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The Ultimate Guide to master PLO5 Poker | AceHigh Poker
Ultimate Guide to Master Plo5 Poker
Ultimate Guide to Master Plo5 Poker
Home / Blog / The Ultimate Guide to Master Plo5 Poker

The Ultimate Guide to Master Plo5 Poker

If it interests you then it is inside you, and you just need to pull it out, brush it up and practice a little to show your best.

Any skill that fascinates you can be mastered easily. It is just what level you want to take yourself in that skill. For some, it is just for recreation and enjoyment, so they remain on the basic level of learning the skill, whereas, some take it more seriously and follow their passion to master that skill.

Poker is a skill game that anyone can learn smoothly. It offers a variety of card games that are designed to offer the utmost entertainment and mind-stimulating challenges at a poker table.

The most famous poker variants are:

  • Texas Holdem Poker
  • Omaha Poker
  • Poker Tournaments

Each poker variant has its own set of rules with a unique format to play the game. All poker games are played online these days to give poker maniacs a comfortable poker experience without moving an inch from their sofas. Choosing your favorite poker variant can be based on your individual interest or any other factor. You can play either or all of them, depending upon your learning and achievement goal in the game.

This article will talk about a unique variant of Omaha poker, that is Pot-Limit OmahaFive Card poker game. It is also popularly known as PLO5 or 5 Card PLO poker.

FIVE-CARD POT-LIMIT OMAHA POKER

five card pot limit omaha poker

After Texas Holdem, Omaha poker has gained so much popularity among poker enthusiasts all around the globe. Ever since its inception, people have been playing these online Omaha poker games to take their game to the next level.

Five-Card Pot-Limit Omaha is known as a twin sister of Four-Card Pot-Limit Omaha because of its similar game format and rules. The only thing that refrains them from being called the identical twin is the number of hole cards dealt in the game. In PLO5 a player is dealt five hole cards, unlike PLO4 in which 4 hole cards are dealt with each player. Rest all other rules are the same for both.

Pot Limit Omaha Five-Card poker, as the name suggests, follows the rules of the pot-limit Omaha game. In this variant of poker, the maximum bet amount depends on the size of the pot in a way that it does not exceed the total pot size. It means that it puts a limit on the players by capping the bet amount to the size of the pot.

5 CARD PLO POKER RULES

5 card plo poker rules

The rules of PLO5 poker are simple and easy to understand. Anyone who has little knowledge about How to play poker can grasp the uncomplicated rules of Omaha poker. Generally, for the players who want to shift from Texas Holdem to Omaha poker, it is plain sailing to understand the game format and plan their own poker strategies as per the game requirements.

Here is a mini poker guide for beginners who want to know 5 card PLO poker rules.

1. Hole Cards

All pot-limit Omaha games are the same in terms of rules and format. The only difference that creates different streams of Omaha is the number of hole cards. In a five-card pot-limit Omaha poker game, each player is dealt five face-down hole cards that are private to them on the table. These cards are dealt on the first betting round, that is the pre-flop round which commences after the blinds have placed their bets. A player uses these cards to make the best possible hand in the game.

2. Community Cards

For every poker game, the number of community cards remains the same. Each player is dealt five face-up community cards that are common for all the players on the table. These community cards are dealt on different betting rounds(flop, turn, and river) in the game.

They are dealt in such a way that-

First, three community cards are dealt on the Flop round or the second betting round. The next or fourth community card is dealt on the Turn round or the third betting round. The last or the fifth community card is dealt on the last betting round, the River round. Every player uses these community cards in conjunction with the hole cards to make the best hand in the game.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HAND IN PLO5 POKER

how to make the best hand in plo5 poker

The soul of poker is to make the best hand of five cards by a player. To make the best hand each player uses exactly 2 of the Hole Cards along with 3 of the Community Cards.

As per 5 cards PLO poker rules, every player gets five hole cards from which they choose any two cards in conjunction with any three of the five community cards to make the most superior hand possible with the choice of the cards. In the end, the one who makes the best hand wins the pot.

