Pot Limit Omaha Poker Rules

Pot Limit Omaha Poker Rules

Pot Limit Omaha Poker Rules
Pot Limit Omaha Poker Rules Regulations
Pot Limit Omaha Poker Rules 2019
Omaha is usually played with either pot-limit or limit betting rules. For more on the different betting structures in poker, check out our guide to Poker Betting Rules. Pot Limit Omaha is commonly called 'PLO', and is the second-most popular poker game in the world, behind Texas Hold'em. His specialties are heads-up and PLO where he had a record breaking $1,356,946.50 pot in PLO versus Isildur1 (Viktor Blom) in 2009. Notably, he plays the highest stakes cash games and tournaments, live and online, where he finished 2nd in the $25,000 heads-up Pot Limit Omaha Championship 2008, on Full Tilt Poker. In Pot Limit Omaha Poker, the maximum bet allowed is restricted to the size of the pot including your call. This in comparison to no-limit Omaha poker which doesn't have these restrictions. The best five-card poker hand wins the pot. The combinations and their ranking are the same as in Texas Hold'em. Omaha High/Low Rules. Omaha High/Low rules are very similar to the rules of regular Omaha with only one exception: a pot is split equally between the best High and the best Low hands. The Basic Rules of Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) Omaha is a poker variant in which each player is dealt four 'hole' cards (cards that the other players can't see) and then share a five card board. It is similar to Hold'em in its play, with flop, turn, and river cards dealt in succession on the board, interspersed with betting rounds.
By Pot Limit Omaha Strategies, on January 4th, 2011
Learn how to play Pot Limit Omaha with this quick and easy guide to learning the Omaha RulesIf you already know how to play No Limit Hold Em then picking up the Omaha Rules should be a cakewalk (if you haven't then familiarise yourself with them now before you continue). Although the differences in strategy between the two games are immense the rules are actually very similar. Here are the ways in which PLO (or Pot Limit Omaha) differs from NLHE:

In Pot Limit Omaha rules you are dealt 4 cards instead of 2. Here is an example hand:
Like in Hold 'em the object is to make the best 5 card hand but unlike in NLHE you must use exactly 2 cards from your hand and 3 from the board (the community cards). This is different from No Limit Hold ‘Em where you can play any 5 cards out of the 5 on board and the 2 in your hand. To illustrate how this difference matters let's take a look at a sample board that might fall in PLO or NLHE:
Take the example hand I gave you above: at first glance it might look like you have an ace high flush but you actually don't as you can only play three of the diamonds from the board. This means that in Omaha Rules you cannot ever make a flush unless you have at least 2 of a suit in your hand. On this board your actual hand is two pair, tens and fours with a Q kicker. Because of this neccessity to play 2 cards from your hand and 3 from the board the value of having a coordinated 4card hand is vastly increased. Hands that are 'double-suited' are considered higher in value because they have more chances of making a flush.
Here are a few more hands with possible boards for you to look at:
Your HandThe Board
Hand #1 You have trips with an Ace and a seven as kickers. In Hold ‘Em having an ace when quads fall on the board gives you the nuts. In this situation however you're losing to anybody with a pair in their hand or a higher kicker to go with their ace. Omaha Rules dictate you can only play three cards from the board.
Hand #2 Again you have trips, this time with a Q kicker. In Hold ‘Em having a 9 on this board would give you a fullhouse, but as you can only use three cards from the board in Omaha Rules your final holding is instead Q♠9♠9♣9♦5♥and you would be losing to somebody holding, say 5♣3♦2♠4♥ as they would have a full house.
Hand #3 In the final hand I'm sure you're beginning to see the pattern. Rather than the 7♥ in our hand making us a straight we actually just have a single pair of aces. If we changed the K♠ to either a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or an 8 our hand strength would then improve to a straight which should give you some idea of how dangerous a board like this is with such a vulnerable hand as just one pair.
Betting
The only other thing you need to know regarding Omaha Rules before you start playing is that in PLO you can't always just shove 'all in'. The 'Pot' in 'Pot Limit Omaha' refers to the maximum bet or raise you can make when the action is on you. This means it's rare to see all the money go in pre-flop, rather the game lends itself to more complex and skillful multi-street decisions. If you've ever played Pot Limit Hold ‘Em you'll be familiar with the way betting pot is calculated, it's really very simple but can sometimes throw people off when they're raising somebody. 
