5 Card PLO

At Spartan Poker, we strive to ride the trending tides. Whatever you see grossing high in the world of poker, you are sure to find on Spartan Poker. Being India’s Largest Platform for online poker, we take immense pride in sharing our passion for the game of cards with you. One such game is the 5 Card PLO. We bring exciting poker tournaments every month, which is fit for beginners just as much as it is for veterans. You’ll find all sorts of poker tournaments that fit your BRM, and that are of different poker variations so that you can play the game you are most familiar with.

What is 5 Card PLO?

One of our many easy and lucrative poker games is the 5 Card Pot Limit Omaha, popularly known as 5 Card PLO. It is a poker variation derived from the most popular game type – the Texas Hold’em. However, as the name suggests, this is a pot-limit version of the game. This means that the value of the pot is predetermined. When the pot value is pre-determined you may not be able to go all-in with your chips, as you cannot bet on the table more than the value that has been previously decided. This adds for an interesting angle of taking risks because bluffing your opponents might not always help.

What to Expect at a 5 Card PLO Table?

For those experienced playing 4 Card PLO will know that the difference between these two variations is only that in this game, you are offered five-hole cards in the first betting round instead of four. This sort of gameplay will also be familiar to those playing the 5 Card Omaha. Also, think about what you’re 5 Card PLO strategy could be while learning how to play this game. More cards create for more dynamic, more ways hands can be made, and increases possibilities. A player will make the best possible five-card poker hand using two out of the five-hole cards and three out of the five community cards. 

5 Card PLO Poker Game Stages

If you have played Texas Hold’em or regular Omaha before, then you are at an added advantage as 5 Card PLO has a structure identical to both of those. The game is played the same way with the only notable difference. This difference is that in this game five cards are dealt to a player, all face-down in the first round of betting. The poker hand rankings of 5 Card PLO are the same as in Texas Hold’em.

Here’s a quick run of how 5 Card PLO is played:

1) Blinds

Just as in Texas Hold’em and Omaha, play begins with forced bets known as the Blinds. The player seated to the left of the button posts the small blind, and the one to his left posts the big blind which is generally double the amount of the small blind.

2) The Deal

A maximum of nine players can play 5 card PLO where they’re dealt five-hole cards face-down.

3) Pre-Flop

Here, the players have to act, by either calling, raising, or folding their cards. The pre-flop is the first round of dealing in which the action always starts clockwise from the big blind position.

4) Flop

The first set of three community cards are displayed in the Flop round where once again, players can either call, raise, or fold their cards depending on whether or not they wish to take any chances. 

5) Turn

The Flop is followed by the Turn where another community card is revealed, and the betting continues from the member seated to the left of the big blind at the table.

6) River

The River is the final betting round where the last community card is revealed.

7) Showdown

If there are still players left at the table after the river, the remaining players proceed for a showdown. In which they show their hand, and the best poker hand wins the pot.

That is the basic formula of how you play the newly popular 5 Card PLO. Find a wide range of poker games at Spartan Poker, where you can indulge in playing a poker variation that interests you the most. You can choose and employ any 5 Card PLO strategy that you find comfortable.

The only essential points you must keep in mind is that bluffing is not advisable as the opponents betting or raising will generally be doing so only out of sheer confidence. If you attempt a bluff, you might likely lose the pot. Keep the pace up and don’t wait for the river to play your hand until you are sure that you have the nuts. Lastly, it is important while playing 5 card PLO to keep track of your chips because the added fifth whole card creates a lot of variance in the pot size. In the end, there are many tournaments available for you to play and test. The more you play poker online, the better you’ll get.

We hope to see you at the tables and wish you all the best of luck!

5 Card PLO FAQs

1) As a beginner, can I start with 5 Card PLO?

Although a variant of Texas Hold’em, it is advised to first be familiar with the most popular form of poker before diving into other types. You can get familiar to the game, understand the different poker hand rankings, and learn how to employ poker strategies by playing freeroll tournaments before you try your hand at the pot limit version of Omaha played with 5 cards.

2) How is 5 Card PLO different from regular Omaha?

It is very similar to regular Pot Limit Omaha with the only difference being that in the original, four-hole cards are dealt. In the PLO version, five-hole cards are dealt individually to each player. Even though that may not sound like a huge difference, it is significant in how the game is played.

3) Is 5 Card PLO more profitable than Texas Hold'em?

Texas Hold'em is usually played in the No-limit format, meaning there are no restrictions on how much you bet and so it's more feasible for you to go All-in. Texas Hold'em is more stable and straightforward to understand. 5 Card PLO on the other hand is notoriously famous for its wild swings. Meaning, you can lose or gain a lot within a single betting round which is significantly higher when compared to the dynamics of Texas Hold'em. In the end, it all comes down to which game you prefer, which one you're more comfortable playing, and how you manage your BRM.

4) How different is 4 Card PLO from 5 Card PLO?

As mentioned previously, the difference between these two variants is the number of cards that are dealt. In the former one, four-hole cards are dealt, while in the latter one, five-hole cards are dealt, although strategies for both these games differ.