To make the best hand, a player must know the different hands in poker and the hand rankings in poker that make them aware of the value of their cards or hands in the game. If you have been playing poker for a while, then you must recall the chart of the hand rankings easily as it is imprinted in your mind, but if you are a beginner, then the hand rankings chart given below will help you know about them.

POKER HAND RANKINGS

1. Royal Flush

royal flush

2. Straight Flush

straight flush card

3. Four of a Kind

four of a kind card

4. Full House

full house card

5. Flush

flush card

6. Straight

straight card

7. Three of a Kind

three of a kind card

8. Two Pairs

two pair card

9. One Pair

one pair card

10. High Card

high card

To learn about each poker hand ranking in detail, visit Poker Rules

5 Card PLO Best Starting Hands

1. A-A-K-K-Q      4. A-A-J-J-T      7. K-K-T-T-9     10. K-K-A-T-9      13. Q-Q-A-T-K
2. A-A-J-T-9       5. A-A-T-T-9     8. K-K-A-Q-J     11. Q-Q-A-K-J      14. Q-Q-K-J-T
3. A-A-Q-Q-J     6. K-Q-J-T-9     9. K-K-A-J-T      12. Q-Q-A-J-K      15. Q-Q-K-T-9

ADVANCE PLO5 STRATEGIES AND TIPS

advance plo5 strategies and tips

When talking about specific PLO5 strategies, the first thing that you need to remember is that you have 5 hole cards instead of four or two, which makes your choice of starting hands difficult and challenging though beneficial as well.

For advanced players whose mission is to polish their skills and enhance the level of their game, the plan of action is ready with the sureshot actionable strategies and tips that will automatically create a win-win situation.

1. Trust the Connected Suited Rundowns

Rundowns in poker are the cards that are connected in a sequence or order, like 4567. As you already know that in a PLO5 poker game, the starting hand selection is the most crucial that can help you dwell on your strategy well and play for the long haul. So to choose the best starting hands to play, you need to rely on connected suited rundowns that have a chance to improve on the flop by drawing a flush or straight.

To understand connected suited rundowns in poker, look at an example given below:

Suppose, if you are holding a pre-flop hand with the combination of any Q, J, 10, 9, 8 of the same suit, you are holding a connected suited rundown. These are indeed the best hands to start playing with as they have a high probability of drawing a straight or flush on the following rounds.

Now, the question arises that what after getting a connected suited rundown?

So, the answer is, the experts say that the key to run the show with these connected suited rundowns is-

*Always raise the pre-flop with connected suited rundowns*

Raising can be advantageously done when in position and if you are certain about the strength of your starting hand, then considering three-bet or re-raise can help you lead the way by pressurizing your opponents and making them fold.

Some of the best-connected suited or double-suited rundowns are:

1. AKQJT (Suited)     -    AsKsQdJdTh (Double-Suited)
2. KQJT9 (Suited)     -    KsQsJdTd9h (Double-Suited)
3. QJT98 (Suited)     -    QsJsTd9d8h (Double-Suited)
4. JT987 (Suited)      -    JdTd9h8h   (Double-Suited)
5. T9876 (Suited)      -    Td9d8c7c6h (Double-Suited)
6. 98765 (Suited)      -    9s8s7d6d5c (Double-Suited)

Most of the advanced players without giving a thought to the value of the ranks of the cards choose to play the cards below 5, which is a blunder as they are considered to be the lowest hands even if they are drawing a straight or are well-connected rundowns like 6-5-4-3-2.

Avoid playing with these low-value cards below 5 as the poker starting hands as they have a high probability of being beaten by other dominant hands in poker.

*Pro Tip- Go for raise when having any of these well-connected suited or double-suited rundowns as starting hands-on pre-flop.*

2. Weave a Story and Continue With it

Make a plan, set a trap and you are ready to go!

Plan your strategy well in advance and weave a story that continues till the end. To get your opponents down on their knees, you should build a solid story from the beginning. The story should be unpredictable and full of climax and suspense.

