H.O.R.S.E. The Best Game To Learn The Most Popular Poker Variations - SPL Poker 101 Lesson # 2
What is H.O.R.S.E.
Well H.O.R.S.E. is an acronym for a poker game that uses different game variations during each round. Playing H.O.R.S.E. is an excellent way to learn the most popular poker variations.
- H - Holdem
- O - Omaha hi/lo
- R - Razz (seven card stud low)
- S - Stud (seven card stud high)
- E - Eight or better (seven card stud hi/lo)
How To Play
The game is played as one round of each variation. It starts with fixed limit Hold'em, then follows through this order: fixed limit Omaha hi/lo, Razz (seven card stud low), Seven Card Stud (high only), and finally Seven Card Stud hi/lo.
After the Seven Card Stud hi/lo round is complete, the game goes back to the fixed limit Hold'em, and so on.
When the players change from Omaha hi/lo to Razz, the button is stopped. This way, when the game switches back to Hold'em (after Seven Card Stud hi/lo), nobody skips blinds, or pays extra blinds.
All the games in H.O.R.S.E. are played fixed Limit - there are no pot limit or no limit games. The limits (such as $10/$20) are kept the same throughout the entire process, and you play $10/$20 fixed limit Hold'em, then $10/$20 fixed limit Omaha hi/lo, and so forth.
What is Holdem
Photo coutesy of : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_hold_%27em
What is Omaha hi/lo
Photo coutesy of : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_hold_%27em
What is Razz
Photo coutesy of : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razz_(poker)
What is Stud
Photo coutesy of : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven-card_stud#Variants
Photo coutesy of : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven-card_stud#Variants
What is Eight or better
Photo coutesy of : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stud_poker#Eight-or-better_high-low_stud
Well folks, that is a wrap for lesson # 2. H.O.R.S.E. is a popular game among most pros who get tired of playing nothing but Holdem. I think if you were to give H.O.R.S.E. a try, you may discover a game that you enjoy just as much as Holdem, maybe even enjoy a little more.
All poker strategy opinions are mine, and do not represent any person, or poker site. Why you may want to listen to me? Have I won uber amounts of cash playing poker? NOPE. BUT, I have lost uber amounts of cash playing poker. And there are plenty of people out there who tell you how to play, I am here to tell you how NOT to play.
Wish these games ran more. In NL and PLO, you can slowly grind your way up through the limits and become one of the best in the world. In some of the mixed games you either have to play really low stakes or really high stakes, and none of the low stakes games prepare you for facing the best players, and learning in that game is an expensive lesson.
Would be down for some mixed game events if you guys ran those in the steemit leagues :)
We just started a ring game up today for HORSE, will work in a tourney soon.
Actually prefer the ring game!
Its called 10game, there are more games than in HORSE, added is Omaha, Omaha H/L in fix limit, pot limit and no limit variants
My best friend actually won the first 10 game bracelet at the WSOP.
To be honest I'm not a huge fan of specifically 10 game, I think Badugi is a completely worthless. I love 8 game, used to play it as my main game for a while, and want to put more time into NL 2-7 single draw, but yea, just hate Badugi.
I hate 2-7 draw and I dont like Badugi, I love Omaha H/L and Stud H/L. I love 10 game because its mix of my love games and hate games, which I will never play on my own. It force me teach strategy on my hate games.
Great informative Article Tuck I already feel enlighted
Upvoted & RESTEEMED!
I like Razz, never have had a clue where to play it!
I like PLO these days.
@tuck-fheman I can donate some pokerstars playmoney to you, I have about 5M
I can give you 3.5M or so. Just let me know.
The issue is they only allow 1,000 chips per day per player to another player. So far everyone's gotten around it OK.
Really, I did not know, okay :-)