5-Card Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO5)
Also known as: PLO5, 5-Card PLO, Five-Card Omaha, 5-Card Omaha High
High-only Pot-Limit Omaha dealt with five hole cards instead of four. Players must still use exactly two hole cards and exactly three community cards. The extra card multiplies playable combinations, pushing equities closer together and making nut hands far more frequent than in 4-card PLO. Distinct from Big O, which is the five-card hi-lo split version.
Quick Rules
- Each player is dealt 5 hole cards face down.
- 5 community cards are dealt in 3 stages: flop (3), turn (1), river (1).
- Players MUST use exactly 2 hole cards and exactly 3 community cards.
- Maximum bet is the size of the pot (pot-limit).
- Standard high hand rankings apply — there is no low half in this game.
Strategy Notes
Five cards give 10 two-card combinations, so the nuts (or the second nuts) is out there far more often than in PLO. Fold non-nut draws that would be routine continues in 4-card PLO. Rundowns with a pair or double-suits gain the most value; dangling low, disconnected cards cost more than they appear to. Equities run close, so position and pot control matter more than raw hand strength.
Home Game Tips
Card supply is the limiting factor: 9 players use 45 hole cards plus 5 board cards, which leaves no room for burn cards. Cap the table at 8 if your group insists on burning, or agree up front to deal without burns when 9-handed. Warn Hold'em players repeatedly about the exactly-two-from-hand rule — misread hands are the most common dispute.
Use the PLO-5 game type in event creation. Structure builder supports pot-limit blind levels.
Create a 5-Card Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO5) Tournament