Mastering how to play 5 Card PLO poker starts with a solid grasp of the rules and strategy. This beginner-friendly guide gives you a step-by-step introduction covering everything from the basic rules and hand rankings to essential preflop concepts, pot-limit betting structure, and postflop decision-making.
Whether you’re entirely new to the game or transitioning from other poker formats, we’ll give you all the knowledge and skills you need to get started in the action-packed game of 5 Card Pot Limit Omaha.
What is 5 Card Omaha?
5 Card Omaha is a poker game similar to the traditional Omaha poker variant but with one key difference: each player is dealt five hole cards instead of four. The goal is still the same: create the best five-card hand using exactly two of your hole cards and three of the community cards. But that additional card complicates the game, which changes your approach to betting and poker strategy.
Omaha poker itself has a storied history, dating back to the 1980s. It became popular as a high-action alternative to the more popular Texas Hold’em. The introduction of 5 Card Omaha was a natural evolution, as players sought new ways to make the game even more thrilling and unpredictable. With more hole cards, players have more opportunities to make strong hands, though 5 card Omaha strategy entails a lot more than that simple fact.
Currently, 5 Card PLO is popular online and in brick-and-mortar casinos for both cash games and tournaments. The game’s higher variance and complex strategies make it a favorite among more experienced poker players, as well as the average player who enjoys a little more gambling. By learning the basics and picking up a little 5 card PLO strategy, you can quickly get up to speed and enjoy this exciting game.
What is the Difference Between Omaha and 5 Card Omaha?
The main difference between Omaha and 5-card Omaha is that each player is dealt an extra card. In Omaha, players are dealt four-hole cards, whereas in 5-card Omaha, players receive five.
This may seem like a small change, but that one extra hole card dramatically changes the number of hand possibilities for all players. This means more action and a more complex strategy are needed to be successful as preflop equities are much closer.
Hands that may seem extremely strong in other variants, like a small straight or bottom set in Hold’em, can be very weak in 5 card PLO. This means that you must stay aware during every betting round as you look for indications of the strength of your opponent’s hand.
How to Play 5 Card PLO
5 Card Omaha rules will follow the same basic concepts as standard four-card Omaha but with an extra card.
First, the dealer distributes five cards to each player as their hole cards, and the subsequent action resembles that of other variants with betting rounds.
Following the first round of betting, the dealer reveals three community cards, face-up, for all players to use. You must use exactly two of your hole cards and three community cards to create your best hand.
There will be betting rounds after the flop, turn, and river. Following the final round of betting, all remaining players reveal their hands, and the player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. That said, securing the pot at showdown is not the only five-card Omaha strategy used to win.
How to Win a Hand
In 5 Card PLO, as well as virtually all other poker variants, you can win a hand in two ways:
- By having the best hand: After all community cards are dealt, the player with the best possible five-card combination of two hole cards and three community cards wins the hand.
- By forcing opponents to fold: Just like other forms of poker, you can win a hand by betting in such a way that your opponent folds their cards, even if you don’t have the goods. This is called bluffing. If you convince your opponents that you have a stronger hand, they may give up their cards and forfeit the pot.
PLO5 Rules
Like any game, knowing the 5 card PLO rules is pretty important. Here’s a brief rundown.
Each player is dealt five hole cards face down, while five community cards are placed face-up in the center of the table for everyone to use. According to the 5 card Omaha rules, you must precisely combine two of your hole cards with three community cards to create your best five-card hand.
The game follows the standard structure of Omaha poker, including four rounds of betting: Preflop, flop, turn, and river. As part of the 5 card Omaha rules, the player with the best five-card hand wins the pot after the final betting round. If two players have the same hand, they split the pot.
Betting Limits
5 card Omaha can be played in a limit format, but most games are played with a pot-limit betting structure. This means that if your stack is more than the size of the pot, you can not go all in.
The most you can bet at any given time is the size of the pot. This adds a ton of complexity to betting compared to No-Limit Texas Hold’em as players must always be aware of the size of the pot.
