Irish Poker (Not the Drinking Game)

Think Omaha that turns into Texas Hold’em halfway through the game. I like it because of how easy it is to explain to someone who knows the classics, but also because of how different strategies and gameplay become given the discard round.

Overview

Community Cards: 5 | Player Cards: 4 | Betting Rounds: 4 | Discard Cards: 2

Each player is dealt 4 cards face down, and the game is played just like Omaha. The big caveat to this game is that after the post flop betting round, each player must discard 2 cards from their hand. After that, the game is played out just like Texas Hold’em, and a winner is determined based on the best 5 card hand using player’s cards and the 5 community cards.

Step By Step Instructions:

Deal each player 4 cards face down. Initiate the first betting round.

Burn one card (place in the discard pile) and deal 3 cards face up in a horizontal row (the flop). Initiate the second betting round.

DISCARD ROUND! Each player must discard 2 cards from their hand.

Burn another card and deal a 4th community card face up next to the flop (the turn). Initiate fourth betting round.

Burn one last card and deal a fifth and final community card face up next to the turn (the river). Initiate final betting round

Showdown

Remaining players flip their cards and the winner is determined based on which player can make the best 5 card hand using any combination of the 2 cards from their hand and the 5 community cards. It is possible that the best 5 card combination includes just community cards.