By embracing aggression with strong draws, you can extract value and keep opponents guessing
Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) is a game of action and potential, where strong draws can often rival made hands in terms of equity. Knowing how to play these draws aggressively can be a key strategy to maximize value and apply pressure on opponents.
In PLO, hands with big draws—like nut flush and straight draws, or even combo draws that include additional outs—carry significant equity against many made hands. Aggressive play with these draws can achieve multiple objectives.
First, it allows you to build a pot when your draw has high potential to hit, setting up a chance to win a substantial pot. Second, aggression can lead to folds from opponents holding weaker hands or marginal made hands, allowing you to take down pots without even needing to complete your draw.
When deciding to play a draw aggressively, position and opponent tendencies are critical considerations. In position, you can control the action and force your opponents into tough decisions. Out of position, aggression may still be effective but carries more risk, as you’re committing chips without the advantage of acting last.
The texture of the board also plays a role. For example, a draw to the nut flush or a wrap straight draw on a board that doesn’t appear threatening to opponents can be played more confidently. On a paired board or a highly coordinated one, caution is warranted, as the risk of running into a full house or higher straight increases.
Combining your strong draws with blockers—cards that make it less likely your opponents hold a specific hand—can also enhance your strategy. For instance, having an ace in a flush draw scenario reduces the chances that someone else holds the nut flush draw, giving you an edge in applying pressure.
Editor at the Big Blind, is a rising star in gambling journalism with a decade of experience, focusing on clear and accessible communication for a diverse audience.