Imagine there is $10 in the pot, your opponent bets $10 and you would like to raise the maximum you are allowed. Your pot raise is not $20 but rather whatever the pot would have been after your call. So here if you called the pot would be $30 so raising the pot is to call and then raise $30. So when the bet is to you, raising 'for pot' would be a raise to $40 ($30 for your opponent to call).
Of course if you're playing online it doesn't matter much because you can just click the pot button, but it's nice to know for those times you get your friends round for a home game and people aren't so familiar with the Omaha Rules.
Where to play Pot Limit Omaha?
Now that you know the Omaha rules you'll want to make sure you're playing at the site which hosts the best games. Whereas almost all of the big name websites host hundreds of NLHE tables simultaneously, the differences between them when it comes to their Pot Limit Omaha action is substantial. 

Pot limit omaha poker rules and regulations

In Pot Limit Omaha rules you are dealt 4 cards instead of 2. Here is an example hand:
Like in Hold 'em the object is to make the best 5 card hand but unlike in NLHE you must use exactly 2 cards from your hand and 3 from the board (the community cards). This is different from No Limit Hold ‘Em where you can play any 5 cards out of the 5 on board and the 2 in your hand. To illustrate how this difference matters let's take a look at a sample board that might fall in PLO or NLHE:
Take the example hand I gave you above: at first glance it might look like you have an ace high flush but you actually don't as you can only play three of the diamonds from the board. This means that in Omaha Rules you cannot ever make a flush unless you have at least 2 of a suit in your hand. On this board your actual hand is two pair, tens and fours with a Q kicker. Because of this neccessity to play 2 cards from your hand and 3 from the board the value of having a coordinated 4card hand is vastly increased. Hands that are 'double-suited' are considered higher in value because they have more chances of making a flush.
Here are a few more hands with possible boards for you to look at:
Your HandThe Board
Hand #1 You have trips with an Ace and a seven as kickers. In Hold ‘Em having an ace when quads fall on the board gives you the nuts. In this situation however you're losing to anybody with a pair in their hand or a higher kicker to go with their ace. Omaha Rules dictate you can only play three cards from the board.
Hand #2 Again you have trips, this time with a Q kicker. In Hold ‘Em having a 9 on this board would give you a fullhouse, but as you can only use three cards from the board in Omaha Rules your final holding is instead Q♠9♠9♣9♦5♥and you would be losing to somebody holding, say 5♣3♦2♠4♥ as they would have a full house.
Hand #3 In the final hand I'm sure you're beginning to see the pattern. Rather than the 7♥ in our hand making us a straight we actually just have a single pair of aces. If we changed the K♠ to either a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or an 8 our hand strength would then improve to a straight which should give you some idea of how dangerous a board like this is with such a vulnerable hand as just one pair.
Betting
The only other thing you need to know regarding Omaha Rules before you start playing is that in PLO you can't always just shove 'all in'. The 'Pot' in 'Pot Limit Omaha' refers to the maximum bet or raise you can make when the action is on you. This means it's rare to see all the money go in pre-flop, rather the game lends itself to more complex and skillful multi-street decisions. If you've ever played Pot Limit Hold ‘Em you'll be familiar with the way betting pot is calculated, it's really very simple but can sometimes throw people off when they're raising somebody. 
Imagine there is $10 in the pot, your opponent bets $10 and you would like to raise the maximum you are allowed. Your pot raise is not $20 but rather whatever the pot would have been after your call. So here if you called the pot would be $30 so raising the pot is to call and then raise $30. So when the bet is to you, raising 'for pot' would be a raise to $40 ($30 for your opponent to call).
Of course if you're playing online it doesn't matter much because you can just click the pot button, but it's nice to know for those times you get your friends round for a home game and people aren't so familiar with the Omaha Rules.
Where to play Pot Limit Omaha?
Now that you know the Omaha rules you'll want to make sure you're playing at the site which hosts the best games. Whereas almost all of the big name websites host hundreds of NLHE tables simultaneously, the differences between them when it comes to their Pot Limit Omaha action is substantial. 