To do this, you first need to know about your starting hand range in PLO5 online Omaha poker. If you are dealt with good starting hands then you can raise pre-flop and apply continuation bets technique to make your opponents accept their defeat. Playing tight and aggressive with premium hands is the ‘mool mantra’ and raising when you think is the right time to scare the bluff masters, as well as weak opponents, is a good Omaha strategy.

In case you are dealt with not-so-good starting hands but you still think you have the chances of improvement then to defend yourself from such starting hands, you can also go for bluffing. To bluff, you also need to create a story that looks as true as a real event.

Look at the example given below:

Suppose you get 7-8-10 on the flop board and you have pocket 9's in your hole cards which shows that you are drawing a straight flush and blocking the best straight hand that is J-9 because you already have two 9’s out of a total four in the deck. Here, 9 is a blocker that refrains others from completing their draws or possible hands. In this case, you can bluff your opponents of completing a straight with J, and the best strategy that follows here to get you the pot is to go for check-raising and continuing the story till the end so that they believe your bluff as a true story. Cross your fingers that no other player than you on the table holds a J-9 as if it would be the case then he/she will have a straight and you can be challenged by him/her.

The most stupid mistake that many poker players make while bluffing in PLO5 is that they start with a story on the pre-flop street, then check on the flop or turn and again ride with a bet on the river which is a very vulnerable move and can be easily caught by the pro players on the table.

*Pro Tip- If you have started with a lie, continue with the same, and better to finish with that only with great confidence.*

3. Make the right use of Donk Bet unlike Donkeys

No one likes to be called a ‘donkey; as it is considered to be a foolish animal. But, in poker, there is a term called ‘Donk Bet’ which is named after the donkeys not because donkeys make a bet or so, but this kind of bet is usually placed by the inexperienced players who do not have much idea about when to bet in poker due to which they lose a huge amount in poker cash games.

Donk Bets are the bets that are made by a non-aggressive player out of position who generally does not raise pre-flop instead raises post-flop into a pre-flop aggressive player. The use of betting post-flop against a pre-flop aggressive player whom you know raises with a strong hand is sheer stupidity.

However, according to the poker experts, donk bets can be effectively used to make a great poker strategy and pick up the pot. How?

The answer to this is well-explained with the example given below.

For instance, player A is a tight-aggressive player who mostly raises only strong starting hands pre-flop like A-K-Q-J-10 and player B is well aware of the playing style and hand range of player A whenever there is a raise by him.

Now, when the hole cards are dealt to each player on the table, player A raises pre-flop with his strong hand range (A-K-Q-J-10) and player B calls the raise. Moving on to the next street that is the flop, the cards that come on board are 4-7-2.

Seeing the board cards, player B gets an idea that player A does not connect well with the board, hence he may not bet on this street. In this round, player B is the first to act (out of position), and knowing that his opponent is on a weaker side, he places a big bet (called the donk bet, he may also go all-in) into player A to represent a strong hand and to scare him.

Since player A does not connect well with the board cards and is scared of player B’s big bet with a strong hand (maybe a set or two pairs or a wrap), he feels pressured and folds against player B’s donk bet. The motive of player B gets successful and he becomes the winner of the pot. So, this is called an effective use of donk betting in poker.

Pro players give a thumbs up to donk betting bluffing strategy to be used with blockers to represent a straight. Blockers in poker are the cards that restrict a player from completing a draw on a particular street as they are likely to be held by other players on the table.

For example:

In PLO5 where two players are playing, player B is holding 10-9-6-4-2 pre-flop and player A is having A-K-Q-J-6 and the board comes 8-7-3, then player A who raised pre-flop is not able to connect with the board and is unable to complete his straight draw (Q-J-10-9-8 and J-10-9-8-7) as player B is holding the cards 10 and 9 which are the blockers that are restricting him to complete his straight draws. Then, player B makes a bluff donk bet out of position to scare player A as he knows that he could not connect well with the board and is a tight-aggressive player who can fold if pressured. This makes player A finally fold against the bluff donk bet with blockers of player B and he gets successful in winning the pot.

