We continue to refine the PLO Genius experience — both in terms of usability and the number of available simulations.

While the latest updates bring several UX improvements, the main focus remains on expanding our simulation library across formats and stack depths.

Below is a summary of what we’ve added and improved as of March 26, 2026.

What we've added 

• preflop
  • PLO: 35 BB MTT with limps
  • PLO5: 200 BB HU @ CoinPoker ante with limps
• postflop
  • PLO 6-max: single-raised pots & 3-bet pots across different positions (3,600+ simulations)
  • PLO HU:
    • 700+ simulations for 3-bet pots
    • 1,000+ simulations for 4-bet pots @ CoinPoker
• all-in or fold (AoF)
  • all boards for 3 players @ 15 BB

What we've fixed & improved 

• mobile issues with AoF starting
• recover password view issues
• Google login issues
• user games crashing
• minimal hand range display option fixes
• minor issues across the app

Our friends at CoinPoker continue to improve their offering and overall player experience — and PLO enthusiasts are not left behind. Recently, CoinPoker launched a brand new client, revamping many key functionalities. To celebrate the upgrade, they introduced a 100% rakeback promotion available throughout March 2026.

Among the many updates, one feature that may be especially interesting for our users is the introduction of a new format: PLO All-in or Fold.

AoF PLO has already appeared on several platforms, but despite its simple rules, the exact mechanics can vary. So how does it work on CoinPoker?

Games are played with up to four players, each sitting with a stack of 5 BB. The action begins on the flop — and effectively ends there. Each player must decide whether to go all-in or fold. That’s it.

While the format is intentionally simple and action-heavy — clearly designed for fast-paced, recreational play — PLO remains a complex game at its core. Even in such a streamlined structure, there are strategic nuances worth understanding.

That’s why we’ve prepared a complete breakdown of AoF PLO under CoinPoker rules. As a PLO Genius PRO subscriber, you get access to all 1,755 representative flop textures, analyzed across heads-up, three-handed, and four-handed scenarios.

You can also explore deeper configurations with 10, 15, and 20 BB stacks. And most importantly, you can import your own hands into the app to evaluate your decisions and learn from real gameplay.

Whether you're ready to battle at the AoF tables or just taking your first steps in PLO, you can find the full list of features included in each PLO Genius plan on our pricing page.

Pot Limit Omaha is complex by nature. With four hole cards, the number of possible starting hands (over 270,000) grows exponentially. This makes understanding preflop ranges and hand classes a real challenge — especially if your goal is to build a structured, long-term strategy instead of relying on intuition alone.

The large number of preflop combinations also means you reach the flop with a variety of hands. For example, in a standard 100 BB single-raised pot, the Button opens around 126,000 combos. The Big Blind continues with roughly 90,000 combos by calling and about 27,000 by 3-betting.

For comparison, in No-Limit Hold’em at 100 BB, the Button opens around 580 combos, while the Big Blind calls about 530 and 3-bets around 182. The scale in PLO is much bigger.

Because of this, studying PLO requires structure. Instead of memorizing individual hands, you should think in terms of hand categories and understand how each category behaves in a given situation.

In PLO Genius, every hand belongs to one of 13 categories. Such a breakdown helps you see patterns. You can quickly check how a specific category performs and compare the expected value (EV) of different actions for individual combos.

At the beginning, grasping how particular hand categories should be played can feel overwhelming. However, with enough repetition, you will develop an intuition for a solid preflop strategy.

The flop, however, adds another layer of complexity. You now have to consider board texture and how it interacts with ranges that contain tens of thousands of combinations.

Analyzing different flop textures and understanding how they affect both players’ ranges is not simple. That is why in this article, we introduce Aggregate Reports — a feature in PLO Genius designed to make postflop study clearer and more structured. With regular practice, it helps you turn a large amount of solver data into practical strategy.

What Are Aggregated Reports?

The most common way to study with a solver is straightforward. You set up a preflop action, choose a specific flop, and analyze what both players should do.

For example, the Button opens, the Small Blind folds, and the Big Blind calls. The pot is 7.5 BB, and the effective stack depth is around 100 BB.

In most cases, the out-of-position player checks. Then you look at how often the in-position player continuation bets and how the Big Blind should respond.

This method works well — but it only shows one board at a time.

Aggregated Reports in PLO Genius let you take a broader view. Instead of analyzing a single flop, you can review an entire group of boards at once. You see overall betting frequencies, sizing preferences, and how strategies shift across different textures.

Such data helps you understand patterns, not just isolated solutions.

In Pot-Limit Omaha, there are 22,100 possible flop combinations. Strategically, many of them should be approached in a very similar way. Changing one card slightly often does not change the optimal strategy by much.

To make the study practical, we reduced the total number of possible flops to 1,755 representative textures. These cover the full range of strategic situations while keeping the data manageable.

As a result, you can focus on learning how ranges interact — instead of getting lost in thousands of nearly identical boards.

To make the postflop study more structured, we divided flops into seven main categories:

• A-high – unpaired, non-monotone Ace-high boards, with no straight possible
• BBL – unpaired boards with two high cards (T–K) and one low card (8 or lower), with no straight possible
• BLL – unpaired boards with one high card (T–K) and two low cards (9 or lower), with no straight possible
• LLL – unpaired boards with three low cards (9 or lower), with no straight possible
• Monotone – unpaired boards where all three cards are of the same suit
• Paired – any paired board, including trips
• Straight – boards where a straight is possible

A Practical Example

Let’s return to our example and use Aggregate Reports to review the Button’s continuation betting strategy versus the Big Blind at 100 BB (PLO50 rake). We will compare two board groups: Ace-high boards and straight boards.

