Quick Guide: “HORSE” Poker

The intention of this guide is to help people who are starting out in the HORSE “modality”, with basic tips that can be used even during a tournament.

HORSE is a mixed poker game, consisting of five poker games. Because of the need to master five different types of poker, HORSE tournaments are among those that require the highest level of skill.

Below is a list of HORSE games, in the order they are played:

1. Hold'em (Texas Hold'em)
2. THEmaha High-Low
3. Razz (Seven card stud low)
4. Stud High (Seven card stud high)
5. ANDight-or-better (Seven card stud high/low)

Normally, the change of mode occurs over time, and can be with or without an increase in the blinds. In most cases, the games are limit games.

1. Hold'em

1.1 Basic concepts

If you're reading this article, you've probably already mastered the rules of Texas Hold'em, so we won't repeat them here.

It is worth noting that the biggest difference you may notice is the fact that HORSE is generally played “with limit”. Therefore, you can at most double your opponent’s bet, and even then only four raises are allowed at each stage of the hand.

1.2 Quick Tips for Limit Hold'em

If the game is “limit”, avoid making the wrong call with bad draws, or making other questionable calls simply because it’s “just another bet”. If you make these mistakes, you’ll slowly chip away at your stack.

Bluffs will have much less value than in no-limit games, since it is much easier for your opponent to call your bets. Semi-bluffs, on the other hand, can be very useful, especially when you have a good draw.

2. Omaha High-Low

2.1 Basic concepts

Omaha high-low has the same dynamics as Hold'em, with three major differences:

• You receive four cards instead of two;
• You must use two cards (of your choice) from the four you receive to form each hand;
• You can win by having the best “HIGH” hand or the best “LOW” hand.

There are two possibilities in an Omaha high-low hand:

2.2 Quick Tips for Omaha High Limit

If limit Hold'em has a lot of showdowns, limit Omaha Hi-Lo tends to have even more, since the pots can grow and folding a big pot on the river becomes more difficult. Therefore, you will need hands with good value.

The best Omaha High-Low hands are those in which you can form the best HIGH and the best LOW hands simultaneously. For example: :As :2s :Ah :Kh

Hands that are great for HIGH should be played even if they have no possibility of LOW, for example: :Ks :Qs :Kh :Qh

Hands that are only good for LOW should generally be avoided, as they will probably only be competing for half the pot. For example: :Ah :2d :4c :6s

3. Razz (Seven card stud low)

3.1 Basic concepts

Razz is a stud game, known as open poker, but the hand that wins is the MINOR hand. In other words, the worst poker hand wins the pot.

In this mode, players are dealt seven cards during the hand, but only the best five-card combination will be used to determine the winner. Suits and straights do not count as games, and the Ace counts as the lowest card. Unlike Omaha High-Low, here any hand is considered, and not just those with cards lower than or equal to 8.

Below are some examples of Razz hands, from worst to best:

• “5 4 3 3 2” – has a pair, which makes the hand much worse
• “KQJ 9 5” – no hand made, but a bad Razz hand because it has high cards
• “Q 4 3 2 A” – despite having four low cards, the queen significantly worsens the quality of the hand.
• “9 8 7 6 4” – would beat the top hand
• “5 4 3 2 A” – best possible Razz hand (remember that sequences and suits do not influence this mode)

Start: Each player pays one ante and receives two hole cards and one hole card. The player with the highest visible card starts by placing the “Bring in” bet (mandatory bet) and can fold, check or raise. The other players, clockwise from the “bring in” bet, can fold, call or raise. (There is no small blind or big blind) – Note: if there is a tie in determining the “bring in,” the tiebreaker is made by the suits, in the following order (highest to lowest): spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs.

Fourth Street: Now another open card is dealt to each player. From now on, the first to speak will always be the one with the lowest value exposed cards (i.e. the best Razz hand visible on the table). He can check or bet. The round continues clockwise. The bet will be a small bet from the table ($1 in $1/$2, for example).

Fifth Street and Sixth Street: in these two rounds, each player receives another open card, and it happens the same as in Fourth Street, but the standard bet becomes a big bet from the table ($2 in $1/$2, for example)

Seventh Street: in the last round a new card is dealt to each player, but this time face down. The sequence is the same as in the previous Street.
If two or more players have the same hand value, the pot is divided equally between the players. There is no difference between suits when allocating the pot.

3.2 Quick Tips for Razz

Starting Hands. The best hands are those with cards between ace and five (without any pairs or three of a kind, of course!). A23 is the best possible hand.
Opponents' upcards. Compare your hand to your opponents' upcards. If you have an advantage, bet. Also check if your draws are being hampered by cards that have already appeared in your opponents' hands.

Know how to fold. There are five rounds of betting, so stop investing in bad hands because your chips will be eaten away without much use.
Bluffs. It is possible to steal the pot or take it down with a bluff if your exposed cards are better than your opponents'. However, if the pot is already large, it may be harder for your opponents to fold.

4. Stud High (Seven card stud high)

4.1 Basic concepts

The game works exactly the same way as Razz, but now the best poker hand wins and the “Bring in” player is defined by the lowest card (instead of the highest, in the case of Razz).

4.2 Quick Tips for Stud High

Starting Hands. The best hands are those with a high pair or three of a kind (the best possible hand is “AAA”). Hands with three straights (“JQK”, for example) or three flushes (“:As:Js:Ts”, for example) are good, but should be played with caution. In the case of a flush draw, pay attention to your opponents’ open cards.

See also Razz's tips, which apply in part to other Stud games.

5. Eight-or-better (Seven card stud high/low)

5.1 Basic concepts

Eight-or-better is a stud game, which works on the same structure as Razz and Stud, but which can have a HIGH hand and a LOW hand – similar to Omaha High-Low.

5.2 Quick Tips for Eight-or-better high/low

Starting Hands. Prefer to invest in starting hands with the potential to win the entire pot (HIGH and LOW), such as AA2, AK3. Strong hands only for HIGH should also be played. Avoid playing hands that will probably only compete for the LOW pot.

Open Cards. From the open cards on the table, you can infer the chances of the hand having a valid LOW play. This can make all the difference in your decisions. In addition, recalculate your chances of improving your hand with each round.

Summary Table for HORSE (by PokerDicas.com)

Use the table below for quick reference if you need it:

cf – closed letter(s) cc – community letter(s) ca – open letter

NOTE: if the format is “limit” (the most common), the phases above in bold use the big bet ($2 if the table is $1/$2 for example).