Do you know how to play variety of poker variations? Do you want to elevate your strength in playing mixed variant poker? If this is you, then H.O.R.S.E. Poker can be a neat game for you to learn.
It is recommended though that if you are starting H.O.R.S.E. player, you have to start playing low limit H.O.R.S.E. for a few times before you more up to medium or high limit games.
It will help to know that H.O.R.S.E. is the acronym of Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo. Thus, if you want to play H.O.R.S.E. poker, you have to know enough playing knowledge of each of these variants. In this page, we will give you some guide in playing H.O.R.S.E..
It will need to be reiterated in this case that if you want to play H.O.R.S.E. you have to have knowledge in all of the individual poker variations involved in this game.
Now, let us move on.
Rules of H.O.R.S.E. Poker
• H.O.R.S.E. is usually played a fixed limit game even in high stakes poker game. H.O.R.S.E. is played fixed limit even up to as high as $2,000-$4000.
• The individual games are played one after the other as one complete cycle. The rotation starts from Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo (Eight or Better).
• In H.O.R.S.E., the button or the dealer position rotates clockwise to all the players moving after every cycle of the game. Thus, the dealer on the Texas Hold’em will keep the button until the last game in cycle. Then, the disc will move to the player on the left of the dealer in the next cycle and every cycle of the game.
• Limit increases after every several cycles. Take advantage of the lower limit cycles to get the feel of the game as you prepare for the higher limits.
• The best 5-card hand in every game wins the pot.
How to Play H.O.R.S.E.?
1. The first player who has the white disk called the button is the dealer in the first round.
2. The first game is fixed limit Texas Hold’em. Texas Hold’em is played with blinds and thus before any card is dealt, the small blind and the big blind posts the forced bet or blind.
3. The dealer now deals two hole cards to each player starting from the player in his left. The first betting round will now happen.
4. The dealer will now deal the community cards starting from the flop (3 cards), the turn and the river. Each set will be followed by a betting round.
5. At showdown, the best 5-card hand wins the pot.
6. The game now moves to Omaha Hi/Lo. This is another Hold’em poker variant but this time, players will be dealt four hole cards but they can only develop their high and low hand using exactly two hole cards combining it with the board cards.
7. Again, community cards will be dealt followed by betting rounds.
8. The best high 5-card hand wins half of the pot and the best low 5-card hand wins the other half. However, because players have four hole cards and need to play only 2 of those cards in either high or low, it is possible that only one player wins the entire pot.
9. The game now moves to Razz. Razz is a stud poker variation, some players who are good in Hold’em do not fair well in this game. If this is you, you may opt to fold your hand when you feel it is uncomfortable. However, it may be worthy noting that the rest of the poker variants from Razz are all stud poker variations.
10. The dealer now deal three cards to each player, 2 card face down and 1 card face up.
11. The lowest face up card starts by paying the bring it in bet. Then the dealer will deal the fourth street to the seventh street each followed by a betting round. This time, betting would come from the player with the best partial hand showing on the table.
12. The lowest 5-card hand wins the pot in Razz.
13. The game will not move to Seven Card Stud with the same dealer dealing the card.
14. Each player again dealt 3 cards: 2 face down cards and 1 face up card. The highest face up card will pay the bring it in bet then the first betting round follows. The fourth street to the seventh street are dealt and each followed by a betting round.
15. The best 5-card hand wins the pot.
16. Finally, before the dealer button moves to the left, Eight or Better, a low Seven Cards Stud Poker variant will be dealt.
17. Each player will be dealt three cards followed by a betting round. Then, the fourth street to the seventh street will be dealt each followed by betting rounds. Again, the best low 5-card hand wins the pot.
18. After the entire cycle, the button will move to the left, and then cycle two will start over again.
This is a simple tutorial for H.O.R.S.E. poker. However, playing H.O.R.S.E. often may help you bet better and therefore prepare you to higher limit games.
There are other cool and exciting mixed poker variations, we will discuss these next.
