Horse Poker Betting
HORSE is a mixed poker betting game that is gaining popularity at online poker sites. HORSE is actually an acronym standing for the poker games involved in the rotation, including Holdem, Omaha Hi, Razz, Stud, and Eight-or-Better (sometimes referred to as Stud Hi Lo).
Best Poker Sites For Horse Games
In HORSE poker online, the play at the table rotates between each of these games. There are a few variations on HORSE, such as HOSE and HO, in which fewer game types are used. In HOSE, Razz is eliminated, while in HO, only Holdem and Omaha are played. The exact rules and procedures used in all mixed online poker betting games vary depending the poker websites you choose to play at for real money.
How To Bet On HORSE Poker Games
Regardless of the poker site you choose for HORSE poker games online, you can expect certain conventions to be followed. These conventions dictate the ways in which you'll cycle through the game types, and whether any game types will be left out. The basic betting rules for playing HORSE poker are as follows:
- The players decide whether they'd like to keep all five game types intact or remove one or more of the games from play. This rule generally only applies to home games and some live casinos, as game types will likely be predetermined in an online poker betting room. This is especially true of online HORSE tournaments, where the game types will always be set in stone prior to the date of the tournament.
- Each poker game type is played through a full rotation. This means that each player at the table will be in possession of the dealer button for one hand, at which point the HORSE game moves to a new game type.
- When HORSE moves to the Stud, the dealer button continues to move around the table as in any poker game. This important to note, since Stud normally has a static dealer for the entire game.
- A sign is normally displayed to indicate the current game type being played.
- Players are normally expected to stay active in a HORSE game for all game types. Although many online poker sites don't have rules against temporarily sitting out of any cash games, the best practice according to common poker etiquette is to play through all five game types.
In some instances, HORSE poker betting games will switch between game types on every hand. Many players feel that this rule variant reduces the game's cohesion, while others enjoy the fast changes of pace.
HORSE Poker Betting Rules
Poker games generally use one of three betting structures: No Limit, Fixed Limit or Pot Limit. For simplicity's sake, most HORSE poker games use one of these limit types throughout all five game variants. The No Limit betting structure is best suited to Texas Holdem betting, and can make for excessively wild play in other game types. For this reason, HORSE poker is usually played with a Fixed Limit or No Limit betting structure.
In a Fixed Limit poker game, bets can only be made in preset increments. In early betting rounds, the increment is known as the small bet, which is the value of the big blind posted at the beginning of each hand by the player two seats from the dealer.
In later betting rounds, the betting increment changes to the big bet. The big bet is double the size of the small bet. The small bet and big bet amounts are usually announced at the beginning of each HORSE poker game, and are included in the name of the table itself. For example, you might see a game with a name such as HORSE $3 / $6. In this game, the small bet and big bet will be $3 / $6, respectively.
A Pot Limit HORSE poker game at online poker betting sites allows for more betting options on the part of the players. In a Pot Limit betting structure, the small bet is still equivalent to the value of the big blind. However, the maximum betting limit is equivalent to the current worth of the pot. This allows for faster growing pots and higher potential levels of action on each hand.
HORSE Poker Hand Rankings
Hand rankings in HORSE poker betting games depend entirely on the game being played. Holdem, Omaha and Stud rules dictate that the player with the highest poker hand wins. In Razz, the lowest poker hand wins. In Eight-or-Better, the pot is split between the player with the highest hand and the player with the lowest.
Poker hand rankings, from best to worst, are listed for Holdem, Omaha, Stud and the Hi pot of Eight-or-Better below:
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- One Pair
- High Card
Entirely different hand rankings are used to determine the relative value of hands during the showdown in Razz and the Lo portion of Eight-or-Better. In both of those games, Ace - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 is the best possible low hand. Hands are evaluated starting with the highest card. For example, a hand with a 7 as the highest card will always lose to a hand with a 6 as the highest card.
HORSE Poker Game Variations
As mentioned previously, variations on HORSE usually involve one or some of the game types being removed. Depending on the online poker site you choose, you may find tables dedicated to HO or HOSE in addition to HORSE. In some instances, you might be able to collaborate with your fellow players to choose which games you'd like to leave out of the rotation before HORSE poker begins.
HORSE Poker Betting Strategy
In order to successfully play HORSE poker betting games, it is imperative to fully understand the rules of each game type being played. This is because HORSE poker usually moves from one game type to the next with little hesitation, and players aren't given the chance to refresh their understanding of the rules before a new hand in a new game type suddenly begins.
Many players who try HORSE poker for the first time go into the game with a thorough understanding of Holdem and perhaps Omaha or Stud, and only a flimsy comprehension of Razz and Eight-or-Better, simply because those game types are more rare. This is especially true at low to mid-stakes HORSE poker betting games. You can take advantage of these players by perfecting your knowledge of all five game types, which will allow you to take pots more easily during the more unusual games.
The basic strategies for all five game types used in HORSE poker have one crucial thing in common. To maximize your chances of succeeding and making money, you should practice tight-aggressive poker. This basically comes down to aggressively raising when you have a premium hand, and folding everything that isn't a premium hand. This will allow you to capitalize on your good luck when you receive an excellent starting hand, while minimizing the effect of bad luck when you receive poor hole cards.