So, donk bet is an ultimate bluffing strategy when you are out of position, and it can be used with blockers as well to represent a straight. But, also be cautious if the tight-aggressive players call your donk bluff bet, it may be the sign that they are trapping you to extract money from you to raise the pot while they are on a draw.

*Pro Tip- Donk betting and check-raising against tight pre-flop aggressors is the ultimate strategy to beat safe players.*

4. Danglers are Unlucky

In Pot Limit Omaha poker games, danglers are dark spots that bring misfortune to the players due to their low value and no connection trait with other hole cards on the pre-flop street. It acts as an alien in the family of connected suited hole cards.

Danglers in poker refer to the card or cards that do not connect with other hole cards or community cards in the game. For example:

In 5 card PLO poker, you are dealt four double-suited connected hole cards As-Qs-Jh-10h and then you receive a 3 of clubs as the fifth hole card which does not connect in any way with the other hole cards and is of low value, will be called as the ‘dangler’.

Some more examples of pre-flop hands with danglers (in bold) are:

  • Ks-Qs-10h-9h-4c
  • Jh-10h-9d-8d-2s
  • Ah-As-Jd-3s-4c
  • Kh-Jh-As-5c-5c
  • Qs-10d-9h-6c-5c

Danglers have a high tendency of reducing the value of the overall hand, hence making the hand weak. They are considered useless cards as they do not help in improving hand strength because of their low rank.

It is suggested to avoid playing starting hands with one or more danglers in it. However, the exceptions are always there which say that consider playing danglers with double-suited Aces or a big double-suited rundown which can improve on the flop.

*Pro Tip- Play only those hands with danglers that have overall good strength except danglers.*

5. Don’t Play Suited Connected Rundowns Below 6

To win PLO5 Omaha poker, you must get the nerve of the game and understand the value of the starting hands. It is a game where there are high chances of drawing a straight or flush due to several possible outs with a wide range of starting hands.

In this game, connected suited rundowns are considered a blessing to a player which opens a number of possibilities to draw a flush or straight on the flop. Since every poker game is based on the hand rankings, in 5 card PL Omaha poker, players chase the best nut flushes or straights to grab the pot. To have a straight or flush with low hand ranking does get you the pot.

Suppose, if you hold 6s-5s-4d-3c-2h pre-flop, then playing this hand with such low value connected suited rundowns will not help you survive the competition as there may be many other competitors who have better starting hands. These hands have minimal chances of improvement post-flop and are often likely to be beaten by other good value connected suited rundowns in PLO5.

Trusting low-value connected suited rundowns below 6 on the flop is also like entering the danger zone, where you will likely be raised by better hand players and will most likely be out-drawn on the turn and river street by them.

*Pro Tip- Always play bigger rundowns that are either connected, suited, or double-suited.*

6. Form the Right Betting Strategy with Consistent Betting Size

It’s OKAY to go crazy in poker, but keeping a limit to your craziness always pays off.

In poker, there are many instances where you feel like going all-in with a strong hand, which is fairly well to do if you believe your hand is worth the shot. But, if you take this decision merely by looking at the pre-flop hand and not even waiting for the flop to be dealt then you are risking your life in the game.

In pot-limit games like PLO5, the betting size cannot exceed the size of the pot, therefore the bets should be in proportion to the pot size whether small or large.

Sizing your bet pre-flop forms your image on the table whether tight, loose, passive, or aggressive and the opponents respond to your actions accordingly. The key strategy that distinguishes advanced players from abecedarians is keeping the betting size consistent each time. Form a betting strategy that is deceptive to your opponents and never let them know which hands you hold. Keeping the betting size consistent means betting a balanced amount on each street.