In rare instances, you will see Omaha played in a No Limit betting format, but these tournaments and cash games are few and far between.
5 Card PLO Calculator
If you’re serious about improving your 5 Card PLO skills, you’ll need to use tools like a 5 Card PLO calculator to help calculate the odds and equity of your hand.
A 5 Card PLO equity calculator can give you insights into the strength of your hand compared to the other players at the table. Using tools like these will help you make better decisions, especially in high-stakes games and tournaments where every bet counts. These calculators should be used to understand what profitable plays look like, as well as losing plays.
It’s important to understand that 5 card PLO is a high-variance game, and even the most in-depth understanding of odds does not guarantee victory. Using a 5 Card Omaha odds calculator can help you analyze the probability of completing specific hands, such as straights or flushes. Understanding your odds can significantly impact your strategy and overall success in 5 Card PLO.
How to Bet in 5 Card PLO
Betting is a key part of 5 Card PLO strategy. Here’s a quick breakdown of the different betting actions you can take during a hand:
Bet
A bet is when you place chips into the pot. If no one has bet, you can start the action with a wager. Betting is used to build the pot and can also be used strategically to bluff and force other players to fold.
Check
A check is when you choose not to bet but still attempt to see the next community card for free. You can also check with a strong hand in an attempt to trap your opponent and extract bets out of them. You can only check if no one has bet before you, and you typically announce a check or tap the table to indicate you are checking.
Fold
A fold is when you discard your hand and forfeit your chance at winning the pot. Folds happen when you feel your hand is too weak to continue.
Call
A call is when you match the current bet made by another player. Calling is a way to stay in the hand without raising the bet.
Pot / All-in
In Pot-Limit Omaha, you can make a pot-sized bet anytime the action is on you if you have enough chips. But if you have less than a pot-sized bet remaining and want to get all your chips in the middle, you can go all in.
An all-in wager or a pot-sized wager can mean that you have a strong hand, or it can mean you have a bluff. This is the beauty of poker and what makes the game so challenging is figuring out if your opponent has value or a bluff.
In the video below Card Player’s Bobby James introduces the betting action, starting hand selection and the PLO5 action on CoinPoker.
5 Card PLO Betting Rounds
There are four specific betting rounds in PLO5: Preflop, flop, turn, and river. This is followed by a showdown, where each player reveals their hand. Here’s a brief overview of each:
Preflop
This is the first round after each player is dealt five hole cards. The player two seats to the left of the dealer button will begin by placing an opening bet or calling the big blind. The player to the direct left of the button will place the small blind, generally about half of the amount of the big blind.
The action continues with players folding, calling, or raising. Understanding proper preflop ranges will be a key step in moving from a novice to an advanced player. Take ample time to study what a good starting hand looks like and even enroll in a poker coaching course.
Flop
After the preflop round, three community cards are dealt face-up in the center of the table. These three cards are called the flop. A new round of betting begins, with players using the flop and their hole cards to form potential hands.
Turn
The turn is the fourth community card dealt face-up. Another betting round occurs, and the pot grows as players begin to get a better idea of their final hand.
River
The River is the final community card dealt. The final round of betting occurs, and players with the best hands can now determine if they want to bet, check, or even potentially go all in.
Showdown
After the round of betting on the river, players who are still in the hand reveal their hole cards, and the best hand wins the pot.
5 Card PLO Strategy
Now that we have nailed down the basics of how to play 5-card PLO, let’s dive into some basic strategies that will help you improve. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
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Focus on Hand Selection
The most important part of a 5 Card PLO strategy is choosing which hands to play. You will have more cards than in Hold’em, so you may think you should be involved in more pots.
But just like in Hold’em, there are strong and weak starting hands. You should only play hands that have the potential to make strong combinations, like high pairs, suited connectors, or cards that could make straights or flushes. Be selective about your starting hands preflop and conduct independent research to establish profitable preflop ranges.
