Ruy Chao Shares PLO Tips for Beginners and His Poker Journey

Ruy Chao, a 24-year-old French poker professional, has made a significant impact in the online poker scene. In May 2011, he won $2,000,000 in 35,000 hands, but also lost around $800,000 to Patrick Antonius in a single session. His journey in poker began in June 2006 when he started playing with friends. He quickly became engrossed in the game, drawn to its similarities with computer games, which require constant competition, analysis, and resilience.

Ruy Chao's rise through the limits was swift. He made his first deposit of $50 under the nickname 'Gohanounet' in September 2007 and within three months, he was playing NLH $5/10. By the end of 2008, he had joined Team Limpers, a group of French high rollers who significantly aided his development. In 2009, he transitioned to PLO, which became his main game, although he occasionally plays NLH in live settings. Currently, he plays PLO from $25/50 to $100/200, and sometimes higher if the game is good.

Ruy Chao offers valuable advice for beginners in PLO. He emphasizes the importance of strong starting hands and avoiding loose play, as the expectations of starting hands in PLO are not as straightforward as in NLH. He also highlights the significance of aggressive draw play and the value of nut draws in PLO. When asked about challenging opponents, he mentions Phil Galfond, Scott Palmer, Ben Tollerene, and Alexey Makarov, noting their ability to adapt to their opponents' games. Ruy Chao prefers deep stack play and avoids short stack play, finding it unfair to play short stacked against opponents with larger stacks. He advises players to accept downswings as part of poker and adjust their limits accordingly to avoid significant financial losses.