HORSE

The Rolls Royce of Poker

Thursday, May 21, 2009, PhillyDave (Dave Edwards)

If No Limit Hold 'em is the Cadillac of Poker, then H.O.R.S.E. has got to be the Rolls Royce. A game played mainly by high rollers with big bank rolls and skills that run the gambit of poker games, H.O.R.S.E. takes a considerable amount of ...Read more...

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*Text		<p>If No Limit Hold 'em is the Cadillac of Poker, then H.O.R.S.E. has got to be the Rolls Royce. A game played mainly by high rollers with big bank rolls and skills that run the gambit of poker games, H.O.R.S.E. takes a considerable amount of poker knowledge combined with a strong mental game.</p><p>In a H.O.R.S.E. poker game or tournament event, the kind of poker played in each round varies -- in this case, the five games are:<span> </span></p><p> </p><p>H: Hold 'em</p><p>O: Omaha 8 or Better</p><p>R: Razz</p><p>S: 7-Stud-Hi</p><p>E: 7-Stud 8 or Better</p><p> </p><p>Typically in a H.O.R.S.E. tournament, the game changes after every round, and they are usually of the limit variety. H.O.R.S.E. has been said to be the last pure game in poker. It is the only game that consistently sees professionals making the money, and the final table at the World Series of Poker, like the inaugural $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event at the WSOP won by the late Chip Reese in 2006. This is because many people do not yet know all of the games that you need to master to become a proficient H.O.R.S.E. player. The pros have an advantage having years of experience in each of the 5 games played.</p><p> </p><p>Everyone has their own strategy when it comes to H.O.R.S.E.. The majority of poker players these days are No Limit players, so the hold 'em section of the tournament(usually played in a limit format) is where they attempt to make their chip stacks. This opens up the door to players with more knowledge in the other games to wait out the hold 'em round and strike when the game changes, and the more well-rounded poker skill decreases.</p><p> </p><p>Omaha 8 or Better, is a split pot game in which players are dealt 4 cards, and must use 2 of them to make their best high hand, and their best low hand. In this case, the best low hand would be A,2,3,4,5. This is a game that can see a lot of swings and also a lot of missed draws. Many Amateurs will chase the low hand to try to catch half the pot, but in split pot games, the low is never guaranteed. Since you must use two cards from your hand, that means you are relying on the board to have 3 cards 8 or lower, that don't pair your low cards. This is the trap that many people fall into because while you are searching for a low hand, someone else may already have a high hand and without the board's help, will take all the chips you just dumped into the pot waiting for that 3 to fall on the river. As in most poker games, my particular advice would be, don't chase. A made hand will always get you more chips with less frustration since you don't have to hope for cards on the turn and the river.</p><p> </p><p>Razz is a 7 card stud variety in which players attempt to make their best low hand 8 or better. In any 8 or better game, flushes and straights do not count, so once again A,2,3,4,5 would be the nuts. Again a game in which most amateur players are lacking in any real skill, razz is a game that requires more deception than most poker games. Player 1 with A,2,3,5 showing on the board is seemingly stronger than Player 2 who has already made a 7 low before the final card has been dealt. With a correct betting strategy, Player 1 can take down the pot without a showdown, even if they do not have a decent hand in the end. For my money, a good knowledge in razz can make you a big chip stack for the rest of the tournament.</p><p> </p><p>7 Stud-Hi is just what is says. 7 card stud in which players make their best 5 card hi hand. Probably the second best known game in H.O.R.S.E, 7 card stud was the king of home games until the No Limit hold 'em explosion at the beginning of the decade. But it is also a game in which you can, again, lose most of your chip stack on a good drawing hand, and then you are left short stacked and praying for cards. In the later rounds of a horse tournament when the limits have raised, it is very easy to lose a big stack on one hand of any 7 card variety since unlike Omaha and Texas Hold 'em, there are more betting rounds and therefore more chances to cap the betting and lose. Just like my previous advice, chasing is not advised. If you want to call a minimum bet, it's one thing, but calling down a capped bet with anything but a made hand, will not only lose you chips, but probably any chance you have at winning the tournament.</p><p> </p><p>7-Stud 8 or better is another one of those games where the chasers are lost in the tournament. Players make their best 5 card high hand and their best 5 card low hand. Unlike Razz, low hands must qualify with 5 cards 8 or lower. Many people will say that playing low suited connectors is the best strategy in this game since you have a better chance at scooping the pot(winning both high and low hands). But at the same time, it is still always advised to play any premium pocket or split pairs, because in the end, there will always be a high hand, but there will not always be a qualifying low hand.</p><p> </p><p>Every player has their own strategy, and just like anything else, my advice is to play the game, and see what style of play works for you. H.O.R.S.E. is a game that I learned on my own, and through very little practice, have become quite good at. As long as you can take the time to learn the games, and find your strengths and weaknesses, you can be a decent H.O.R.S.E. player. Look for your worst game of the 5, and don't play it unless you have the nuts. But that's not to say, don't ever play. Always make strides to better round yourself in each of the games played in H.O.R.S.E, and you will become a formidable opponent.</p>

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The Rolls Royce of Poker