CRISS-CROSS OMAHA

Overview

Criss-Cross Omaha is a double-board Omaha variant played with 5 hole cards. Two independent 5-card community boards are dealt side by side. At showdown each player either uses exactly 2 hole cards with 3 cards from one board (the Omaha way), or exactly 3 hole cards with a 2-card vertical column pair — the criss-cross twist (see Hand Construction below).

The Double Community Board

Two independent 5-card boards are dealt simultaneously, each following standard Hold'em streets:

• Flop: 3 cards on each board (6 total); SB acts first
• Turn: 1 card on each board (2 total); SB acts first
• River: 1 card on each board (2 total); SB acts first

Hand Construction

You hold 5 hole cards and must use one of two options at showdown:

• Option A — Omaha Rule (exactly 2 hole cards): Choose exactly 2 of your hole cards and combine them with exactly 3 community cards from one board (either board, but not a mix of the two) to make your best 5-card hand.
• Option B — Form the Cross (exactly 3 hole cards): Use exactly 3 of your hole cards plus exactly 2 community cards that share the same column position — one from Board 1 and the card directly below it on Board 2. Valid column pairs: positions 1&6, 2&7, 3&8, 4&9, or 5&10.

You cannot use fewer or more hole cards than each option requires.

Strategy Tips

• With 5 hole cards, you have 10 possible 2-card combinations for Option A — scan all of them against both boards before committing
• Having two boards to choose from for your Option A hand — pick whichever single board pairs best with your two hole cards — widens your straight and flush chances
• Option B (3 holes + column pair) works best when 3 of your hole cards work together strongly and a column pair completes the hand
• Unlike standard Omaha where there is only one board, watch both boards independently — a weak Board 1 may be compensated by a strong Board 2
• The 5th hole card is purely dead weight at showdown — but it gives you more flexibility in choosing which 2 or 3 to commit to