On Ace-high boards, our solver assumes the out-of-position player checks 100% of the time (which is also a realistic baseline in practice). Facing this, the Button can c-bet quite freely. Across all 217 Ace-high boards, the solver bets on every board, with frequencies ranging from ~45% to ~64%, using a 4.95 BB bet into a 7.5 BB pot (66% pot).

Note: To keep the study process simple, our solutions use a simplified strategy and display the most common bet size.

Let’s also look at how your opponents should respond to the solver’s strategy:

Even versus a two-thirds pot bet, the solver has the Big Blind check-raising around ~9% to ~15% of the time. In practice, many players do not reach that frequency, meaning you, as a preflop aggressor, often realize more EV than the baseline suggests.

So while Ace-high boards are not an “auto-bet” spot, they still give the preflop raiser plenty of room to c-bet. Most opponents defend too passively here, and that also means c-betting a bit more often than the solver can be a profitable exploit.

Now let’s look at a very different category: straight boards.

When a straight is possible, the Big Blind often connects more strongly because of how their defending range is structured. This structure shifts the equity between the ranges and changes the optimal strategy. As a result, the solver often prefers the out-of-position player to lead the flop at a relatively high frequency, since they hold more strong made hands — including straights — than they do on Ace-high boards.

Here is where things become more nuanced.

In low- and mid-stakes games, many opponents do not lead straight boards often enough — and some do not lead at all. That is an important factor to consider when choosing your continuation betting strategy.

If we look at straight boards in a vacuum — assuming the opponent should have a leading range but decides to check instead — the overall c-bet frequency does not drop dramatically. Across these boards, it still ranges roughly from ~41% to ~55%.

However, if you assume that your opponent never leads these boards, the situation changes. Their checking range becomes stronger, because it now contains more made straights that should have led but did not.

In that case, your c-betting frequency should decrease by a few percentage points.

How many exactly? That depends on the full model and would require additional calculations. But the exact number is not the key takeaway. What truly matters is building intuition — understanding what the solver suggests in theory and knowing how to adjust it against real opponents who deviate from optimal play.

Putting It All Together

What can we learn from this example?

Ace-high boards

This category clearly favors the preflop raiser. The Button usually holds more AA combinations, which gives them a range advantage.

As a result, betting big and betting often should be the default strategy. Since many opponents do not check-raise often enough, increasing your c-bet frequency slightly can be a profitable exploit in practice.

Straight boards

Straight boards are more dynamic. If your opponent has a proper leading strategy, your overall c-bet frequency should be lower than on Ace-high boards — although still relatively high.

However, against players who never lead, you should be more careful. Their checking range becomes stronger, increasing the risk of check-raises or betting into a more robust range.

Finally, Aggregate Reports in PLO Genius allow you to move from a broad category view to a specific board in seconds. You can quickly verify the exact strategy for any texture and study it in more detail whenever needed.

Why Aggregate Reports Matter

Aggregate Reports are powerful analytical tools.

Ignoring them means missing a major opportunity to improve. At first, the amount of data can feel overwhelming, but with regular practice, you learn how to turn thousands of combinations and board textures into clear patterns. That is how you build real intuition — and gain an edge over opponents who study in a less structured way.

The PLO Genius library already covers a wide range of common scenarios. Because the number of possible situations in PLO is enormous, we focus first on the most relevant and frequently played spots, and then expand step by step.

The Aggregate Reports feature is available in the PRO plan.

In our recent blog posts, we discussed 3-betting strategies (both in position and out of position), optimal reactions to 3-bets (once again, in position and out of position), and general guidelines for 4-betting.

This article completes the series with a straightforward guide on how to respond when facing a 4-bet in Pot-Limit Omaha.

As we established in earlier entries, at low- to mid-stakes, you should assume that the population 3-bets and 4-bets significantly tighter than GTO solutions suggest at 100 BB effective stacks.

While many players are capable of finding non-AA 3-bets, their 4-betting ranges are often heavily skewed toward Aces and, in many cases, almost exclusively composed of AA combinations.

Because of this, every time you face a 4-bet, several factors should guide your decision-making process.

First, consider how your own 3-betting range is perceived. Are you seen as a tight, value-oriented player, or as someone capable of applying pressure with a broader range?

Second, assess whether your opponent is capable of 4-betting hands other than AA. This is where paying attention to showdowns and population tendencies becomes especially valuable.

Finally, you should have a clear plan for how to adjust when facing a range that is overwhelmingly AA-heavy.

As in earlier articles, we will examine two common positional scenarios.

Facing a UTG 4-Bet When You Are in the Middle Position

This configuration produces the tightest ranges. According to GTO frequencies (assuming a PLO50 rake structure), UTG opens approximately 16.8% of hands (~45k combinations), MP responds with 3-betting around 5% of hands (~13.5k combinations), and UTG continues with a 4-bet roughly 17.6% of the time (~8k combinations).

When we examine these 8k combinations more closely, nearly 7k of them contain either a pair of Aces or triple Aces. This immediately frames the problem: how should MP react against such a narrow, AA-heavy range?

While PLO Genius solutions suggest calling a small portion of AA hands in MP (around 4.1%), we recommend a simpler, more practical adjustment: 5-bet-jam all AA combinations. Aside from Aces, no hands are incentivized to go all-in preflop in this node, making execution straightforward. From the remaining non-AA hands in your 3-betting range, approximately 30.1% continue versus the 4-bet by calling.

Notably, no Kings continue against a UTG 4-bet. KK without an Ace does not 3-bet versus a UTG open in the first place, and KK with an Ace folds at this point. Moving down the range, the only Queen combinations that defend by calling are AQQJds and AQQTds.

For double-suited Ace-high hands, the requirement to continue is strong connectivity: typically no more than one gap, with side cards between a Queen and a Six (for example, AJT9ds or AT87ds).