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Position is critical
In 5 Card PLO, and as with many poker strategies, position is everything. Players in later positions have more information, which can help them make better decisions. It is also very tough to play aggressive players when they have position on you. Playing tighter in early positions and more aggressively in later positions can increase your chances of success.
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Pot Control
In Pot Limit Omaha, the pot can increase quickly due to the higher number of multiway hands and more draws for players to chase through the later betting rounds.
On every street, keep an eye on the size of the pot. Don’t be afraid to check some strong hands or even fold some hands when other players are showing strength. Be careful about bloating the pot with draws or hands that can decrease in value on later streets.
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Don’t Overvalue Hands
With five hole cards, it’s easy to get attached to a hand that seems strong on the flop. Like a flopped bottom set, a pair of aces, or a flopped straight. But there are many more possible hand combinations than a game like Hold’em, and just because you have a pair of aces doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to scoop the pot.
PLO 5 Cash Games vs. Tournaments
There are quite a few things that differentiate 5 Card PLO cash games from the tournament format: In cash games, players can buy in for any amount and leave at any time. In tournaments, players buy in for a predetermined amount and start by getting a specified number of chips. The goal is to outlast the other players and earn yourself a portion of the prize pool.
Understanding 5 Card PLO strategy is essential in both formats, although the way you will approach each format differs. While cash games are more about maintaining your stack and making the best value bets, tournaments often require you to change the strategy depending on your chip stack and the stage of the tournament.
Texas Hold’em vs. Omaha Poker
The most obvious difference between Texas Hold’em and Omaha is the number of hole cards dealt. Each player gets two hole cards in Texas Hold ’em, while in Omaha, players are dealt four (or five, in the case of PLO5).
The main rule that Hold’em players get hung up on when switching to Omaha is that you MUST use precisely two hole cards from your hand and three hole cards from the board to create a five-card hand.
PLO5 Poker Slang and Terms
With the increased popularity of Omaha, players have naturally begun to implement their own lingo into the game. Here are some essential Omaha Slang and terms you’ll want to learn as they will come up frequently at the table:
- Wrap – A straight draw with more outs than the standard open-ended straight draw.
- Boat – This is another term for a full house.
- Aces Up – This means you have a two-pair combination that includes a pair of aces. This term can be used with all pairs, i.e., Jacks up, kings up, etc.
- Double Suited – A hand with two suits in your hole cards that increases your chances of hitting a flush.
- Big O – A nickname for 5 Card Omaha Hi-Lo. This game is played in both limit and pot limit variants.
- Backdoor Draw – A situation where you need both the turn and the river to complete a straight or flush.
- Wheel – A straight running from Ace to 5 (Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5).
- Bare Aces – Omaha hands with 2 aces and no other valuable cards that are suited or connected.
- Nut Flush Blocker – Bluffing with only the ace of a suit to represent a flush.
- Blockers – Cards that prevent opponents from completing an obvious strong hand.
- Bet The Pot – Betting the current pot size.
- Dangler – A card that doesn’t fit well with your other hole cards.
- Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-Better – This is the limit Hi-Lo variant of Omaha poker.
- PLO8 – Acronym for Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-better.
- Quartered – Splitting the high or low side of the pot with another player and then losing the other portion results in you only getting a quarter of the pot.
- Scoop / Scooping – Winning both the high and low sides of the pot in Omaha Hi-Lo.
How to Play 5 Card PLO at a Casino
Playing 5 Card PLO in a casino is similar to playing it online but with a few key differences. You’ll need to find out where to buy into a tournament or get chips for a cash game.
You’ll also have to follow the casino’s poker etiquette and all the rules associated with the game. There may even be a dress code, depending on where you’re playing, so always check the casino’s guidelines before you make the trip.
It’s important to stay calm, not slow down the game too much, and be aware of other players’ behavior. Remember that all casino staff, including the dealers and the floor, are there to help, so ask questions if you have them.