Calculating the pot in Pot-Limit Omaha

It’s important to pay attention to the pot when playing Pot-Limit Omaha

Becoming a Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) pro is not something that anyone can do without first understanding how to calculate the pot in this variation of poker. Perhaps in Texas Hold ’em, it is possible to bet all your chips at any time; however, the scenario is completely different when it comes to PLO, as the most you can bet is the size of the pot.

Many may believe that calculating exactly how much the pot limit is in PLO is simple; however, it is quite the opposite. Depending on the situation in which you find yourself, you will be able to perform this action in one way or another, so it is of utmost importance to know how to react. Supposing there is a $20 pot, and you are the first to act on the flop, this case is simple; you must bet up to $20.

However, things get a little more complicated if you are already facing a bet since you must include the cost of your call in the size of the pot. Perhaps to many, this may sound a little strange, but the pot size is defined as the opponent’s bet, the amount in the pot before your opponent bets more, and the amount you would have to put in to call.

To get a clearer example of this issue, suppose there is $20 in the pot on the flop, and your opponent bets $10. The amount in this case that you would have to put in to call is $10. Adding that, with the amount in the pot before your opponent’s bet and your opponent’s bet, we get $40, which is the amount you can raise. In other words, you can put in a total of $50. If this is still a little confusing, in simple terms, you can look at it as a bet of three times the last bet plus whatever is in the pot before that bet.