This structure leads to an essential strategic takeaway: holding an Ace against a highly AA-heavy range is often a liability. It reduces your ability to make strong two-pair hands and weakens overall connectivity, which strongly impacts which hands can profitably continue against a 4-bet.

The backbone of your calling range in this scenario consists of highly connected double-suited hands that were strong enough to 3-bet against UTG, such as 9765ds, T876ds, or 7654ds. These hands retain solid equity against AA-heavy ranges and flop in a way that makes postflop play more manageable.

In addition, a small number of double-suited paired hands (including a few Queens combinations) round out the MP calling range versus a UTG 4-bet.

Facing a CO 4-Bet When You Are on the Button

In this configuration, the out-of-position player’s ranges widen considerably — the Cutoff 4-bets roughly 14% of its opening range, corresponding to approximately 11k combinations. Similar to 3-bet scenarios, this gives the Button substantially more flexibility.

Once again, the primary guideline remains unchanged: all AA combinations should be 5-bet jammed.

At 100 BB effective stacks, there is rarely a strategic reason to slow-play Aces. Against a Cutoff 4-bet, the Button shoves 6.7k combinations preflop, with approximately 99% of this range consisting of AA.

At the same time, the Button’s overall calling range versus a CO 4-bet expands significantly to around 6.2k combinations, compared to only 2.5k combinations in the MP versus UTG scenario.

So which hands gain value in this late-position dynamic?

First, both Kings- and Queens-based hands increase dramatically in viability and approach near-pure calls. It is worth noting, however, that only a relatively small subset (roughly 300 combinations) of these hands should be 3-bet versus the CO in the first place.

Some double-suited KK hands containing an Ace have sufficient equity to call, and the same is true for select QQ combinations with an Ace. A few AQQ hands even function as 5-bet jam bluffs, targeting folds from KK in the CO’s range. However, if you believe your opponent never 4-bet/folds, these hands can instead be shifted toward calls.

Because the CO’s 4-betting range includes a meaningful portion of non-AA hands, the Button can profitably call more double-suited Ace-high combinations. Hands such as AKQTds or AK54ds improve substantially in value under these conditions.

Against a wider 4-betting range, all strong double-suited and double-paired hands become viable calls, as they realize equity efficiently in position. However, the same principle from the earlier scenario still applies: having an Ace often weakens your hand, and in many borderline cases, it becomes the deciding factor between calling and folding.

Overall, the BU versus CO dynamic allows the Button to continue with a broader range due to the increased presence of non-AA hands in the Cutoff’s 4-betting strategy.

Handling 4-Bets at 100 BB Is More Straightforward Than You Think

Overall, dealing with 4-bets at 100 BB is much more manageable than it may seem. You do not need to spend much time memorizing exact frequencies to navigate these spots effectively; what matters most is understanding the nature of the range you are dealing with.

In practice, most low- and mid-stakes opponents arrive at 4-bet nodes with significantly more AA combinations than they should, and this population tendency should always be reflected in your decisions.

To build and verify this intuition efficiently, use PLO Genius when studying or reviewing hands. We’ve recently added an equity calculator feature, which lets you quickly evaluate how specific hands perform against different AA-heavy combinations, making it much easier to determine which calls in 4-bet pots are actually justified.

New year, new us?

Not exactly — but the final weeks of 2025 and the first month of 2026 have definitely been busy on our end.

PLO Genius has always been about giving you accurate, practical tools for real-world PLO decisions. Over the last few weeks, we’ve taken a big step forward in that direction.

You can now not only work with both preflop and postflop solvers, but also import your own hands, review them inside the trainer, and use the equity calculator to visualize your equity at any point in the hand.

On top of that, we’ve added a large batch of new simulations across multiple formats — from deep-stacked cash games to short-stack and AoF scenarios — while continuing to improve performance, usability, and overall workflow.

Below is a quick overview of everything that’s changed in PLO Genius over the last few weeks 👇

What we've added 

• hand import feature
  • PartyPoker hand history format
  • iPoker hand history format (preview)
  • DriveHUD XML format support
  • clicking the hand import window now opens the file browser
• preflop
  • PLO MTT: 15 BB, 20 BB and 25 BB with limps
  • PLO5 HU (CoinPoker): 40 BB ante with limps, 70 BB ante, 150 BB ante
• postflop
  • PLO 6-max: ~600 simulations across various positions and SPRs, plus ~3,600 simulations across positions in 3-bet pots
  • PLO HU: 3-bet pots @ CoinPoker (~300 simulations)
• trainer & study
  • sorting trainer hand history by EV loss
  • card sorting in study view
  • concept view now hides isomorphic hands by default
• all-in or fold (AoF)
  • AoF 10 BB HU, all boards
  • AoF 15 BB HU, all boards
  • AoF 20 BB HU, all boards
  • AoF 20 BB – 4 players, all boards
  • AoF 15 BB – 4 players, all boards
  • AoF 5 BB – 3 players, all boards

What we've fixed & improved 

• hand import: Winamax hero mode
• correct CoinPoker format matching in HU imports
• fixed issues with pasting hand history files
• syntax input fixes & improved bucket filtering
• aggregated report loading improvements
• user games library redirect fix
• share URL fixes for study options
• equity calculator improvements
• trainer now asks for a new game when simulations change
• AoF postflop now preloads one game ahead for faster gameplay
• reworked auto-game loading menu for better performance
• general AoF loading optimizations

In Pot-Limit Omaha, preflop equities tend to run much closer together than in other poker games. Although defining, this characteristic of PLO is often underestimated when players build their preflop strategies.

