner is declared. At any time in this process, a player can decide to fold and not take a chance on losing nay more money.
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The difference in the two games of poker is in Omaha high low poker. This is a split pot game in which the player with the best high hand wins half the pot and the player with the best low hand wins half the pot. If there is no qualifying low hand then the player with the best high hand takes all the pot.
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Making a high hand is the same as in regular Omaha with the hands starting at the top with a Royal flush and working down through the ranks to the lowest poker hand of one pair. The player can only use two of the cards in his/her hand to combine with the community cards to form a high poker hand and the remaining two cards to use to form a low poker hand. The difference is that in order for the cards to qualify as a low hand, they must all be eight or less.