A double-board bomb pot is one of the easiest mixed-poker formats to introduce to a regular Hold’em or PLO table. Everyone contributes before the hand, two boards are dealt, and the pot is divided between the winning hand on each board.
Basic double-board bomb pot rules
- Every player contributes the agreed bomb-pot amount.
- Players receive their normal number of hole cards for the chosen game.
- There is usually no standard preflop betting round.
- Two flops are dealt.
- Betting begins according to the game’s agreed structure.
- Two turns and then two rivers are dealt.
- At showdown, each board is evaluated separately.
- Half the pot goes to the winner of Board 1 and half to the winner of Board 2.
What does “scoop” mean?
If the same player has the best hand on both boards, that player wins the entire pot. Mixed-game players call this a scoop.
What if different players win each board?
The pot is split. If Player A wins the top board and Player B wins the bottom board, each normally receives half of the total pot.
What if a board is tied?
That board’s share is divided between the tied players. If Board 1 is tied between two players, they each receive one quarter of the full pot while the Board 2 winner receives one half.
House rules to agree before you deal
- How much does every player contribute?
- Hold’em, PLO, five-card PLO or another base game?
- Are both flops exposed before the first betting round?
- How is an odd chip handled?
- How are side pots split?
- How often is the bomb pot played?
A simple example
Six players each put $5 into the middle, creating a $30 pot before post-flop betting. At showdown, Alice wins the first board and Ben wins the second. Ignoring later betting for the example, each receives $15. If Alice wins both boards, she receives the full $30.
The arithmetic is simple. The strategy is not.