Like if you always bet 200$ on the pre-flop, 400$ on the flop, and 800$ on the turn which displays a consistent betting size each time you play online PLO5 poker, nobody would be able to understand which hand you hold at which street. This will help you deceive your opponents easily and help you to bluff easily and play safe. Having a consistent betting size will minimize your chances of being caught while bluffing.

Remember not to be an open book that is easy to read while betting on different streets.

BETTING PRE-FLOP IN 5 CARD PLO OMAHA POKER

betting pre-flop in 5 card plo omaha poker

There are different possible hands that you may be dealt with on the pre-flop round that helps you form your betting strategy and size of the bet with each hand on the table. Let’s look at those possible hands and know how to bet pre-flop according to them.

In case of:

Monster Starting Hand- Bet high with monster starting hands and keep raising if you face a bet to increase the size of the pot until you go all-in is the kick-start strategy to show your strength to your opponents and to force them to fold. You can’t bet three larger bets than the pot size in pot-limit games and hence, to go all-in, you need to place many bets on the table. Beware if you are being called by your opponents.

Mediocre Starting Hand- Check to raise in-position and calling out-of-position is the right way to play pre-flop mediocre starting hands in PLO5 poker. Fold against a player who is raising out-of-position.

Weak Starting Hand- Folding weak hands against strong opponents and check-raising to bluff the weaker opponents.

BETTING POST-FLOP IN PLO5 OMAHA POKER

betting post-flop in plo5 omaha poker

It is not easy to size your bet post-flop as many aspects need to be considered in Omaha poker. The main two of them are:

  • Are you able to force your opponent to fold while you are bluffing?
  • How to fetch the maximum possible value of the pot while holding a strong hand?

The strategy here should be to spot the aggressive players who are likely to give up or fold easily when trapped. If you spot them, then bet high continuously with a monster hand against them to string them along and let them chase you as you aim to extract a good value of pot from them.

If you think you have a weaker hand, then bluffing them by placing continuation bets can help you get them on their knees.

*Pro Tip- The key to winning PLO5 poker is to know how to kick others out or get them playing till you want.*

HOW TO FACE CONTINUATION BETS AGAINST TIGHT PLAYERS

how to face continuation bets against tight players

In poker, tight players are the safest players who do not take risks easily. They play the hands that are likely to favor them and are good at maintaining the chips stack very nicely. They bet when they feel they are confident about their hand and are at nut draws. The strategy to face such tight players depends on which street you are playing at and which hand you are holding. To know how to face a tight player, look at the following Omaha tips and strategies.

1. Pre-Flop Street

Suppose you are playing against a tight player who has got a strong hand like A-K-Q-J-10 pre-flop and you know that he bets only with strong hands. He places three continuation bets and shows his strength. In such a case, when all others have folded to him and you are holding a mediocre hand or weak hand out-of-position then folding against him is the best way as you are likely to be beaten by him on the upcoming
streets.

2. Try to Defend yourself when in Position by calling the Bets

in order to see the flop as there may be chances that your hand will get improved on the flop and your opponent will not be able to connect on that street and you may get a chance to overpower him and claim the pot.

3. Flop Street

It is the climax round that shows three of the five community cards. On this street, the players who can connect their hole card hand with the board cards and complete their draws, play further rounds in the game to win the pot money.

If you are facing a tight player on this street (in heads-up play or three-way pot) who has already raised pre-flop with continuation bets and now he is unable to connect his range with the board, then you can bet and scare him by bluffing to steal the pot.

In case, you get called by your opponent/s in a heads-up play or a three-way pot on the flop, then slow down on the turn if you are not holding a valuable hand yourself and wait for the turn card to bring some good news for you.

4. Turn Street

In continuation of the play, if on turn street your hand improves, then you can continue betting and raising the size of the pot, but if the board shows an irrelevant card (that does not connect with the range of your opponent but he is on a draw) on this street then you can continue bluffing him by firing a barrel and raising the pot. If still, he calls your bet, then you again need to slow down and wait for the river.

