Welcome to the wild world of 5-Card Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO)! As this action-packed game grows in popularity, it remains a relatively undiscovered frontier compared to its 4-Card PLO or No-Limit Hold’em cousins. The tables are often filled with loose players, but that doesn’t mean you should join the party with any five cards. In fact, a selective preflop strategy is your first step to crushing the games.
This guide will walk you through the essential preflop concepts, from opening ranges to specific hand categories, helping you navigate the complexities and exploit the common tendencies of your opponents.
Understanding the 5-Card PLO Landscape
The typical 5-Card PLO game is extremely loose, characterized by players who limp into the pot often and call raises with a wide variety of hands. While it might be tempting to adopt a “Game Theory Optimal” (GTO) approach, sticking to a rigid strategy might not be the most profitable path. The key is to develop specific exploits against this player pool.
This starts with tightening up your own ranges. While having a fifth card makes many hands look playable, a disciplined preflop strategy is crucial when others are playing loosely. It’s also vital to focus on the “nuttiness” of your hand—its ability to make the best possible hand. In a multi-way pot, having the second-best hand can be a costly mistake, and players in 5-Card PLO often get in trouble by continuing with hands that have little to no nut equity.
Raise First In (RFI) Frequencies: A Surprising Similarity
You might think that an extra card would mean you get to play more hands. However, optimal Raise First In (RFI) frequencies are almost identical between 4-Card and 5-Card PLO. This proves there is no incentive to get involved with more hands just because you have a fifth card. Pickiness, especially from early positions, is paramount.
Here’s how the RFI frequencies stack up by position:
| Position | 4-Card PLO RFI (%) | 5-Card PLO RFI (%) |
| Early Position (EP/UTG) | 18% | 18% |
| Middle Position (MP) | 22% | 22% |
| Cutoff (CO) | 30% | 29% |
| Button (BT) | 46% | 45% |
| Small Blind (SB) | 39% | 39% |
A Guide to Starting Hands: What to Play and When
The value of certain hands changes dramatically when you add a fifth card. Here’s a breakdown of how to approach key hand categories.
Pocket Aces (AAxxx)
Aces are still the premium starting hand. From early position, you should be raising your Aces 100% of the time (excluding trip Aces). In fact, hands with pocket Aces make up about a quarter of your entire opening range from this position (4% of the total 18% RFI).
Pocket Kings (KKxxx)
The value of pocket Kings takes a significant hit in 5-Card PLO, much like it does when moving from Hold’em to 4-Card PLO.
- Early Position: In 4-Card PLO, Kings are opened about 67% of the time. In 5-Card PLO, that number plummets to just 30%. Even double suited Kings are only opened half the time from early position.
- Button: From the button, however, Kings (without an Ace or trip Kings) are still a pure raise.
Pocket Queens (QQxxx)
Queens should be played even more cautiously than Kings from early position.
- Early Position: You should only open Queens about 20% of the time from this position. The difference in how you play double suited Queens is stark: in 4-Card PLO they are played 85% of the time, but in 5-Card PLO, that drops to only 33%.
- Button: Double suited Queens are still almost always a raise from the button. You should start considering a fold when your Queens are single suited or trip suited, particularly if the hand lacks connectivity.
Pocket Tens (TTxxx)
- Button: The frequency for raising pocket Tens from the button drops significantly in 5-Card PLO compared to its 4-Card counterpart. A key factor in deciding whether to raise is the presence of an Ace or an Ace-high suit in your hand. Without an Ace, the raising frequency for Tens is cut roughly in half.
Double Pairs
Double paired hands are treated much more conservatively in 5-Card PLO.
- Weak Double Pairs (e.g., 7722x): These are a fold 95% of the time. The only exception is when the hand also contains an Ace and a nut suit.
- Connected Double Pairs (e.g., 77655): Even with connectors, a single-suited version of this hand is a fold.
- Stronger Double Pairs (e.g., TT77x): From under the gun, these hands are folded nearly 60% of the time. The presence of an Ace is a key factor for raising, while low-card variations are typically a fold.
The Importance of Position
As with all forms of poker, position is king. Your opening ranges should widen significantly as you move from the tightest position (Under the Gun at 18%) to the loosest (the Button at 45-46%). By first understanding the tight baseline range from early position, you can then incrementally add more hands—like slightly weaker Kings or rundowns—as your position improves.
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