The Basics of Pot Limit Omaha
Pot Limit Omaha differs from No Limit Hold’em in ways that fundamentally change how the game plays. Instead of two hole cards, you receive four cards to start each hand. The betting structure limits your maximum bet to the size of the pot, preventing the all-in shoves common in NLHE.
The most important rule in PLO is that you must use exactly two cards from your hand and exactly three from the board to make your final five-card poker hand. This requirement confuses many beginners who try to play all four cards or use only one card from their hand with four from the board.
Starting hand values differ dramatically from Hold’em. Pocket aces alone hold far less value in PLO than in NLHE because your other two cards matter significantly. AA72 rainbow is a weak hand in PLO, while AA109 double-suited is a premium holding. Coordination between your four cards determines hand strength more than individual card ranks.
Why PLO Plays Differently
Action in PLO tends to run much hotter than Hold’em. The four-card starting hands create more possible combinations and stronger made hands on average. Flush draws and straight draws appear frequently, and the best hand on the flop often changes by the river.
Multiway pots occur more frequently in PLO than NLHE. Players see flops at much higher rates because their four cards give them multiple ways to connect with boards. A typical PLO game might see four or five players seeing the flop compared to two or three in Hold’em.
Drawing hands hold significantly more value in PLO. With four cards working together, you can flop massive draws that have more equity than many made hands. A wrap straight draw combined with a flush draw might have 60% equity or more against two pairs or a set.
Starting Hand Selection
Strong PLO starting hands feature coordination between all four cards. Look for hands where each card works with multiple other cards to create possible straights, flushes, or full houses. Hands with gaps between cards or mismatched suits play poorly.
Double-suited hands rate higher than single-suited or rainbow hands because you can flop two different flush draws. When you hold AsKsQhJh, you have two chances to make the nuts if three suited cards hit the board. This flexibility proves valuable in creating backup plans when your primary draw misses.
Connected cards that can form straights add value to starting hands. Broadway cards like AKQJ work together to create numerous straight possibilities. Middle rundowns like 8765 also coordinate well, though they make second-best hands more frequently than premium rundowns.
Pocket pairs gain value when suited and connected to your other cards. AAKKs play much stronger than AAKKr because the suited cards add flush potential. Similarly, AA109s plays better than AA108r due to better straight potential with the ten and nine.
Position & PLO Strategy
Position matters even more in PLO than Hold’em. The pot limit betting structure means you need to see your opponent’s action before deciding how much to invest. Playing out of position with marginal hands creates difficult decisions on every street when facing bets.
Open tighter ranges from an earlier position than you might expect coming from NLHE. While PLO is an action game, opening trash hands from under the gun leaves you playing garbage out of position in multiway pots. Stick to premium coordinated hands from early seats.
Late position allows for wider opening ranges and more creative play. From the button, you can open your hands with slightly less coordination because you’ll have position throughout the hand. This advantage lets you control pot size and see cheap turns and rivers when you need help.
Flop Play Fundamentals
The flop texture in PLO provides far more information than in Hold’em. With four-card starting hands, players connect with flops more frequently. A dry board in Hold’em might be an action board in PLO where multiple draws and made hands can exist simultaneously.
Continuation betting should be more selective in PLO than NLHE. In multiway pots, someone almost always has a piece of the flop. Firing automatic continuation bets burns chips quickly when you completely miss in a four-way pot where everyone has multiple ways to connect.
When you flop a strong hand, bet for value immediately. Unlike Hold’em where you might slow play top set, PLO boards are so dynamic that you need to charge draws and protect your equity. Many players will call with combination draws that have significant equity against your made hand.
Know What Equity is in PLO
Equity runs closer in PLO than Hold’em. A set against a flush draw and straight draw combination might be only a slight favorite or even an underdog. This equity compression means getting all the money in on the flop is often a coinflip rather than a dominating situation.
The concept of redraw becomes essential in PLO strategy. When you make a straight, you want to have a flush draw or full house draw as backup in case someone makes a better straight or a flush. Hands without redraws lose value significantly because you can make your hand and still lose to a better hand.
Nut advantage refers to having the best possible version of a particular hand type. When you have the nut flush draw rather than a weaker flush draw, you gain significant value. Making second-best hands in PLO proves extremely costly, so building hands around nut potential increases profitability.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Playing too many hands ranks as the most common leak for PLO beginners. The four cards create an illusion that more starting hands are playable. In reality, only coordinated hands that work together profit in the long run. Dump trashy hands like K852 rainbow regardless of how pretty the king looks.
Overvaluing one pair costs beginners significant money. Top pair means very little in PLO, especially in multiway pots. When you flop top pair with a weak kicker and no backup draws, you’re often way behind or facing significant draws. Proceed with caution and be prepared to fold.
Failing to recognize drawing hand strength leads to folding strong draws that should continue. When you flop 13 or more outs, you often have more equity than hands that appear stronger. Learn to value your draws appropriately and don’t automatically assume made hands dominate.
Chasing draws without proper coordination burns money quickly. Just because you have a flush draw doesn’t mean you should call large bets. If your flush draw is to the nine or ten rather than the ace or king, you risk making second-best flushes that cost you your stack.
Bankroll Considerations
PLO exhibits higher variance than Hold’em due to the equity compression and drawing nature of the game. Maintain a larger bankroll for PLO than you would for the same stakes in NLHE. Most professionals recommend 50-100 buy-ins for live PLO and even more for online play.
Start at lower stakes than your Hold’em comfort level. The game plays quite differently, and your learning curve will cost you money. Better to pay tuition at smaller stakes while developing your PLO skills than trying to beat tough games immediately.
Taking Next Steps
Study hand equity using tools designed for PLO. Knowing how different hand combinations fare against each other builds intuition for which draws to chase and which made hands to value.
Watch experienced PLO players and observe how they construct their ranges and play different board textures. Note how they balance aggression with caution and when they commit to pots versus controlling pot size.
PLO offers action and excitement that many players find more engaging than Hold’em. Start with solid fundamentals, respect the game’s variance, and gradually expand your knowledge as you gain experience at the tables.
