Game foundation
Omaha looks like Hold’em until “exactly two” changes everything.
In standard Omaha, each player receives four hole cards, but the final five-card hand must use exactly two of them plus exactly three community cards.
Rule that prevents most beginner errors
You cannot use one hole card, three hole cards, or play the board. Omaha requires exactly two hole cards and exactly three board cards.
Why four hole cards create much more connectivity
Four private cards create six distinct two-card combinations before the board is considered. That gives players more ways to make strong draws, redraws and blocker-based decisions than in Hold’em.
Nutted potential matters
A small flush or low straight can be much more vulnerable in Omaha because opponents hold more card combinations. Strong Omaha analysis asks not only “Did I make a hand?” but “How often is this hand dominated, and what redraws exist?”