You'll want to consider several factors when choosing which sites you're going to do the majority of your playing at. These include the number of games running at any one time, the quality of the software and, perhaps most importantly of all, how fishy their players are.
With that in mind I took it upon myself to sign up at all the cardrooms that offer Pot Limit Omaha as a game, play a few thousand hands at each of them, find out which ones are best and then share that information with you. You can read my full conclusions at my 'Where to play PLO' guide. Once you've signed up (and make sure you take maximum advantage of the sign up bonuses they offer) at your chosen site(s) it'll then be time to start working on your strategy. Thankfully you're already at the right website for that!
We offer Pot Limit Omaha Poker online that you can play as Freerolls or Cash Game variants. Since we have explained the way to play Texas Hold'em poker above, we can point out the differences that the two variants have.
How Pot Limit Omaha Poker is Different from Texas Holdem Poker?1. Omaha players are dealt four face-down cards each as opposed to two.
2.The players must use 2 of their Hole Cards to make their best possible hand.
3.This is a Pot Limit Game, only allowing players to place a maximum raise equal to the size of the pot.
How to play Pot Limit Omaha Poker?Given a minimum of two and a maximum of nine players (usually), one can join in to play Pot Limit Omaha Poker. Since Pot Limit Omaha involves four cards, a lot of changes with respect to the strength of your hand. For example, medium flushes or sets may not qualify for a very great hand. You would find yourself beaten or worse still- drawing dead very often if you choose to play such hands often. The game ends when a player makes the best five card hand. This is subjected to the condition that a poker player can use exactly two of his Hole Cards and three of the Community Cards- and this rule is irrevocable.
The Dealer and the Blinds
Once the Dealer is decided as above, he/she is allotted the Dealer button. This Dealer button is symbolic of the centre of proceedings in a game. This Dealer is also responsible for shuffling up the cards first hand and to thus kick-off the placement of Blinds. Just like Texas Holdem Poker, two players to the immediate left of the Dealer put their blinds as Small Blind and Big Blind respectively. The Small Blind is usually half that of the Big Blind.
Dealing the Cards again
The placement of Blinds is followed by dealing one card (face-down) at a time to each player in a clockwise manner, repeated four times.
Pre-Flop Round
The Pre-Flop round starts as soon as the last of the four cards is dealt face down to the last player on a poker table. In this round, the action kicks off in a clockwise manner. This round concludes with all the players wagering the same (common) amount of money.
Flop
Pre-Flop round is followed by the Flop. In a game of Pot Limit Omaha poker, a total of five community cards are drawn by the Dealer. The Flop means the presence of the first three face-up cards that are dealt.
 This is followed by another round starting from the player sitting to the left of the Dealer. All players have an option to check, call or raise.
Turn
This is followed by a similar round called Turn, in which the Dealer casts-off the topmost card with him and again presents one face-up card next to the Flop. Action starts all over again and the round concludes once every player has either matched the previous wager or folded his/her hands.
River and Showdown
The last round of dealing Community Cards is called River. It is famous as the ‘Make or Break' round because it is the last step before Showdown and a new card dealt often completely changes the complexion of the poker game
 After one more round, all remaining players go into the Showdown to determine who has the best combination of cards. This combination is seen from three Community Cards and two of the four Hole Cards.
How is the winner determined in Pot Limit Omaha?This is the tricky part. Pot Limit Omaha differs by a mile when it comes to figuring out the winner as compared to Texas Hold'em. However, the Hand Rankings remains the same between the two.
 • The players are allowed to use only and exactly two hole cards and three Community Cards, to make their best hand possible. This also forms the basis to be the winner.
 • In case of a deadlock with regards to common weak cards with all the players, then the winner is decided on the basis of the highest valued single card.
 • All participants must use two cards of their own. In case they all have a straight board, they will complete it with their two cards and to emerge as the winner.
 • The relevancy and priority of cards are irrelevant to the strength of a hand.
Basic Omaha Poker StrategyPot-limit Omaha opens up a lot more combinations and mixes the game up to come up with a ‘perfect poker strategy. But here are a few Omaha poker tips to get you started.
