You should start learning PLO at the micro-stakes games. This limits the damage a bad run will make to your bankroll and lets you learn the nuances of the game without losing too much money in the beginning. Treating the game like Texas Hold ‘em where you started at the micro limits and over time built up your success and experience is certainly the recommended path to follow with PLO, indeed any new poker game you wish to learn.

You will encounter three types of opponent in the micro-stakes games of PLO. The first is the player that has migrated from Holdem and does not care about the changes they need to make. You beat this player by caring about the changes and learning them diligently. The second type of player is the complete fish who loves to play poker online but is unfortunately not very good at it. The third type of player is the solid player but fortunately there are far fewer solid PLO players than in Holdem games.

Because the pots are small in real terms players play micro stakes PLO even more aggressively than they normally would. This increases the games calling and raising even more. Players make a common error of playing too many hands and I have read that over 80% of PLO starting hands can look like they are playable. You can take an immediate advantage by researching good starting hand strategy for Pot Limit Omaha and not getting drawn into the madness that can ensue in online PLO micro stakes games. When you play you will hold on average a starting hand that has a better chance of winning the pot than your loose opponents, this gives you a great edge over them.

Do not overvalue pairs! Your opponents hold four hole cards and even if they are making small errors playing those cards they are still in the hand with more chances to hit their miracle cards to win. Chasing none nut draws (draws that if hit you still have possible hands your opponents could hold to beat you) is also dangerous and something that you will see over and over in PLO at the micro-limits. Players understand that it is a drawing game, but they get carried away with this and are too loose. Can you see yet why being tight with starting hands and valuing hands correctly is profitable? There will be action when you need it in PLO, unfortunately also action when you don’t.

Bluffing, therefore, becomes something should be used with care and rarely in a micro stakes game where players generally call regardless of board texture or opponent aggression. Most of the pots will be multi-way with multiple opponents, many of whom disregard position, or do not understand what a strong or weak hand is in PLO and call when they should fold. The way to beat the micro limits is to be very tight aggressive. Fold the trash and when the hand comes that you need to win a pot build it quickly. Make sure it is the nuts or very strong when you do it.

One of the principles that can be applied from No Limit Texas Hold’em is that you should always build a pot relative to your hand strength. This means when you hold a weak hand try and control the pot size and when you get a big hand create a big pot. That fundamental concept of poker is true for most games and most definitely true for PLO. Enjoy fishing!

By Malcolm Clarke