To put this into perspective, let’s briefly compare PLO with No-Limit Hold’em. In a heads-up pot in NLH, pocket Aces have roughly an 85% to 15% equity advantage against a random hand. In PLO, even the strongest possible holding from a pure equity standpoint — AAKK double-suited — has a significantly smaller edge. Against a random hand, its equity is closer to 70% versus 30%.

Combined with the pot-limit betting structure and the enormous number of viable preflop combinations, this leads to a fundamentally different approach to preflop aggression — particularly when it comes to 4-betting.

In this article, we’ll focus on the most essential aspects of constructing a 4-betting strategy in PLO:

• When should you 4-bet?
• Which hands should be included?
• Is it correct to 4-bet only Aces?

Is 4-Betting Only Aces Enough?

Many players adopt an extremely simplified approach, restricting their 4-betting range to AA combinations only. At first glance, this seems reasonable: even the weakest AA hand retains a slight preflop equity edge against most holdings.

However, a closer look at GTO-based solutions shows that this strategy is incomplete. While Aces form the backbone of any 4-betting range, optimal play includes additional hands — particularly in wider positional configurations.

Whether you should incorporate those hands in practice depends on several key factors.

Firstly, assess whether your opponent is capable of 3-betting hands other than Aces. While most regulars do, you will still encounter players whose 3-bet range is almost exclusively AA.

Secondly, consider how your opponent reacts to 4-bets. Do they fold a portion of their range, or do they continue with nearly 100% of their 3-bets? This response has a significant impact on the profitability of non-AA 4-bets.

With that in mind, let’s examine optimal 4-betting ranges at 100 BB stack depth, assuming a standard PLO50 rake structure, and see how they translate into practical play.

4-Betting from UTG versus Middle Position

The most important takeaway in this configuration is straightforward: always 4-bet Aces.

As we’ve discussed previously on our blog, when playing out of position at 100 BB, a strict rule of thumb is to 4-bet all AA combinations. This accomplishes several things at once:

• You build a pot while holding an equity advantage.
• You lower the SPR, simplifying postflop decision-making.
• You still have a chance to win the pot preflop.

When expanding beyond Aces, the few additional hands suitable for 4-betting from UTG are highly selective. The core candidates are:

• Well-connected double-suited Ace-high hands (e.g. AT98, A765)
• Connected double-suited gappers such as T976 or 9865

Perfect rundowns generally prefer calling rather than 4-betting.

One important thing to keep in mind is blocker interaction. When you’re 4-betting without Aces, it’s usually better to avoid hands with a King or a Queen, since they block AKK and AQQ — exactly the hands you’d like your opponent to have and fold.

Overall, UTG versus MP is a very tight spot. Even if both players follow GTO ranges, there isn’t much room to get creative here.

Against a UTG opening range of approximately 16.8%, MP should 3-bet around 5%, while UTG continues by 4-betting roughly 17.6% of its opening range (about 8,000 combinations out of 45,500), of which nearly 6,800 are AA combinations.

4-betting from the Cutoff against the Button

The Cutoff versus Button configuration is considerably more dynamic. Both ranges are much wider, and population tendencies tend to deviate further from a pure AA-only 3-bet strategy.

At equilibrium, the Cutoff opens roughly 29.4% of hands (close to 80,000 combinations), while the Button 3-bets around 7.8% (approximately 21,000 combinations).

As before, all AA combinations form the foundation of the 4-betting range for the same structural reasons outlined earlier.

The first meaningful difference appears in the AKK and AQQ categories. In this configuration, some of these hands — particularly premium double-suited versions like AKKQds or AKQQds — prefer 4-betting over calling. A small number of weaker Queen-heavy variants are also included, primarily because they block Aces and target folds from KK holdings.

The category that expands the most is double-suited Ace-high hands. These holdings:

• Reduce the number of AA combinations available to the Button,
• Maintain solid equity when called,
• Offer reasonable postflop playability.

Additionally, the CO vs BU dynamic allows for a wider selection of non-Ace double-suited hands to enter the 4-betting range, including holdings such as JT76 or QT86.

With wider baseline ranges on both sides, the Cutoff’s optimal 4-betting strategy becomes more diverse, especially when the Button is capable of folding a portion of their 3-bet range.

Practical Adjustments for Low- to Mid-Stakes PLO

While knowing the GTO baseline is useful, what really matters in practice are the tendencies of the player pool you’re facing. In low- to mid-stakes PLO, two patterns are particularly common:

• Players 3-bet slightly tighter than GTO suggests.
• Players fold less to 4-bets than theory would recommend.

At 100 BB, effective adjustments against this environment are relatively straightforward:

• Versus a Middle Position 3-bet, continue very tightly when opening UTG. You can largely restrict yourself to 4-betting Aces, with only occasional inclusion of the very best double-suited hands.
• Regardless of position, always 4-bet all AA combinations when out of position.
• Outside of the Cutoff vs Button configuration, avoid widening your 4-betting range with KK or QQ holdings.

As stack depths increase, optimal preflop strategies shift meaningfully — but that is a subject best reserved for a separate discussion.

At 100 BB, an effective 4-betting strategy in PLO remains relatively simple: heavily AA-weighted, with selective additions of strong double-suited hands and, in rare cases, high pairs containing an Ace blocker.

The key is knowing which hands actually belong in your 4-betting range — something you can easily check using the free 100 BB preflop solutions in PLO Genius.

The popular saying goes: “A penny saved is a penny earned.” This principle applies to poker just as much as it does to everyday life.

Many poker players naturally focus on their biggest pots — typically those where stacks go in and the hand ends in a showdown after a difficult decision or a cooler. While such spots have a significant impact on your win rate, becoming a truly solid player also requires identifying situations where you may be leaking small amounts of EV repeatedly.