 • It's all about your starting hand range - Pot-Limit Omaha has a separate set of starting hands you should be paying heed to. Considering a player is dealt four cards, they are tempted to play more often falling into the trap of any four cards are great Omaha Poker hands to play.
 • Your golden pair of aces aren't as golden in Pot Limit Omaha. A pair of aces might be a strong Omaha poker hand preflop, but unless they improve, you're surely beat in a multi-way pot.
 • Keep the poker bluffing for texas holdem poker. A Pot-Limit Omaha game witnesses lesser bluffs because a sign of strength in the wagering rounds is likely to be a strong hand.
 • Draw for the nuts. When you find yourself investing large amounts into a pot with a drawing hand, it is advisable to do so with Omaha poker hands that are drawing to the nuts.
Here's a simple rule of thumb rule to follow to calculate your implied odds:
 Every out gives you an approximate 4% chance of hitting on the turn and river combined. For example, five outs give you about a 20% chance of improving. Six outs = 24% and so on.
Specific DrawsOuts
Flush draw with two overcards or a straight flush draw15 Outs
Flush draw with one overcard12 Outs
Flush draw9 Outs
Open-ended straight draw8 Outs
Two overcards6 Outs
Gut-shot straight draw4 Outs
You can't think like a Holdem player. Pairs, two pairs and open-ended straight draws can not be overvalued in a Pot Limit Omaha game.
Basic Pre-Flop Strategy for Pot-Limit Omaha PokerBy now as a poker player, you must know the importance of starting hands and what a huge hand it plays in your profitability in a Pot Limit Omaha game. The range of your starting hand in Omaha poker varies from situation to situation. Here are a few factors and their corresponding starting hand range decision to keep in mind at your Pot Limit Omaha table:
 1. How aggressive are the players? The tighter the table, the looser the starting hand and vice versa.
 2. How many players are seated at your table? Play tighter at a full table and looser at a short-handed table.
 3. How many players have folded or how many are in the hand when it's your turn to act? Generally, you should be ¾.
 4. What is your current position on the table? Play tighter from an early position and add to your Omaha poker hand range as your position moves along the table.
 5. If the pot has been raised by a player, from which player and what position are they in? If many players are in the pot ahead of you you'll only want to enter the hand with multiple card combinations that have nut draw potential. Draw for the nuts or fold.
Pot-Limit Omaha Starting Hands
In a game of Omaha poker, having pocket pairs amongst four Hole Cards is not a powerful Omaha starting hand. The strongest Omaha poker Starting Hands is ace-king double suited. In this, you have two pocket pairs for starting made hands, but it opens up two nut flush opportunities and the Ace-King gives you a shot at Royal Flush Glory.
 Following suit in the best Omaha poker starting hands are Double-suited hands with high-value connectors and pairs. Here are a few to keep your eye out for:
 • A♠ A♥ J♥ T♠
 • K♠ Q♣ J♠ T♣
 • Q♥ Q♠ J♥ T♠
 • A♦ A♠ 7♠ 6♦
 These are Pot Limit Omaha starting hands that promise high potential to hold a straight, flush and set.
Trap Hands to avoid in Pot-Limit Omaha
A trap hand is a hand that gives you the false hope of landing hard but only really enough to get you to second-best in a Pot Limit Omaha game. Here is the list of Omaha Poker trap hands you want to avoid being trapped in:
• A Small Pair - Imagine you've been dealt 6♥ 6♣ 4♦ 3♣. We suggest not playing the hand, but if you are, it's a set or full house you're hoping for. Let's say the flop lands Q♦ J♣ 6♦, not a great one for you in Omaha poker, but the idea of the set holding good thanks to texas Holdem odds sets you up for a clear losing hand here. You are often outrun by a higher set in Pot Limit Omaha, flopping the set is possibly the biggest red flag for you to fold.
• Low Wrap Hands - By playing low Omaha poker sequences like 5♠ 4♣ 3♠ 2♣, you know well enough that you could be on the sucker end of this straight. Texas Holdem Poker should have already taught you that. The luring flop reveals 6-7-8, you take the bait and it's likely someone has a 9-10, you draw dead.
