Get the apps
Rules · Beginner

Omaha (PLO): what’s different from Hold'em

Four hole cards, the exactly-two-plus-three rule that trips up every new player, and how to work out a pot-sized bet.

2 min readAlso available in:繁體中文简体中文

On this page

Pot-Limit Omaha — PLO — is the second most popular game in home games. The blinds, the button, the four betting rounds and the hand rankings are all the same as Hold'em. Three things change.

\1. You get four hole cards

Everyone is dealt four cards face down instead of two. More cards means more possible hands, so strong hands are much more common. A pair that would be good in Hold'em is often nowhere near the best hand in Omaha.

HandAAKQ
A strong starting handTwo aces, both suited to another card, plus high cards that connect.

\2. Exactly two from your hand, exactly three from the board

This is the rule that catches everyone. Your five-card hand must use exactly two of your hole cards and exactly three board cards. Not one, not three, not four.

HandAK72
BoardQ95J3
No flushFour hearts in your hand, but only one on the board. You can use only two hearts from your hand, so you have no flush — just ace high.
HandAQJ8
BoardK9624
Still no flushFour spades on the board, but you hold only one. You need two spades in your hand.
HandKK74
Board888Q3
Full houseYour two kings plus the three eights: eights full of kings. With only one king you’d have just three eights — you always need two of your own cards to play.

\3. Bets are capped at the size of the pot

PLO is almost always played pot-limit. You can bet anything from the big blind up to the pot. To raise, the most you can raise to is: call first, then add the size of the pot after your call.

StepExample
Pot before the bet100
Opponent bets50 (pot is now 150)
Your call would make the pot150 + 50 = 200
Your maximum raise is to50 + 200 = 250

What changes in play

  • Winning hands are bigger. Two pair and sets often lose; straights, flushes and full houses win.

  • Aim for the nuts. A flush that isn’t the ace-high flush is in danger.

  • Draws are strong. A hand with many outs can be the favourite even against a made hand, so equities run closer than in Hold'em.

  • Watch the pairs on the board. When the board pairs, a full house becomes possible.

More on this topic