Mastering PLO Poker Hand Rankings: The do’s and Don’ts

By Elsa King 2 years ago

While understanding the different hand rankings is crucial, there are some common mistakes that PLO players often make when evaluating the strength of their hands. Below, we’ll go through the do’s and don’ts of assigning Poker hand ranking.

The Common Mistakes Players Make in Evaluating Hand Strength.

One of the most common mistakes that PLO players make is to overvalue hands that can make top pairs, like A-A-x-x. While this hand is strong in Texas Hold’em, it is less valuable in PLO, where players tend to play more aggressively and draw-heavy. Another common mistake is not considering the importance of the low cards in the hand. Hands with low cards can make the nut low with the same hand that also wins the high pot.

Another mistake is to judge the strength of a hand based on its raw equity alone. When evaluating hands, it is important to consider other factors such as the board texture, position, and stack sizes. For example, a hand like A-K-Q-T may seem strong on paper, but if the board is J-9-7 and there are flush draws available, this hand loses a lot of its value. Therefore, it’s essential to analyze different components before assigning any hand rank.

The Right Way of Assigning Hand Ranks in PLO Poker

One way to avoid the common pitfalls of assigning hand ranks is to think about the cards in your hand and how they work together. The best PLO hands are ones that have a good combination of high cards, low cards, and connected cards. Ideally, your hand should have the potential to make both the nut hand and a strong draw.

For instance, a hand like A-A-5-4 double suited is a strong starting hand since it has a pair of aces, two low cards that may turn into a nut low, and two suited cards that provide flush potential. However, a hand like K-K-Q-J with no suits will be less valuable as there are no draws available.

How to Improve Your PLO Poker Hand Ranking Skills

Improving your PLO hand-ranking skills requires practice and patience. Here are some best practices to follow in building winning hands in PLO poker.

The Best Practices for Building Winning Hands in PLO Poker

  1. Look for Hands with Multi-Draw Potential: Hands that have the potential to make multiple draws are usually the ones that perform best in PLO. Equally important, multiple draw potential can help you to build the pot with multiple sources of equity or protect weaker hands when facing a drawing opponent.
  2. Understand the Different Types of Draws: There are various types of draws available in PLO, such as flush draws, straight draws, and low draws. Understanding the different types of draws and how they fit together will help you to make better decisions during a game.
  3. Analyze The Flop Texture: Reading the board texture is crucial to evaluate hand strength in PLO. With four cards in hand, boards are likely to connect with hands in multiple ways. For instance, a A-J-5 flop is quite poor for a hand like A-A-K-K since it connects better with many other hands. On the other hand, a flop like K-Q-7 rainbow offers less chances for someone with top pair or two pairs.

The Importance of Position and Stack Sizes in Assessing Hand Ranks in PLO Poker

Finally, when assessing hand ranks, it is important to consider the position and stack sizes of the players involved. Your position at the table can greatly influence the value of your hand as it defines the opportunity you have to act with more or less information. Furthermore, stack size is another factor to think about in hand valuation. Shallow stacks generally make high card strength less valuable and increase the value of draws. On the other hand, deep stacks reduce the value of draws and tend to keep hands with high card strength high.

Conclusion

While PLO hand rankings may seem initially complex, and there are some differences from Texas Hold’em, mastering them can significantly improve your game. Keeping in mind some of the do’s and don’ts and best practices mentioned above can help you to evaluate your hands better in different situations. Over time, patience, and practice, you will be well on your way to becoming a successful PLO poker player.