5. River Street

This is the final round of betting where you get the final community card and the last ray of hope of completing your draws. In this round, if your opponent is unable to complete his draw, then you can fire another barrel to force him to fold and if he does that, then the pot is all yours! If unfortunately, he completes his draw then it is your bad luck.

The point that you need to learn here is to keep examining your opponents’ hands and analyzing their reactions to each bet on each street to understand which strategy can go best for you to beat them. Also, learn PLO4 winning strategies with Acehigh poker.

*Pro Tip- If you know you are facing a tight player, try to read his hand and plan your strategy according to his reaction over every action on different streets.*

HIT HARD WITH COMBO-DRAWS

hit hard with combo-draws

Combo draws in poker refer to the hand having both straight and flush draws at the same time. A combo draw has more than 12 outs at a time and has a high probability of flopping a straight or flush on the flop. To understand the combo draws better, look at the following example:

Suppose if you are holding Qs-Js-10s-7d-6d pre-flop and the board comes 9s-8d-5d, that shows you are at both straight draw as well as the flush draw at the same time. This is indeed a very good hand to play as you have numerous outs and various possibilities to own the pot.

Now, the question arises, how to play combo draws in PLO5 poker?.

Being an advanced player, you understand the importance of having a combo draw in your hand, it is not less than having a double bonanza. Yes, combo draws are a blessing as they open a two-way road for you to reach the pot in a way that if a player is not able to complete a straight draw, then he can quickly shift to plan B of completing the flush draw and in case both the draws are completed, then the better draw would be chosen to challenge the opponents. So, it is like having a great opportunity to earn big.

Some examples of combo draws are given below:

  • Gut-shot straight flush draw with 12 outs.
  • A flush draw and a pair with 14 outs.
  • An open-ended straight draw and a pair with 13 outs against an overpair.
  • An open-ended straight flush draw with 15 outs.
  • A flush draw and a straight draw with 15 outs.

If you get any of the combo draws or other combo draws which are not mentioned above, then the key strategy is to play them aggressively on pre-flop and flop. With combo draws on the turn, if you go for check-calling in case you get an irrelevant card then it may reveal the strength of your hand and would let others know that you are unable to complete the draw. This may make them overpower you and raise to extract some good amount from you. So, go for check-raising, in case you get a chance in order to disguise your hand from your opponents to get the value of your hand and let them think that you have completed your draw. Check-raising is mostly done in such cases to increase the size of the pot and is better than betting yourself because you want the pot to be big when you have a super hand like this, regardless of whether you hit or not on the river.

This is what the mathematical fundamentals of poker affirm as to the correct playing poker strategy.

*Pro Tip- Combo draws are a pool of opportunities, hit them hard with big bets.*

DON’T CHASE WRAPS ON A FLUSH DRAW BOARD

*Wait, Wait, Wait! It’s a flush race and not a wrap race*

don’t chase wraps on a flush draw board

Wrap in poker means to have a straight draw with nine or more outs. Straights have a high probability of winning in Omaha poker with a wide range of cards. But having a flush draw is even better to navigate the pot.

A very common mistake made by many poker players while playing 5 cards PLO poker is that on a flush draw board they keep chasing straight draws or wraps which ditch them post-flop and they repent over their blunder which made them lose so much in cash games.

To understand it better, let’s have a look at an example:

Suppose, you are holding As, Ks, Qh, 9d, 4c pre-flop, and you get 10s, 6s, 7s on the flop where you are flopping a flush, but instead of that you keep your hopes high with getting a Js and 8c on turn and river to complete a straight draw which is actually a bad move as there are very few chances of that. Hence, betting in the direction of wrapping a straight draw on the flop when the board shows a family of flush cards is not suggested.

Comparing the Straight draw hands and Flush draw hands that can be made using two hole cards and three community cards (if J and 8 are dealt on the turn and river respectively) from the hands given in the above example.

