Rules for Pot-Limit Omaha

Unlike some of the other games mentioned, pot limit Omaha (PLO for short) has a few different rules which can lead to some slightly different game play. The rules are similar to that of Holden games; however, instead of being dealt two down cards, each player is dealt four. In making your hand you must use two – and only two cards – to make your final hand. This means that sometimes your hand will not be as good as the board, because you must always play at least two cards, which can lead to some different quirks and strategies for playing the game. Much like other poker games, the winning hand is the best five card hand made out of a combination of the two cards in your hand, and three from the community.
Being a pot-limit game, there are some differences in the betting structure which can also make the game somewhat different than other forms of poker. After the players are all dealt their four down cards, they have to decide to call, raise, or fold. Should the player choose to call, they will be forced to put in at least the size of the big blind, assuming there are no raises. Each player must choose to act in turn, deciding between their options before the hand continues. However, should the player choose to raise, they are only allowed to raise as much as is in the pot. This is different than both limit and no limit poker, and creates different sets of actions as a result.
Once the players have decided to call, raise, or fold, then of course the action will continue to the flop. After the first three cards are flopped, everyone involved in the hand must use that community board in order to make their hand. A player can choose to bet up to the size of the pot, but must bet at least at least the size of the big blind, as is standard in most poker games. Players again must decide whether or not to call, raise, or fold depending on the action in front of them. Once all players have done so, the hand progresses to the turn and eventually to the river, where the same actions take place. Once the action on the river is completed, all the players remaining in the hand are to show their cards, with the person making the best 5-card hand winning the pot.
The pot-limit structure is to be followed throughout the hand; however, should the pot reach the size that a player would be betting the rest of their chips up to the pot amount, they will be considered all-in, Should this occur with other players still in the hand, a side pot may or may not occur, depending on if the other players wish to continue the action. Only players who enter into the side pot are eligible to win the side pot, with the all-in player(s) only being eligible to win the amount they put in up to their prior stack amount. It should be noted that because of the structure of the game, PLO cash games and PLO tournaments have different blind and ante rules. Cash games will always have blinds, where as tournaments involving Omaha will never have antes/blinds preflop – mainly because it would alter the amount that could be wagered preflop.

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