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What is 5 Card PLO?

Five-card PLO has exploded onto the poker scene in recent years. Players receive five hole cards instead of the traditional two, creating more strategic possibilities and massive pots. While the two-card rule remains the same – you must use exactly two cards from your hand with three community cards – having five cards to choose from opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

The game has gained serious traction in high-stakes circles and major tournaments, where players are drawn to its complex decision-making and huge potential for action. Most games run 6-handed for the perfect balance of skill and excitement, though you’ll find everything from heads-up battles to full-ring games in our poker lobby.

PLO5 vs Classic Texas Hold’em: What’s the Difference?

Both games use the same poker hand rankings, but that’s where the similarities end. Here’s what makes PLO5 special:

More Cards to Play: In Texas Hold’em you get 2 cards. In PLO5, you get 5 cards – though you can only use two of them. This means more ways to make hands and tougher decisions about which cards to use.

Bigger Hands are Common: With five cards in everyone’s hand, you’ll see monster hands almost every round. Those big pocket pairs that dominate Hold’em? In PLO5, you’ll need much more to win.

Betting Has Limits: Unlike Hold’em where you can push all your chips in anytime, PLO5 only lets you bet what’s in the pot. This adds strategy to your bet sizing and creates more interesting decisions.

How to Play PLO5 Poker

First, everyone gets five cards that only they can see. Two players must put in forced bets (the small and big blinds) to start the action. Then, going clockwise, each player decides to either fold their cards, match the big blind (call), or raise the bet - but remember, you can't raise more than what's in the pot!
The dealer puts three cards face-up in the middle of the table for everyone to share. Starting with the first player left of the dealer button, everyone gets a chance to check (pass) or bet. If someone bets, others must either call that bet, raise it, or fold their hand.
A fourth shared card is placed in the middle. Just like before, players take turns deciding to check or bet. If someone bets, you need to match it, raise it, or fold. The pot often gets bigger here as players figure out how strong their hands are.
The dealer puts out the fifth and final shared card. One last time, players get to check or bet. This is your last chance to act before everyone shows their cards. Remember - when making your final hand, you'll need to use exactly two of your five private cards plus three of these shared cards

How to Win

Show a Stronger PLO5 Combination

When players stay in until the end of a hand, everyone shows their cards to see who wins. You'll make your best five-card hand using exactly two of your private cards and three of the shared cards on the table. Even though you have five cards to choose from, the hand rankings are just like regular poker - a straight still beats three-of-a-kind, a flush still beats a straight, and so on.

Bet and Force Opponents to Fold

You don't always need the best hand to win! Sometimes, smart betting can convince other players to fold stronger hands than yours—as long as they believe your story. Since you can only bet up to what's in the pot, you'll need to think carefully about how much to bet. Remember - betting too much might scare everyone away, while betting too little might not convince anyone to fold.

Hand Rankings

royal flush
straight flush
4 of a kind
full house
flush
straight
3 of a kind
2 pair
1 pair
high card

5 Card PLO Strategy: Improve Your Game

Want to master 5 Card PLO strategy? Here’s what to focus on:

  • Approach Bluffing Carefully: With five cards in everyone’s hand, players make strong hands more often. Be careful when you bet!
  • Position Yourself for Success: Late position gives you more information and control. Study our position play guide to understand how table position affects your decisions.
  • Be Mindful of Your Blockers: Your extra hole card means more blocking possibilities. Use our guide on poker blockers as your secret weapon for better decision making.
  • Choose the Best Starting Hands: Connected and suited cards that work together gain tremendous value in PLO5. Focus on hands that can make multiple strong combinations, and learn about poker equity to improve your gameplay.

Remember, 5 Card PLO rewards patient players who think ahead. The extra card means more possibilities, but it also means you need to carefully consider what hands your opponents could have. Take your time learning these concepts – this deeper strategy is what makes PLO5 such an exciting game.

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Learn more about Five Card Pot Limit Omaha.

FAQs

A Pot Limit Omaha variant where you get five hole cards instead of four, creating more possible combinations.

You receive five hole cards instead of four, but still must use exactly two to make your hand.

Connected, suited cards that work together to make multiple strong hands are best.

Yes, it’s more challenging. That extra card means more combinations to think about and tougher decisions to make. But don’t let that scare you – the challenge is what makes it exciting!