  • Straight Draw: Q, J, 10, 9, 8 OR J, 10, 9, 8, 7
  • Flush Draw: As, Ks, Js, 10s, 6s OR As, Ks, 10s, 7s, 6s (in case Js is not dealt on the following rounds)

These hands clearly show that the flush draw hands in any way are better than wrap draws as they have high cards like Ace and King which make the hand much stronger than the straight draw with the Queen high card.

However, some good wraps should always be chased over flush draws like if you are holding 9d, Qc, Js, Kh, 7s pre-flop, and the flop comes 8s, As, 10s.

Now, the straight hand that can be made follows the general 9-outs wrap structure in which three hole cards are wrapped around two community cards is: Whereas, with the above choice of pre-flop and flop hands, the flush draw that can be made using three community cards and two hole cards can be:

Board Card Hole Card Hole Card Hole Card Board Card
As Kh Qc Js 10d

As, Js, 10s, 8s, 7s is the flush hand which is not better than the straight draw which has the highest and unbeatable high cards combination (mentioned above in the box).

So, in this case, chasing the straight draw on the Flush board is certainly a profitable deal.

Some types of straight draw wraps are given below:

A 20 Out Straight Draw (20 outs, 14 to the nuts)

When you have two cards above and two cards below two connected board cards. For example:

You: J♥ 10♠ 7♦ 6♣
Flop: 9♥ 8♠ 2♦

To hit your straight you need one of the following:
5(*4), 6(*3), 7(*3), 10(*3), J(*3), Q(*4) = 20 outs

A 17 Out Straight Draw (17 outs, 11 to the nuts)

When you have two cards above and one below two connected board cards. For example:

You: J♥ 10♠ 7♦ 4♣
Flop: 9♥ 8♠ 2♦

To hit your straight you need one of the following:
6(*4), 7(*3), 10(*3), J(*3), Q(*4) = 17 outs

A 16 Out Straight Draw (16 outs, all 16 to the nuts)

When you hold three cards above and one card below two connected board cards. For example:

Hand: Q♥ J♠ 10♦ 7♣
Flop: 9♥ 8♠ 2♦

7(*4), 10(*3), J(*3), Q(*3) = 16 outs

A 13 Out Straight Draw (13 outs, all 13 to the nuts)

When you hold three cards above two connected board cards. For example:
Hand: Q♥ J♠ 10♦ 4♣
Flop: 9♥ 8♠ 2♦

7(*4), 10(*3), J(*3), Q(*3) = 13 outs

*Pro Tip- Don’t stick to any one hand (either straight or flush), wait for the board cards, analyze the various possible hands and then decide which road is to be taken.*

DIFFERENT SITUATIONS ON THE FLOP

different situations on the flop

Here, some 5 card PLO strategies and tips are given based on certain situations that arise during the play. These strategies will help you know how to win at PLO5 poker by handling the following situations tactfully.

A) Flop a naked nut flush draw /open ender -

Naked nut flush draws in poker means having a nut flush draw without having a pair or a straight draw.

If you are hoping to complete a nut flush draw after you have seen your flop cards on the board, then it is advisable to always bet in position. In case, you are not in position, either check, call or fold as naked nut flush draws are not good without overpairs.

Naked nut flush draws are not powerful without other draws or two-pairs, or overpairs.

Never go aggressive with naked nut flush draws as they only have a maximum of 9 outs to improve which is not really a good number when playing 5 card PLO poker. However, if you have a pair or straight draw on a flush draw board, then you can consider playing that.

Follow the same strategy for naked open-ended straight draws where you only have a maximum of 8 outs which is not a good number if you are playing against many opponents. But, in a heads-up story, you can play them aggressively and it goes the same for naked nut flush draws as well because you are only facing only one opponent. When the number of participants is more then you have to be more cautious with these
kinds of hands.

The position plays a pivotal role in making your best poker strategy. It gives you access to a wider range of poker actions from your seat.

B) Flop a wrap on Rainbow Board -

It is often likely to happen in 5 cards PLO that you are dealt with rainbow cards (cards of different suits on the board) on the board which does not help in completing a flush draw but helps you to complete a straight wrap which is also a good hand. If you are flopping a wrap on a rainbow board then play aggressively if your wrap has cards valuing more than 6.