In Pot Limit Omaha, one of the most common sources of these leaks is poor play in 3-bet pots out of position. More precisely, inefficient reactions to 3-bets. The lack of position in PLO is a disadvantage that is notoriously difficult to overcome, and playing 3-bet pots OOP with poorly constructed ranges will be challenging even against relatively inexperienced opponents.

In this article, we will focus on the most important do’s and don’ts when facing 3-bets out of position.

Theoretical 3-Betting Frequencies

To establish a baseline for OOP strategy in 3-bet pots, we will examine two common scenarios:

• Opening in the Early Position and facing a 3-bet from the Cutoff
• Opening in the Cutoff and facing a 3-bet from the Button

We will assume a high-rake environment equivalent to PLO 50. It is worth noting that while optimal 3-betting frequencies do not increase dramatically at higher stakes (e.g. PLO 5000), calling frequencies do.

As we've discussed in the article about 3-betting in position, these solver-derived frequencies should be treated as a theoretical baseline. In practice, real opponents deviate significantly from optimal play — most commonly by 3-betting less frequently and with ranges that are heavily weighted towards AA, especially at PLO50 and below.

For now, however, we will stick to a Game Theory Optimal framework and examine how solvers suggest reacting to 3-bets when out of position.

Now, let’s compare these frequencies to situations where we are in position and face a 3-bet from the Small Blind.

Several intuitive conclusions to note are:

• When out of position, we should call less often.
• The lack of position forces us to fold more frequently to avoid difficult postflop situations with poor equity realization.
• At the same time, we are incentivized to 4-bet more often, both to deny equity and to simplify postflop play when called.

As always, rake is a factor, particularly when it comes to calling frequencies, as it disproportionately penalizes marginal OOP calls.

How to react against 3-bets when you’re out of position?

Now, let’s take a closer look at what a solid baseline strategy should look like for the main hand categories when you open and face a 3-bet from a player in position.

We will start with an Early Position vs Cutoff scenario at 100 BB, where the solver continues with a 40% calling range and a 17.6% 4-betting range, for a total of roughly 26,000 combinations.

Here's an overview of the most relevant hand categories:

AA
The strategy for Aces facing a 3-bet out of position is as straightforward as it gets — 4-bet 100% of your AA combinations.

KK
This category does not contain any pure 4-bets.
- you should continue with all AKKx combinations that include a suit to the Ace.
- all double-suited Kings continue, with the exception of the very weakest ones.
- when single-suited, look to continue only with double-paired Kings or the very best single-suited holdings (such as KKQT).

QQ
This category becomes more nuanced.
- all double-suited AQQx combinations continue.
- single-suited Queens require a suit to the Ace and an additional card that can form straights with either the Ace or the Queen.
- Queens without an Ace must be either double-suited, double-paired, or supported by strong side cards (e.g. QQJT) to continue.

Double-paired hands
If a double-paired hand is strong enough to be opened from the Early Position, it continues versus a 3-bet.

Double-suited hands
This is definitely the most challenging category.
- an Ace often becomes a liability against AA-heavy 3-betting ranges, as it reduces the likelihood of making strong two-pair hands. As a result, double-suited Axxx combinations generally require either a pair or strong connectivity to continue.
- unlike higher paired categories, this group contains a meaningful number of 4-bets (approximately 13.7%), primarily made up of the best connected combinations.
- double-suited hands without an Ace continue almost exclusively as calls, as these hands are strong enough opens to perform well even in 3-bet pots.

Now, let’s look at how the strategy changes when defending from the Cutoff against a Button 3-bet.

In this configuration, the solver recommends continuing with 56.4% of your range, split into 42.4% calls and 14% 4-bets. In absolute terms, this corresponds to roughly 33,000 calling combinations and 11,000 4-betting combinations. It is important to keep in mind that the Cutoff opening range is significantly wider, so despite similar percentages, you are defending a much larger number of hands in practice.

Let's look at an overview of the CO vs BU strategy by hand category:

AA
As in the EP vs CO scenario, all Ace combinations are pure 4-bets.

KK
Here the strategy changes slightly compared to the Early Position.
- from the Cutoff, you open much wider with Kings and end up folding roughly 50% of those holdings.
- unlike in the EP strategy, some AKKx combinations become 4-bets, while almost all single-suited Kings (and better) continue as calls versus a 3-bet.

QQ
Queens behave similarly to Kings at this positions.
- a small portion of AQQx combinations (around 3.2%) prefers to 4-bet. These hands target folds from parts of the opponent’s KK-heavy range; they have strong raw equity but are vulnerable on many flops.
- aside from these, nearly all double-suited Queens and those with reasonably connected side cards continue as calls.

Double-paired hands
As in the previous scenario, all double-paired hands that are strong enough to open are also strong enough to continue by calling.

Double-suited hands
Once again, this is the most complex and interesting category.
- when your hand contain an Ace, all three options are in play.
- approximately 20% of combinations with an Ace are folded — primarily hands with poor connectivity and low danglers, such as AK83 or A982.
- about 50.1% continue as calls, consisting of paired or reasonably connected holdings like AJ44 or AKT3.
- the remaining 29.9% are played as 4-bets, mostly the best connected combinations, such as AT87 or AT98.
- double-suited hands without an Ace continue at very high frequency: 85.7% as calls and 11.7% as 4-bets, with only 2.7% of combinations folding.

Practical Considerations

While solver outputs provide an invaluable theoretical foundation, it is crucial to remember that you are playing against human opponents who often deviate significantly from GTO.

Most player pools 3-bet less frequently than optimal and do so with ranges that are heavily skewed toward AA. This reduces the profitability and playability of hands such as double-suited Ace highs.

As a result, when in doubt with a marginal combination, folding is often the correct exploitative adjustment — especially if you expect your opponent to 3-bet tightly and play straightforwardly.

