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Multi-board and bomb pots

Octopus poker rules

4 Cards / 3 Boards / Omaha Rules

Hole cards
4
Board
3 community boards
Betting
Pot-Limit
Players
2-7 players
Pot
High hand
Family
Multi-board and bomb pots

What is Octopus?

Octopus is the Omaha version of Squid: four private cards, three community boards dealt side by side, and the lowest river board eliminated before river betting.

Elimination compares only the three river card ranks, with suits ignored and the Ace high. All tied-lowest boards are eliminated; when all three rivers tie, every board survives.

Each surviving board is evaluated separately with exactly two hole cards plus three board cards, and each eligible pot is divided equally among the survivors. Pot-Limit, 2-7 players.

Starting cards

4 private cards. 3 community boards.

How to play

  1. Preflop betting.
  2. Deal three flops, then flop betting.
  3. Deal three turns, then turn betting.
  4. Deal three rivers and resolve board elimination.
  5. River betting on the surviving boards, then showdown.

Board elimination

Elimination resolves BEFORE river betting. Compare ONLY the three river card ranks; suits do not matter and Ace is high.

The lowest river board is eliminated: 2 / 8 / K eliminates the 2 board. All tied-lowest boards are eliminated: 2 / 2 / K leaves only K.

If all three tie (8 / 8 / 8), no board is eliminated: ALL BOARDS SURVIVE.

Showdown

Use EXACTLY 2 hole cards + EXACTLY 3 community cards from the evaluated board. You cannot play the board or use 1, 3, or 4 hole cards.

Pot distribution

Each eligible pot is divided equally among surviving boards. Evaluate each board separately; a player can win multiple shares or tie.

Hand rankings in Octopus

High Hand

  1. Royal Flush
  2. Straight Flush
  3. Four of a Kind
  4. Full House
  5. Flush
  6. Straight
  7. Three of a Kind
  8. Two Pair
  9. One Pair
  10. High Card

Royal Flush is the highest possible Ace-high Straight Flush.

Common mistakes

  • Using one or three hole cards on a board: every surviving board needs exactly two hole cards plus exactly three cards from that board.
  • Judging elimination by suits or by the strongest board: only the river card ranks decide, and the lowest goes.
  • Assuming one board always survives alone: ties eliminate every tied-lowest board, and a three-way tie keeps all three.
  • Mixing cards between boards: boards are never combined.
  • PLO Bomb Pot

    PLO Bomb Pot has two boards that always pay and no preflop betting; Octopus has three boards, normal preflop betting and river elimination.

  • Squid

    Squid deals two hole cards with Hold'em showdown on each surviving board; Octopus deals four with Omaha showdown.

See how Octopus lines up against every other game in the poker variants comparison table.

Octopus FAQ

How many hole cards and boards does Octopus use?

Four private cards and three community boards. Each surviving board is played Omaha-style with exactly two hole cards plus three board cards.

When is a board eliminated?

After the three rivers are dealt and before river betting. Compare only the river card ranks, Ace high; the lowest board is eliminated, tied-lowest boards are all eliminated, and a three-way tie keeps every board.

How is the Octopus pot divided?

Each eligible pot is divided equally among the surviving boards, each evaluated separately. A player can win multiple shares or tie.