If you are playing against an aggressive player who has not connected well with the rainbow board but would likely to wait for the turn to improve his hand then you may go for check-raising out-of-position to increase the size of the pot and get a good value on your hand.

If you have an advantage of the position then go for betting with a wrap on a rainbow board to take your pot to a higher value.

C) Two Pair -

Two pairs are considered to be a good starting hand but you cannot depend on them solely to win the pot. The players having a better hand than yours would try to raise the value of the pot and that might prove to be a disadvantage for you. So, if you have got two pairs out of five-hole cards on the pre-flop, then go for betting if in position with few players in the pot, otherwise, fold or give up to a bet out of position.

D) Top Set -

If you flop a set on a very dry board (a board on which there are unsuited unconnected cards which do not give any possibilities of drawing a flush or straight), then check-calling and moving to the turn with the hope to is the right way to handle the situation against a player who is betting as there are chances that he/she may have a better set with face cards.

On a wet board (a board on which many possibilities of having a drawing hand are there), then check-raise (simply raising the bet) can help you get your tension inclined towards your opponents and they might fold to you. It can also help you extract the value of the pot if your opponent is an aggressive one.

For instance, if you get a gut feeling that your opponent has completed a draw on a certain street after analyzing his/her hands, then slowing down by checking or folding to a bet is the right way to save yourself from losing further chips in the game. In case of a heads-up scenario, continue to bet.

Check/call on a very dry board, check/raise or donk bet on a wet board. Give up when draws complete, continue heads-up.

E) Monster Draw -

To be on a monster draw means to be in a situation where you have the chances of drawing more than 14 outs post-flop which is a great number indeed! The chances of improving a hand are much higher in the case of monster draws. So, if you are at a monster draw, always play aggressively and make the most of it by check-raising or donk betting to disguise your hand strength and to extract the maximum value of the pot
from your opponents when playing against many opponents.

While raising at a monster draw, keep in mind that you are closer to winning the pot, hence, you should play for the stacks and increase the pot value to the maximum.

F) Flopped Nuts -

If you are flopping nuts on a wet board then check-raise in-position as you have a good chance to let your opponents add value to the pot, otherwise mostly check-call when out of position. Since you have a fairly good chance of winning the pot then betting 50-60% of the pot in position can help you add the value to the pot you might win.

Be careful if your opponents are completing bigger draws than yours. In such a case, consider folding or slowing down is an intelligent move otherwise you may end up losing your money in online cash games.

Consider yourself lucky if the nuts don't change by the turn which is highly favorable to you and gives you a way to win over your opponents. In this case, you should always try putting your opponent's all-in and making them add the value to the pot of which you will most likely have more than 75% equity.

G) Paired Flop Boards -

While playing online 5 Card PLO poker, if you get a paired flop on the board like 10, 10, 8, or any other paired flop, you can bluff your opponents of having a triplet with you and scaring them of drawing a full house or three of a kind as there are a few chances of your opponents holding trips, so raising can work here to bluff them and make your game easy. But, if your opponent is strong enough or has caught your bluff then folding
or slowing down immediately to his/her call or raise is the right move.

Always remember that it is a pro strategy that only the players who are used to taking high risks can opt for handling this situation. If you are a beginner who wants to take his/her game to the next level then try this strategy only when there are not more than three players including yourself involved in the game.

*Pro Tip- Identify and analyze the situation properly before taking any risk. Play in position with valuable hands to maintain a good winning record.*

PLO5 is a complex game that can be mastered with in-depth knowledge and regular practice. Once you understand the roots of the game, you can easily be a PLO5 poker ace. The above-mentioned advanced poker strategies and tips to master Five Card Pot-Limit Omaha is key to success in the game.

Enjoy playing PLO5 with Acehigh to get the ultimate poker experience. Acehigh is the best online poker website to play online poker games. You can choose to play your favorite game and also invite your friends to play at various tables.

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