Pot-Limit Omaha
A poker variant where each player receives four hole cards and must use exactly two with three board cards; pot-limit betting.
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What Is Pot-Limit Omaha?
Pot-Limit Omaha, commonly abbreviated PLO, produces stronger average hand values and bigger draws than Texas Hold'em because of the additional hole cards, leading to more coordinated boards and bigger pots. The requirement to use exactly two hole cards (no more, no fewer) with three community cards is a key rule that separates it from Hold'em. PLO has grown rapidly in popularity, especially in high-stakes cash games and major tournament series.
Examples
In Pot-Limit Omaha, a player holding four different suits still can only use two of those cards to make their hand.
PLO players often see bigger draws and higher variance than in No-Limit Hold'em due to four-card starting hands.
Strategy Tips
Prioritize hands with strong card coordination, such as double-suited connectors, since disconnected four-card hands play poorly in PLO. Remember the exactly-two-cards rule when evaluating your hand strength, especially for straights and flushes. Expect bigger draws and more coordinated boards than Hold'em, requiring more careful equity calculations before committing chips. Study PLO-specific starting hand charts, since Hold'em intuition about hand strength doesn't directly transfer.