You may be surprised, but the most significant cash games games today are not found at the no-limit hold'em tables. In fact, the game that many high-stakes professionals are currently engaging in online is pot limit Omaha.
With a growing number of players venturing into PLO poker, many novices are attempting to apply their hold'em skills in this new arena. This influx results in an abundance of players rushing in and making numerous errors, effectively throwing away their chips. To help you navigate these waters, we’ve put together our 10 essential tips for transitioning to Omaha and get ready to rake in the money .
Check out Kara Scott, an ambassador for 888poker, as she breaks down the basics of PLO:
THE TOP 10 POT LIMIT OMAHA MISTAKES ARE:
MISTAKE 1: ACES AND BIG PAIRS
One of the most critical errors players make is placing too much emphasis on Aces and large pairs. While one pair might not be a strong hand by the river in hold’em, it’s almost unheard of to still be winning at that stage in Omaha if you hold just one pair. The best approach to big pairs in uncoordinated hands (for instance, A-A-6-2 unsuited) is to treat them as potential set-building hands. In heads-up situations, you can consider investing in safer flops (like holding K-K-x-x on a Q-7-2 board), but be ready to fold if you face a raise. Letting go of an rainbow is fine; you can connect well with lower suited cards and dominate your opponents, but in PLO poker, smaller flushes can be more detrimental than beneficial. A hand like 10s-9s-5h-4h might look promising in hold’em, but in Omaha, it could land you in serious trouble. In PLO, you’ll notice quickly that more skilled players will only remain in hands when they’re drawing to the overpair to a raise is standard in PLO poker.
MISTAKE 2: SMALL FLUSHES
In no-limit holdem . Thus, when you finally complete your flush, it’s quite likely that you’ll be beaten. In essence, avoid counting on small flush draws as part of your playable outs. nuts If you've called a raise pre-flop in NLHE with Jd-10d and
MISTAKE 3: SLOW PLAYING
on this board it's reasonable. Now if you switch to PLO and your cards are Jd-10d-8h-7s… with the same board, do you hit a wonderful Jc-Js-7c flop. Slow-playing still think you have a full house? Absolutely not! In PLO poker, slow-playing is rarely advisable because, with everyone holding four cards, there are significantly more outs for everyone involved. Instead, look to maximize your profit when you actually hold the nuts. In this scenario, you might entice players to chase a slow-play . Additionally, you may attract bets from a player holding another Jack or 7-7. Even if an opponent has a Jack along with three cards that are higher than your full house (such as A-K-Q-J), he only has nine outs twice, making you a solid 2/1 favorite – that’s a substantial edge in the realm of PLO strategy. straight or flush draw is commonly seen in NLHE, referred to as '
MISTAKE 4: SET MINING
Calling in the hope of flopping a set ', but in PLO, it’s crucial that you never depend on small pocket pairs. Flopping trips with 6-6-x-x or lower sets regularly ends up being problematic because most of the time, it will be the weakest set and it’s very infrequent for you to gain action from hands that can’t beat you, like a higher set. Always remain cautious about flopping top set mining because come the river, you often find yourself in a bad spot if your hand hasn’t improved. two-pair
An essential distinction between PLO and hold’em
One of the is that you MUST utilize EXACTLY two cards from your hand. This opens up exciting bluffing chances, especially when you possess just the Ad, and the flop presents three diamonds; players might assume you have the nut flush and fold. Keep in mind, however, that at lower stakes, players tend to find it hard to fold anything. Given the nature of the game, controlling your position in PLO poker is of utmost importance, even more than in hold’em. Avoid the temptation to play too many hands
MISTAKE 6: PLAYING OUT OF POSITION
when you're out of position, but capitalize on the opportunities when you do find yourself in position. poker hands Players are attracted to PLO poker because they want to experience more flops, but this can backfire if you are entering the fray with weak hands. Hands containing a 'dangler' or disconnected card are typically going to drain your bankroll over time. The strength of your hand becomes highly critical when all four cards fit well together, as you’ll hit flops harder when you do connect. Hands such as 8-7-6-2 or K-Q-10-4 should be regarded as inferior and played with caution.
MISTAKE 7: DANGLERS
Moving away from danglers, the hands you genuinely aspire to play are the '
MISTAKE 8: RUNDOWN HANDS
' like J-10-9-8 or 7-6-5-4, particularly if they are double-suited. These types of hands have a fantastic likelihood of connecting decisively with the flop. And if they don’t, it’s easy to discard them. One-gap rundowns like 10-9-8-6 are also worth playing, as well as those containing pairs like Q-J-10-10; however, anything beyond two gaps often leans into 'dangler' territory – those hands should largely be folded. rundowns When you first step into PLO poker, you’ll immediately notice that relative to no-limit hold’em, the
MISTAKE 9: PLAYING UNDER-ROLLED
risk and variance is significantly higher. There are times when players might find themselves in situations where neither party is willing to fold on the flop, each holding either a top set or formidable straight/flush variance , leading to circumstances resembling a coin flip. Therefore, you could lose 15 out of 20 of these similar situations and face significant buy-in losses without having made any errors yourself. Consequently, it’s crucial to maintain a strong mental game combo-draw and cultivate the appropriate mindset to tackle this challenging game. Typically, PLO poker stakes are about double those of no-limit hold’em. bankroll All the preceding points tie into this final one, which is the most critical lesson in PLO strategy: always aim for the nuts. It's that straightforward. If you don't have the nuts or aren't pursuing them, it's best to bow out of the pot.
MISTAKE 10: ALWAYS DRAW TO THE NUTS
With more than 10 million registered players around the globe, 888poker is rapidly becoming the largest online poker platform, welcoming a new player every 12 seconds. Since 1997, 888 has led the charge in the online gaming sector, setting the standard for safe and responsible gaming practices. We stand as one of the most reputable and trusted brands worldwide, offering a vast array of games, high-stakes tournaments, and thrilling live events for poker enthusiasts across the globe.