Finally, keep in mind that many solver-recommended 4-bets rely on the assumption that your opponent will fold part of their 3-betting range, particularly weaker KK combinations. Against players who never fold to 4-bets when in position, aggressive 4-betting without premium holdings loses much of its appeal.

Hopefully, this article has helped clarify the strategic considerations involved in defending against 3-bets out of position in PLO. For further insights, consider visiting our articles on 3-betting in position and reacting to 3-bets when in position.

If you would like to explore these spots in more detail, the PLO Genius app offers an extensive library of preflop solutions, including a solid selection available for free, with additional depth in higher plans.

Winter has traditionally been a strong period for online poker. More free time naturally translates into more sessions at the tables — and for many players, that also means exploring formats beyond No Limit Hold’em.

As Pot-Limit Omaha continues to grow in popularity, poker operators are steadily improving their offers for four-card players. One of them is our partner, CoinPoker, who hosted the first-ever PLO Cash Game World Championship just a few weeks ago and has now rolled out an updated mobile playing experience.

With a large portion of today’s player pool choosing to play on phones and tablets, mobile access has become essential. CoinPoker’s solution is refreshingly simple: a download-free mobile version, playable directly through all major mobile browsers.

The updated interface is clean and responsive, supports up to four tables simultaneously, and is designed to make mobile play comfortable without sacrificing functionality. Importantly, the mobile version retains everything players are familiar with from the desktop client — including crypto deposits and a wide selection of formats, from NLH and PLO to PLO5, across stakes ranging from micro to high.

As 2025 comes to a close, it’s been a strong year for PLO overall.

Our collaboration with CoinPoker has been one of the highlights for the PLO Genius team, and the new mobile experience feels like another natural step toward making Pot-Limit Omaha even more accessible.

Every poker format evolves continuously, and Pot-Limit Omaha is no exception. As players improve and strategies become more refined, the tools used to study the game must evolve alongside them. This philosophy has guided the development of PLO Genius from the start, and it is the reason behind one of the platform’s newest additions: the hand import feature.

The hand import tool is currently in beta, but even at this early stage it can meaningfully enhance your study process.

At its core, hand import is designed to do one thing well: allow you to compare decisions made in real hands with GTO-based solutions, and identify where — and by how much — your play diverged from optimal strategy.

How to import your hands

Using the feature is intentionally straightforward. You upload your own hand histories (as raw text, .txt, or .xml files), configure a few settings, and let the system match your hands to the appropriate simulation pool.

During the upload process, you can currently adjust the following options:

• Import mode (a legacy internal option that will be removed shortly)
  
• Decode format, specifying the hand history format
  
• Preferred simulation type, which determines the simulation pool used for matching
  
• Matching rake, allowing the analysis to reflect the rake structure of the game you played

You can upload any number of hand histories at once, including multiple files — the system will automatically merge them into a single dataset.

Once the upload is complete (usually within seconds for smaller batches), you’re taken to a results screen similar to the one shown below.

How to learn from the hands you’ve played?

At first glance, the amount of information can seem overwhelming, so it’s useful to look at each section separately.

On the left side of the screen, you’ll find a list of all uploaded hands. For each hand, you can see your hole cards, the board, the full action sequence, and the EV loss attributed to the hero’s decisions.

EV loss is the key metric here, as it allows you to quickly identify hands where your play diverged the most from GTO recommendations.

Let’s look at the sample hand:

In this instance, the hero holds KKT7 and squeezes after an UTG open and a CO overcall. UTG folds, CO responds with a re-raise, and the action returns to the hero, who moves all-in.

Both hero decisions are represented by bars beneath the hand:

• The upper bar corresponds to the initial squeeze, which aligns with the GTO strategy.
• The lower bar represents the all-in decision, which deviates from GTO and results in an EV loss. In this spot, calling would have been the higher-EV option.

For each decision point, you can click the Study button, which takes you directly to the relevant node in the simulation, where you can:

• Compare the EV of different actions for your exact hand
• See how other hands should be played in the same situation

The second part of the hand import tool is displayed on the right.

The right side of the screen contains a summary table covering all decisions made across the imported hands. This section shows:

• Total EV lost compared to GTO
• The number of decisions that matched GTO recommendations
• Average EV loss per hand
• Hand categories that deviated the most from optimal play
• You can further filter and group hands based on whether they were played heads-up or multiway, and by pot type (limped, single-raised, 3-bet, or 4-bet pots).

The final part of this section provides aggregated data showing EV loss by hand bucket, as well as deviations from GTO across different positions.

We’re working on both functionality and looks of the hand import!

Although the hand import tool is still in beta, it already provides actionable insight into common decision-making leaks.

Our current priorities are further improving its functionality and refining the interface to make the hand import experience clearer and more user-friendly, which is our main focus for the first quarter of 2026.

To start analyzing your own hands with hand import, upgrade to the PRO plan — full details are available on our website.

October was packed with wild PLO action — largely thanks to the Cash Game World Championship hosted by CoinPoker.

Our users asked for accurate simulations tailored to this format (no rake + ante), and we delivered. Most of last month’s work focused exactly on that.

