Omaha Poker Stories
July
28
NY vs Online Poker
Quiet war between some US states and Online Poker rooms is escalating. Almost $30,000,000.00 is being seized from poker players by Southern District of New York, without any kind of warrant. Money belongs to over a million poker players that tried to withdraw their funds from online poker rooms.
To make things worse, money is being seized from two best-of-the best poker platforms: Full Tilt Poker and Poker Stars players - rare platforms that are still accepting (and welcoming!) United States poker players, which can bring a huge question mark over players’ heads - Can we play or not?
Poker Player Alliance immediately stood in players’ defense with the claim that this kind of seizure is simply not a legal move. PPA Executive Director, John Pappas, demands a quick money release and states that “The PPA will pursue every legal course available to ensure that poker players funds are not seized and their right to play online poker is protected.” They are also asking player to actively participate in their defense.
Epilogue of this story is still far away, both Full Tilt Poker and Poker Stars didn’t make any publin statement yet. All we can do at the moment is to wait and see the outcome.
One thing is for sure - without US players, online poker won’t be the same.
You can read more details here, a great article by Jennifer Newell.
June
7
Chip Burner, creator of Omaha Poker
While I was browsing for more info about Omaha Poker History, I found a great update to my previous Omaha Poker History post.
According to Wikipedia, creator of the game is Robert “Chip Burner” Turner. Back in 1983, he approached Bill Loyd, a director of operations at the Golden Nugget casino in Las Vegas and he simply loved it. Overnight, Golden Nugget started serious promotion of the new Hold’em Poker game, which was named Nugget Hold’em Poker.
How it changed the name from Nugget Hold’em to Omaha Hold’em is still a mistery.
May
7
This is where it all started...
Way back in 1811, first poker hands were played in saloons on the river banks of Mississippi. However, Omaha Poker came to the tables much, much later, and the only fact that everybody agrees on is - it has nothing to do with the city of Omaha, Nebraska. Till 1982, when the game is introduced in Las Vegas casinos, there was no mention of this kind of Hold’em game. Even respectful 20th century poker book authors do not describe it in their retrospectives.
However, upon its arrival, wast majority of poker players loved it on a first sight. No wonder why some players call it the Poker Game of the Future - it is very popular and it’s increasing in popularity every day!
Omaha poker is a dynamic game and it won’t pass long till you get your first straight, flush or full house - and, it will all happen on the flop! Instead of raising on your three of a kind, knowing that your opponent has a pair or two pair, which is common situation in Texas Hold’em Poker hand, even with the flush you won’t be peaceful. Specially if you see a pair in the community cards. You can see some interesting omaha poker hands in our poker hands section of the website.
Many poker players were reluctant to take a bite at Omaha thinking that the game is too easy. But it’s far from easy - try to play a freeroll on Full Tilt Poker and you’ll see for yourself. Your chips will disappear in 3 hands. Specially in process of discovering Omaha 8 (a.k.a. Omaha Hi/Lo).
So, in terms of history, there isn’t much to say. But, the future is bringing a different story. Soon, Omaha will be the most popular poker game on the world.
