PLO starting hand rankings

By this equity measure, the strongest PLO starting hand is A-A-T-T double-suited at 71.5% against a random hand, and the top five are all double-suited aces with a pair: A-A-T-T (71.5%), A-A-J-J (71.2%), A-A-Q-Q (70.9%), A-A-5-5 (70.8%), A-A-9-9 (70.7%). A-A-K-K double-suited is 6th by equity. At the other end, quad deuces ranks last at 9.2%. The full equity ladder is in the CSV below.

89 of the top 100 hold at least two aces; the best non-AA hand is K-K-T-T double-suited at #34. Suit tags: ds = double-suited (2-2), ss = single-suited (2-1-1). Combos = concrete deals in the class (the suit arrangement shown is the class representative).

Double-suit is worth 5-6 equity points over rainbow on premium ranks, and it moves A-A-K-K from rank 334 to rank 6. Note the monotone column: four of one suit ranks BELOW single-suited (you burn your own flush outs), and a rainbow T-9-8-7 rundown is a below-average hand at 47.0%.

The spread is tight by design: the top 1% boundary sits at 66.2% and the median at 49.6%. PLO preflop equities cluster, which is why position and playability decide so much of the money.

PLO4 deals 270,725 distinct four-card combinations. Merge the hands that differ only by suit relabeling and 16,432 classes remain - not 16,384, which circulates online as a misquoted power of two. The bottom of the ladder is a staircase of four-of-a-kind holdings: 7-2-2-2 (20.9%), 5-5-5-5 (19.0%), 4-4-4-4 (15.5%), 3-3-3-3 (12.3%), 2-2-2-2 (9.2%). Quad deuces can never make a set, never use more than two of its cards, and blocks its own outs - a very weak Omaha starting hand.

Equity against one random hand measures showdown strength for that matchup, not what to open from a particular seat. Use these rankings to compare the cards and suit structures. For a seat-specific decision, study the verified first-in ranges in the trainer or the charts.

Built by Adam, the developer of SolvePoker. Corrections welcome: contact.

What is the best starting hand in PLO?

By equity against one random hand: A-A-T-T double-suited at 71.5% (400,000-trial simulation). A-A-K-K double-suited is 6th by this measure at 70.7%. Equity alone does not determine the best action from a particular seat.

How many starting hands are there in PLO?

270,725 four-card combinations, which collapse to 16,432 distinct classes once suits that play identically are merged. The "16,384" figure sometimes quoted online is a misreading (2 to the 14th power); the correct class count is 16,432.

How much is double-suited worth in PLO?

For premium ranks, about 5-6 points of raw equity over rainbow: A-A-K-K goes 70.7% double-suited, 67.9% single-suited, 65.1% rainbow - falling from rank 6 to rank 334. For a middle rundown like T-9-8-7 the double-suit is the difference between an above-average hand (53.2%) and a below-average one (47.0% rainbow).

What is the worst starting hand in PLO?

Quad deuces: 2-2-2-2 has 9.2% equity against one random hand. In Omaha you must use exactly two hole cards; holding all four deuces blocks any board deuce and leaves very few ways to improve. The five lowest-equity classes are all four-of-a-kind holdings.

Does equity rank tell me which hands to open?

No. Equity against one random hand measures showdown strength under that matchup. Opening decisions also depend on position, opponents, and the strategy being studied. Use the seat-specific opening ranges in the trainer.