Here’s an overview of everything new in PLO Genius as of November 14, 2025 👇

What we've added 

• preflop
  • PLO 6-max: CGWC 2025 sims for 200 BB, 3.5x open
  • PLO MTT: 9 BB & 13 BB stacks with limp strategies
  • PLO HU: 200 BB with ante using CoinPoker rake
  • PLO5 HU: 70 BB with limp; 100 BB CoinPoker ante with limp
• postflop
  • PLO 6-max: ~2,200 new SRP sims + ~500 new 3-bet sims across all positions
  • PLO HU: ~500 boards for CoinPoker 3-bet pots

New features 

• Hand import:
  • check EV vs GTO, view action stats by position and bucket
  • full hand preview and street-by-street navigation
  • fully implemented for CGWC2025 (other modes currently being tuned)
  • available in the PRO plan
  • two selectable columns: pot and pot/bb
  • All-in or Fold mode support
• Compare tool can now display hands in two modes
• Added ^ syntax for brace duplication
• Quick access to postflop sims with different rake/ante directly from the next-street modal

What we've fixed & improved 

• added extra spawning error handlers for the Trainer
• fixed SRP IP vs XR path spawning
• improved redirect flow from Trainer history
• fixed card spawning for Monker-node imports
• fixed incorrect action spawning and Trainer crashes in 4-table view
• fixed AoF postflop card spawning
• minor fixes in the Compare module
• ONE STEP Trainer:
  • no longer spawns opponent cards in AoF
  • runs faster in AoF mode
• re-enabled multitable Trainer and implemented AoF multitable fixes
• syntax fixes for <
• easier switching between limp / no-limp in sim navigation

PLO action runs around the clock online, but it’s rare for cash game players — especially PLO players — to compete for something beyond a few extra buy-ins.

Poker is, of course, about winning money — but how often do you get a chance to earn the title of the best PLO player in the world?

That’s exactly what the Cash Game World Championship: PLO Edition offers.

The PLO CGWC: by CoinPoker

The Cash Game World Championship format was created by CoinPoker, one of the fastest-growing poker platforms in recent years. The operator launched back in 2018, but its popularity has really taken off lately — thanks in part to innovative events like the CGWC.

After two editions focused on No-Limit Hold’em, it’s now PLO’s turn to take the spotlight.

The PLO CGWC Rules

The competition started on October 6th and will last until November 2nd.

Games take place on specially branded $2.50/$5 and $10/$20 PLO tables, with the leaderboard based on each player’s EV BB won.

Additionally, the format includes two unique twists:

• No rake, but each player antes 0.17 BB (which doesn’t count toward the preflop pot).
• The winner of every hand automatically reveals their cards — no matter the street!

What Are the Prizes?

It’s not just about bragging rights — the top five competitors will also take home valuable prizes:

That’s not the only free cash up for grabs! Each Sunday, five players who meet specific weekly criteria are invited to a VIP game with a $1,000 starting stack. The categories include:

• Coolest hand (fan vote on X/Twitter)
• Biggest $ loser
• Most under $EV playerMost hands played
• Highest VPIP % (6-handed, min. 2000 hands)

PLO Action Like Nowhere Else

Just days into the competition, the action is already intense. Over 600 players have joined so far, with multiple PLO500 and PLO2000 tables running at any time.

As expected, wild hands are happening non-stop — and you can watch highlights every other day on CoinPoker’s YouTube channel.

PLO Genius Proudly Supports PLO CGWC

The CGWC rules — no rake and an ante in play — significantly change the optimal strategy. Players can open wider, call more often, and overall play more hands than in standard formats.

Adapting to this setup takes time and study, which is why we’ve prepared a complete preflop library tailored to this exact structure. You can access all 6-max no-rake, 0.17 BB ante simulations now in the PLO Genius app.

What’s more, every CGWC participant who plays 10,000 hands during the event receives a 1-month PLO Genius PRO subscription, and the top finishers will earn:

• 1st–3rd Place: 1-Year PLO Genius PRO Plan
• 4th–5th Place: 1-Year PLO Genius Edge Plan

We’re just one week into the Championships, but it already looks like this will be one of the most exciting PLO months of the year!

The barbecue season is officially over (for most of our readers, at least), and we’re entering that time of year when playing poker — PLO included — becomes even more appealing. Our friends from CoinPoker clearly feel the same way: they’ve just launched the first-ever PLO Cash Game World Championship, an event that has strongly influenced our recent development work.

Here’s a quick summary of what’s new in PLO Genius as of October 8, 2025

What we've added 

• preflop
  • PLO 6-max: 100 BB vs 30 BB BTN
  • PLO HU with ante: 40 BB, 70 BB, 100 BB, 150 BB with CoinPoker rake
  • PLO5 HU with ante: 200 BB with CoinPoker rake (no limps)
  • CGWC 2025: simulations for 100 BB and 3.5 BB open (no ante)
• postflop
  • PLO 6-max: 100 BB flops for SB vs CO

Other Improvements 

• separated default rendering options for 4-card and 5-card buckets
• added tooltips with stats in aggregated report buckets
• added the ability to sort Concept View by EV (option available via the cog above the table)

What we've fixed 

• results tab not displaying correctly
• rank syntax for < and >
• updated sim configs for cached stats used in Trainer
• rendering and performance issues for Compare Buckets
• ante display on table
• syntax handling for combinations like 45< JJ> — now also works as a prefix (>JJ, >45)

We’ve built PLO Genius to make studying Pot Limit Omaha as straightforward as possible. Still, given the game’s complexity, the amount of data and options can sometimes feel overwhelming.

To help you get started, we’ve prepared two short tutorials designed to make navigating the app easier and help new users quickly get the most out of its features.

Tutorial #1 – Preflop

Learn how to input data, explore available preflop solutions, and use the training tools to practice what you’ve studied.

Click here to watch preflop tutorial on YouTube.

Tutorial #2 – Postflop

See how to adjust additional settings, find specific spots or solutions, and study postflop play effectively.

Click here to watch postflop tutorial on YouTube.

Most PLO players tend to avoid 3-betting out of position unless they hold a premium hand (namely AA combos). That’s understandable - developing a coherent strategy takes preparation, and playing big pots OOP is always challenging.

As a result, you’ll face 3-bets from the Small and Big Blind less often than theory suggests. Still, they remain an essential part of the game - and so does knowing how to react to them.

