How To Play Horse Poker

When you get tired of conquering people at normal poker games like Hold'Em or Stud, and you want a game that's a little more advanced, then it's time to learn how to play horse poker. HORSE, often called "H.O.R.S.E", isn't exactly a type of poker game, it's a way to play a series of existing games. Unlike other forms of poker where the game stays the same at the table, in HORSE the game rotates every few minutes to a different type of game. The five games are Hold'Em (H), Omaha Eights or Better (O), Razz (R), Seven Card Stud (S) and Seven Card Stud Eights or Better (E). Since the game changes so quickly, every half-hour or quicker, players who are not proficient in all the game types quickly find themselves out of money. All HORSE games are played as limit poker, as opposed to no limit. This means that each bet or raise is as a set amount, determined by the table limit.

1. Play Texas Hold'Em. Players get dealt two cards face down, followed by a round of betting. Then three community cards are displayed with another round of betting. The last two community cards are each followed by their own round of betting. Anyone who hasn't folded at the end will try to make the best poker hand containing five cards. Players can include any number of cards from their hand or the board.
2. Play Omaha Eights or Better. The play is done just like in Hold'Em, except that players are dealt four cards instead of two, and their final hand must contain two cards from their hand and three from the board. The pot is split between the person with the best five-card high hand and the worst five-card low hand, where all cards are 8 or under. Straight and flushes don't count for the low hand, so the best low hand is A-2-3-4-5.
3. Play Razz. Players are dealt two cards face down, and one face up followed by a round of betting. Players are then dealt three more face up cards and a final face down one, with a round of betting after each card. In Razz, players are trying to make the lowest five-card hand, just like in Omaha Eights or Better.
4. Play Seven Card Stud. Seven Card Stud is played exactly like Razz, except players are trying to make the best five-card high hand.
5. Play Seven Card Stud Eights or Better. This game combines the previous two, splitting the pot between the best high hand and the best low hand.
6. Change to the next HORSE game after a set amount of time, or every time the dealer has gone around the table.