No-Limit Hold’em has long been - and will likely remain - the world’s most popular poker variant.
Still, the recent surge in Pot-Limit Omaha’s popularity is impossible to ignore. More and more players are turning to Omaha as a fresh alternative that delivers non-stop action and big pots.
And as always in poker, where the players go, the money follows.
If you’re wondering whether Pot-Limit Omaha is worth your time, you’re in the right place - this guide will walk you through the essential rules of Omaha poker.
The Basic Rules of Pot Limit Omaha Are Similar to NL Hold’em
The uniqueness of Omaha lies in the details.
While the overall flow of the game is similar to No-Limit Hold’em, the biggest difference is that each player is dealt not two, but four hole cards. This single rule change has a massive impact on the math of the game. In Hold’em, there are 1,326 possible starting hand combinations; in PLO, there are an astonishing 270,725 - more than 200 times as many.
Such a big difference significantly changes the preflop strategy despite the identical betting structure to NL Hold'em. In PLO, there is one betting round without community cards - preflop, and after it's finished, there are up to three more: the flop (first betting round), the turn (second betting round) and the river - final betting round, just like in Hold'em.
You Must Use Exactly Two Hole Cards to Form a Hand
This is perhaps the most important rule that separates Omaha from No-Limit Hold’em — and it’s a rule that often costs beginners real money. In Omaha, you’re always dealt four hole cards, but you must use exactly two of them together with exactly three community cards to make your final hand.
This has several practical consequences:
No single-card flushes: You can’t make the nut flush just by holding an Ace of the suit on a suited board. You need at least one more card of that suit in your hand.
Five-suited boards aren’t automatic flushes: Even if the board shows five cards of the same suit, you still need two of that suit in your hand to have a flush.
Full house misreads: On a double-paired board like AATT2, you need an Ace and either a Ten or a Deuce in your hand to make a full house.
Overall, "two-card-from-hand" requirement is intuitive, and you'll get used to it in no time, but we advise caution at the beginning of your Omaha journey as overlooking it can be pricey.
Omaha Poker Is Usually Played as a Pot-Limit Game, Hence PL Omaha
The final major difference from Hold’em is that Omaha is most often played with a pot-limit betting structure. This significantly changes the math and dynamics of the game.
In Pot-Limit Omaha, the size of the pot determines your maximum possible bet. In simple terms, the “pot” in pot-limit games equals:
(Current pot size) + (size of the last bet) × 2
(or, put differently: the pot before betting + three times the last bet)
If you want a full breakdown with examples, we’ve covered the pot-limit mechanic in detail in our article “What Does the Pot Limit Imply.”
Popular Variants of Omaha Poker
Poker players love to add twists to their favorite games, and Omaha is no exception. The classic four-card version remains the most popular, but there are exciting variants where players receive five or even six hole cards. Of these, 5-Card Omaha has been gaining the most traction. The extra cards create more possibilities to consider for experienced players and bring even more action for recreational ones.
Another well-known variant is Omaha Hi-Lo (also called Omaha Eight or Better), where the pot is “split” between the best high hand and the best low hand. Then there’s Courchevel, a unique twist in which the first community card is dealt face up before the first betting round begins!
All of these games build on the foundation of traditional PLO, offering more action and complexity. But because each comes with its own strategic considerations, we’ll save their in-depth breakdown for another article — so stay tuned.
That’s a Wrap on Our Introduction to Pot-Limit Omaha
This is the first of many articles we’ll be sharing on the subject. While PLO shares a lot with No-Limit Hold’em, its unique qualities have earned it a special place in the hearts of many poker players. Our goal is to help you dive into the fascinating nuances of PLO, backed by the solid strategic foundations you’ll find with PLO Genius.
PLO Genius is a powerful learning tool designed to help you build a strong preflop game. With it, you’ll quickly develop a deeper understanding of PLO’s preflop mechanics — setting you up for long-term success at the tables.