Thanks to positional advantage, playing as the preflop caller in a 3-bet pot is relatively straightforward compared to being out of position. Even so, it’s a spot worth examining in detail.

Theoretical vs Expected 3-Bet Frequencies from the OOP Player

As we’ve discussed in our article on out-of-position 3-bets, the overall 3-bet frequencies from the blinds are somewhat similar. However, since the Small Blind gains more from 3-betting, we’ll focus on playing against that position here.

Let’s start with looking at the theory; below you will find the PLO Genius recommendations for Small Blind 3-bet ranges versus different opening positions:

As we’ve mentioned, your average opponent will likely 3-bet less frequently than theory prescribes. That’s good news - it allows you to realize more of the expected value from your marginal hands.

Still, to build a solid theoretical foundation, let’s assume for a moment that your opponent is playing close to Game Theory Optimal - or that you’re training with the PLO Genius Trainer.

So, what do the optimal frequencies versus an out-of-position 3-bet look like?

As you can see, against a properly wide 3-betting range, there’s relatively little folding and a fair amount of 4-betting (we’ll dive deeper into the exact 4-bet construction in a separate article).

One necessary clarification: the calling frequencies are always relative to the opening ranges.

• For example, if you open UTG and then call an SB 3-bet, a calling frequency of 60.9% translates to roughly 27K combos.
• On the other hand, if you open from the Button, a similar calling frequency of 64% equals nearly 83K combos - a much larger and quite different set of hands in practice.

This difference comes from the fact that your initial opening ranges vary greatly by position:

• UTG: ~45K combos
• Button: ~130K combos

Although the percentages may appear comparable, the actual ranges behind them are significantly different.

Reacting to 3-Bets in Position: When to Call, Fold, or 4-Bet

As you’ve probably noticed, an average PLO player folds very little in position versus a 3-bet, usually defaulting to calling. The power of positional advantage in PLO allows many players to “get away with it,” but you’ll do much better by adopting a disciplined approach when weighing your options against an out-of-position 3-bet.

Keep in mind that most opponents will have ranges that are too AA-heavy compared to what theory suggests. That means the theoretical GTO calling ranges are wider than what you should do in practice.

Let’s look at the overall principles of how your strategy should be constructed versus a Small Blind 3-bet.

Playing in Early Position Versus a Small Blind 3-Bet

When in early position, your range should remain tight and well-structured.

• 4-Bets: Almost all of your 4-bets here come from AAxx hands.
• Kings and Queens: AKKx and AQQx hands can usually continue if they’re suited, especially with the Ace-high suit.
  Kings without an Ace are mainly continued when they’re double-suited or double-paired.
• Double-paired and double-suited hands are excellent continues. If they’re strong enough to open in EP, they’re usually strong enough to call a 3-bet.
• Among the weakest hands you can still continue with are those that have an Ace-high suit combined with some additional playable component, such as a pair, or the best single-suited connected hands like KJT8.

Remember, when in doubt with borderline hands, err on the side of folding - since most real-life opponents are under-3-betting, your discipline will save you money long term.

Playing on the Button Versus a Small Blind 3-Bet

The biggest difference from EP play shows up in the 4-betting frequency.

• From the Button, theory recommends ~9% of 4-bets compared to ~14.1% when you’re in Early Position. In raw numbers, that’s ~11.7K combos versus ~6.4K combos from EP.
  Much of this increase comes from hands like AQQx (which unblock potential KKxx 3-bet/folds and play relatively well versus hands calling 4-bets) and from well connected double-suited hands with an Ace.

In addition to 4-betting more, you can also call wider:

• Broadway Connectivity: Continue with a variety of well-connected broadway hands, such as QQJ9ss, KQQ5ss, or even mid-pairs with connectivity like 9766ss and 8775ss.
• Ace-High Non-Nut Suits: Hands such as AJT7, AQJ9, or A543 can also be continued, even when the suit you have is not to the nuts.

As we've mentioned earlier, remain mindful of opponent tendencies. Calling too wide without a nut component can put you in tough spots against AA-heavy ranges - which will often hit nut flush draws, weakening your own draws.

Remain Vigilant

As always, your in-position strategy versus 3-bets should be well thought out and adaptable. Against most opponents, you can - and should - fold more than GTO recommends, since you’ll often be facing stronger-than-theoretical ranges. At the same time, don’t hesitate to leverage your positional advantage when you expect your opponent to make significant postflop mistakes.

To sharpen your overall PLO instincts, practice with the PLO Genius Trainer. It will help you:

• Recognize which hands should continue in different spots
• Compare hand strengths within your range
• Train disciplined responses against realistic opponent tendencies

As summer winds down, online poker action is heating up again — so it’s the perfect time to sharpen your skills and stay ahead of your opponents with the help of PLO Genius.

Here’s a quick summary of our latest updates as of September 4, 2025:

What we've added 

• preflop
  • PLO MTT: 20 BB & 50BB stack depth with 2.5 BB open sizing and 0.125 ante
• postflop
  • PLO 6-max: 100 BB - 2100+ flops, 2200+ turns & 172K+ rivers
  • PLO HU: 100 BB - 4200+ turns & 383K+ rivers; 50 BB - 8 flops
  • PLO5 6-max: 100 BB - 35 flops, 1400+ turns & 114K+ rivers

New features 

• buckets and charts are now cached in config — significantly speeding up loading and display times in PLO5 simulations.
• nodes can now be imported by pasting text.

What we've fixed 

• improved URL sharing reliability
• better handling of rare errors
• correct display of shared Monker node names
• performance improvements in the Concept view table
• mobile menu fixes when switching between postflop simulations

Additionally, we’ve just launched our brand-new homepage - cleaner, faster, and packed with all the key info about PLO Genius.

Check it out and let us know what you think - we’d love to hear your feedback on our Discord.