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I was watching Poker After Dark 2011, the cash game Pot Limit Omaha weeks. And it looks like once in a while the winner only shows the two cards making the best hand and not the two other cards.

Is there a rule specifying that the winner as to show his four cards or specifying that showing two cards is sufficient?

Note that I'm not talking about the (official but very bad poker etiquette) rule where someone can ask to see the hand of a player who folded and hence lost the deal.

Here I'm specifically asking about the winner's hand.

On most online poker rooms the winner's entire hand (i.e. the four cards) is written in the hand history (and the hand of everyone who went to showdown too, but that is another topic).

But what about live Omaha? How does it typically work in Omaha cash game and Omaha tournaments?

If there's no official rule, what typically happens?

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  • Note that I've been playing poker since a long time and I typically help people here... But I figured out I've never played live Omaha and was a bit surprised to see people apparently only showing two holecards once in a while (I've always seen four, in online Omaha) so I figured out this may make a nice SE question : ) Apr 3, 2012 at 16:08
  • It's conventional, in my experience, that you can ask to see (all) the cards of any hand involved in a showdown, winner or loser. Robert's rules appear to say the same.
    – Ronald
    Apr 6, 2012 at 0:17

2 Answers 2

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I wish I could say that Robert's rules would cover this situation, ...

Section 3, the Show down:

  1. To win any part of a pot, a player must show all of his cards faceup on the table, whether they were used in the final hand played or not.

... but I've seen this rule ignored often in live games. I try to ask before I sit down so that there aren't any misunderstandings.

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  • oh ok +1... So I didn't see things either ; ) Oh well, I take it that this summer (where I plan to play some live Omaha) I'll ask too when sitting down! Apr 3, 2012 at 20:21
  • And post on what you find! My wife is the Omaha player, but hasn't done much open-table at the casinos as we tend to go for Tournaments...
    – AlG
    Apr 4, 2012 at 11:20
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Over the years... Playing live Omaha/Omaha 8... limit and pot limit...

I've played Omaha variations in a dozen or so different card-rooms on the U.S. West Coast and Nevada. It's always been the case that all player's hole cards must come out face up on the showdown. Often, it's the case where the dealer will not even award the pot unless you lay out your cards. (Not to mention, that the other players will become quite irate with you if you don't.) However, it may not be a universal rule.

In home games? Go figure? Any rules are possible.

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