• Small Flush Hands - If we haven't said it enough Pot Limit Omaha is a nut game. You got to have the best, a lower card flush usually means you are losing the pot most often. Work those ace-high flushes for starters and don't let the small flush hands trap you.
Which hands should you raise in Pot Limit Omaha Poker?- The thumb rule to follow for Omaha poker and raising preflop: Raise only with the top 30 Pot Limit Omaha Starting hand
Ensure you have at least two to a suit
 - Mix it up for value and play suited connectors and medium pocket pairs in Omaha poker: - Other hands that you could raise in PLO include: Hands with three face cards including a suited Ace
Running cards (including one-gappers) which are double suited. For example 7 8 T J double-suited or 6 8 9 T double-suited
Double suited premium pairs
Pot Limit Omaha Poker Rules Here's a list of the top 30 Pot Limit Omaha Starting hands:1AA-KKdouble-suited
2AA-J-Tdouble-suited
3AA-QQdouble-suited
4AA-JJdouble-suited
5AA-TTdouble-suited
6AA-9-9double-suited
7AA-x-xdouble-suited
8J-T-9-8double-suited
9KK-QQdouble-suited
10KK-JJdouble-suited
11K-Q-J-Tdouble-suited
12KK-TTdouble-suited
13KK-A-Qdouble-suited
14KK-A-Jdouble-suited
15KK-A-Tdouble-suited
16KK-Q-Jdouble-suited
17KK-Q-Tdouble-suited
18KK-J-Tdouble-suited
19QQ-JJdouble-suited
20QQ-TTdouble-suited
21QQ-A-Kdouble-suited
22QQ-A-Jdouble-suited
23QQ-A-Tdouble-suited
24QQ-K-Jdouble-suited
25QQ-K-Tdouble-suited
26QQ-J-Tdouble-suited
27QQ-J-9double-suited
28QQ-9-9double-suited
29JJ-TTdouble-suited
30JJ-T-9double-suited
Which hands to limp in pot limit Omaha?
• Hands with three face cards but no suited Ace
 • All running cards (without gappers), 5 or higher
 • Hands with a suited Ace and straight possibilities
 • Running cards with one gapper between the second and third card
 The above are just guidelines and need to be applied keeping in mind your Omaha poker table dynamics. Keep in mind your table image, your opponents' skill level, your skill level before making your decision.
5 Card PLO
Pot Limit Omaha Poker Rules RegulationsThis popular version of PLO was introduced on PokerBaazi on July 1'19 and differs slightly from the 4 card variant. In this format, 5 hole cards are dealt instead of 4 and a player must use 2 hole cards and 3 community cards to complete his/her best 5 card combination. The game also follows a ‘pot limit' structure, just like in the regular variant.
Pot Limit Omaha Poker Rules 2019 Gameplay  Poker Variations  Poker Rules  Poker Tournaments  Poker Strategy  Poker Accessories 

Specific Draws	Outs
Flush draw with two overcards or a straight flush draw	15 Outs
Flush draw with one overcard	12 Outs
Flush draw	9 Outs
Open-ended straight draw	8 Outs
Two overcards	6 Outs
Gut-shot straight draw	4 Outs

1	AA-KK	double-suited
2	AA-J-T	double-suited
3	AA-QQ	double-suited
4	AA-JJ	double-suited
5	AA-TT	double-suited
6	AA-9-9	double-suited
7	AA-x-x	double-suited
8	J-T-9-8	double-suited
9	KK-QQ	double-suited
10	KK-JJ	double-suited
11	K-Q-J-T	double-suited
12	KK-TT	double-suited
13	KK-A-Q	double-suited
14	KK-A-J	double-suited
15	KK-A-T	double-suited
16	KK-Q-J	double-suited
17	KK-Q-T	double-suited
18	KK-J-T	double-suited
19	QQ-JJ	double-suited
20	QQ-TT	double-suited
21	QQ-A-K	double-suited
22	QQ-A-J	double-suited
23	QQ-A-T	double-suited
24	QQ-K-J	double-suited
25	QQ-K-T	double-suited
26	QQ-J-T	double-suited
27	QQ-J-9	double-suited
28	QQ-9-9	double-suited
29	JJ-TT	double-suited
30	JJ-T-9	double-suited