PLO Equity Calculator
Calculate your equity in Pot Limit Omaha. Input your 4 hole cards, add board cards, and instantly see your winning chances against multiple opponents.
PLO Equity Calculator
Select your 4 hole cards, optionally add board cards, and calculate your equity in Pot Limit Omaha
Your Hole Cards (4 required)
Board Cards (optional, up to 5)
Select Cards
About the PLO Equity Calculator
The PLO (Pot Limit Omaha) Equity Calculator is a powerful tool designed to help poker players analyze their equity in Pot Limit Omaha hands. Unlike Texas Hold'em where players use two hole cards, PLO players receive four hole cards and must use exactly two from their hand combined with exactly three community cards to make their best five-card poker hand.
This calculator uses advanced Monte Carlo simulation to estimate your winning chances against up to 8 opponents. Whether you're a seasoned PLO player or just learning the game, this tool provides invaluable insights into hand strength and equity distribution across various board textures.
What is Pot Limit Omaha (PLO)?
Pot Limit Omaha is one of the most popular poker variants, known for its action-packed nature and complex strategy. The key differences from Texas Hold'em include:
- Four hole cards instead of two
- Must use exactly two cards from your hand and exactly three from the board
- Betting is limited to the size of the pot (Pot Limit)
- More drawing possibilities lead to larger pots and bigger swings
- Hand equities run much closer together compared to Hold'em
Because of the four-card starting hands and the requirement to use exactly two, PLO creates many more possible hand combinations. This makes hand reading more complex and equity calculations essential for optimal play.
How the PLO Equity Calculator Works
Our PLO Equity Calculator employs a sophisticated Monte Carlo simulation algorithm specifically designed for Omaha poker. Here's the process:
- Input your four hole cards by selecting them from the card grid
- Optionally add known board cards (flop, turn, or river)
- Specify the number of opponents (1-8 players)
- Choose simulation accuracy (5,000 to 50,000 iterations)
- The calculator runs thousands of random simulations
- Each simulation deals random cards to complete unknown hands and board
- Every possible 5-card combination is evaluated (using exactly 2 from hole, 3 from board)
- Results are aggregated to show your win, tie, and loss percentages
The more simulations you run, the more accurate your equity estimate becomes. For most practical purposes, 10,000 simulations provide excellent accuracy while maintaining fast calculation speeds.
Understanding PLO Equity
Equity in PLO represents your percentage chance of winning the hand if all remaining cards were dealt out. Understanding equity is crucial because:
- PLO equities run closer - Even strong hands rarely have more than 60-70% equity preflop
- Drawing hands are powerful - Wrap straights and big flush draws can have significant equity
- Position matters more - With closer equities, being in position becomes even more valuable
- Redraws are critical - Having backup plans when your main draw doesn't hit is essential
| Hand Type | Typical Preflop Equity | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Premium AAxx | 65-70% | A♠A♥K♠Q♥ |
| Double-suited Broadway | 55-60% | K♠Q♠J♥10♥ |
| Suited connectors | 45-50% | 9♠8♠7♥6♥ |
| Rundown | 50-55% | J♠10♥9♠8♥ |
Practical Examples
Example 1: Preflop Premium Hand
Your hand: A♠A♥K♠Q♥ (double-suited aces)
Board: None (preflop)
Opponents: 1
Expected equity: ~65-70%
Even with premium aces, you're not as far ahead as you would be in Hold'em. The four-card nature of PLO means your opponent has more ways to make strong hands. However, your hand has excellent blockers and the potential to make the nut flush in two suits.
Example 2: Wrap Straight Draw
Your hand: 9♠8♠7♥6♥
Board: 10♣5♦2♠
Opponents: 1
Expected equity: ~45-55% depending on opponent's likely holdings
This is a powerful wrap draw with 20 outs (any 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, or J gives you a straight). In PLO, such drawing hands can be favorites or close to 50/50 against made hands like top set.
Example 3: Nut Flush Draw with Pair
Your hand: A♠K♠Q♥J♦
Board: 10♠5♠2♣
Opponents: 2
Expected equity: ~40-45%
Against multiple opponents, your nut flush draw combined with straight possibilities gives you solid equity. However, with two opponents, you're less likely to be good even when you hit your flush, as one opponent might have a set that fills up.
PLO Strategy Tips Using Equity
- Play coordinated hands - Look for double-suited, connected cards that work together
- Avoid dangler hands - Having one card that doesn't connect with the others significantly weakens your hand
- Position is crucial - With closer equities, position becomes even more important for pot control
- Don't overvalue single pairs - Even aces can be weak without additional equity
- Value your redraws - Backup plans (like a flush draw when you're drawing to a straight) add significant value
- Understand blockers - Having cards that block your opponents' strong hands is valuable
- Respect the nuts - In multi-way pots, someone often has a very strong hand
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does PLO equity run closer than Hold'em?
With four hole cards and the requirement to use exactly two, players have many more hand combinations. This means drawing hands are more common and more powerful, leading to closer equity distributions even between strong made hands and draws.
How accurate is the calculator?
The Monte Carlo simulation provides highly accurate estimates. With 10,000 simulations, results are typically within 1-2% of the true equity. Higher simulation counts increase accuracy but take longer to compute.
Can I use this for Omaha Hi-Lo?
This calculator is designed for standard PLO (high only). Omaha Hi-Lo requires different evaluation logic to account for low hands and pot splits, which is not currently supported.
What's a good preflop equity advantage in PLO?
Unlike Hold'em where you might have 80%+ equity with premium hands, in PLO even the best hands typically have 65-70% equity heads-up. A 55%+ equity advantage is often sufficient to play aggressively.
Should I always use the highest simulation count?
For most practical purposes, 10,000 simulations provide excellent accuracy. Use higher counts (25,000-50,000) when you need very precise calculations for close decisions or when analyzing complex multi-way scenarios.
How do I use this calculator to improve my game?
Practice by inputting hands you've played and comparing the equity to your assumptions. Over time, you'll develop a better intuition for PLO hand strengths, drawing equity, and when you should be betting, calling, or folding.
Calculator Limitations
While this calculator provides accurate equity estimates, remember that:
- It assumes random opponent hands - in reality, opponents play ranges based on their position and actions
- It doesn't account for betting patterns, stack sizes, or implied odds
- Equity alone doesn't determine correct play - you must also consider pot odds and expected value
- Results represent long-term averages, not predictions for individual hands
Use this tool as part of your learning process and hand analysis, but always consider the full context of each poker situation.
Pot Limit Omaha is a game of skill that involves both chance and strategy. Play responsibly and always comply with local gambling laws.