PLO Poker
There are several poker variants, such as Texas Hold’em, rummy, Omaha, and so on. The game has been popular in card rooms and casinos for decades, but it gained popularity in the mid-2000s due to more exposure and huge payouts. In this article, we will acquaint you with one of the most exciting versions of the game, which is Pot Limit Omaha or PLO Poker.
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What is PLO Poker?
As the name says, Pot Limit Omaha is the pot limit version of the poker game. While Texas Holdem is a no-limit game, the most popular structure in Omaha is Pot Limit Omaha poker.
The PLO poker game is played with a fixed limit. The pot limit is decided before the start of the game. No player can go all-in with the chips in PLO as the player cannot wager more than the amount decided previously.
While Omaha is derived from Texas Hold’em poker, there is a major difference between the two. Unlike Texas Hold’em, the dealer hands four-hole cards to the players instead of two. The players need to use two of the hole cards and three of the community cards to make a five-card poker hand.
Pot Limit Omaha Poker types
There are many variations of PLO poker, such as Pot Limit Omaha Hi/low, 5 card PLO, 6 card PLO, 5 cards Pot Limit Omaha Hi/low, Courchevel, Courchevel Hi/low. However, the most common ones are Pot Limit Hi/low. However, the most common one is 5 card PLO.
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5 card PLO
This variation of PLO is similar to other game types. The only difference is the players are dealt five-hole cards instead of four to play with. This version is also known as ‘Big O’ in the SouthEastern United States.
PLO Poker Rules
Although PLO is similar to Texas Holdem yet, it has a vast difference in rules and gameplay. The main rule in PLO poker is that the player’s bet value can’t exceed the size of the pot, which has been decided before the start of the game.
Minimum raise – As per the minimum raise rule, the raise amount must be the same as the previous wager or raise in the same round. Or the players’ minimum bet must be equal to the big blind.
Maximum Raise – The maximum raise rule takes into account the size of the pot or active pot, as well as the bets on the table and the amount the player must call before raising.
What are the different hands you can make in PLO Poker?
The poker hands in PLO are similar to Texas Hold’em. These include:
- Royal Flush – This hand contains all high cards such as Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10.
- Straight Flush – This hand contains five cards of the same suit in a sequence. For eg 4-5 6-7-8 of hearts or spades or diamonds.
- Four of a kind – This hand contains four cards of the same rank and one card of a different rank.
- Full house – This hand contains three cards of the same rank and a pair.
- Flush – This hand is made of five cards of the same suit.
- Straight – This hand consist of any five cards in sequence (eg 10-9-8-7-6 or 6-7-8-9-10)
- Three of a kind – This hand contains three cards of the same rank and two cards of different ranks.
- Two pair – Two cards of the same rank, two cards of any other rank and one card of a different rank.
- One pair – This hand has two cards of the same rank and three cards of any other rank.
- High Card – If a player fails to make any of the above hands, their hand is ranked based on the highest card. Ace is the highest, and seven is the lowest hand.
How to play PLO Poker
The game stages in PLO poker are identical to those in Texas Hold’em Poker. PLO poker is played with a standard deck of 52 cards with a minimum of two and a maximum of 10 players on the table.
There are four betting rounds known as pre-flop, flop, turn and river. Players can either fold, raise, or call during each betting round. The final part is a showdown where players reveal their cards. The player with the best possible hand wins the pot.
Also Read: Poker Step-By-Step Playing Guide
Basic Pot Limit Omaha Poker Strategy
- Avoid playing small pairs – This can be a good strategy in Texas Holdem but not in Pot Limit Omaha. If you are handed a pair of smaller ranks, there are high chances that you might lose at the flop.
- Aces have less value – Unlike Texas Holdem, Aces are of less significance in PLO poker.
- Limit your bluffing – In Pot Limit Omaha, players play for the strength of their hands; therefore, bluffing might not be a good strategy.
- Use your starting hands wisely – This is the most important strategy in any poker variant. PLO offers a vast range of starting hands one can play with. In fact, it is said that there are 16,342 hand combinations one can play with in Pot Limit Omaha.
Conclusion:
Poker is a very simple game, yet it takes a lifetime to master. PLO allows you to learn different things every time you play, and you need to be flexible to adjust your strategy depending on each situation. If you are looking to play Pot Limit Omaha Poker online, there are many poker platforms, and Gamezy is one among them. They have the best rewarding tournaments and offer more bonuses and better rewards in single matches.
