H.O.R.S.E. is a mixed poker game that rotates through five different variants. It rewards all-round skill rather than mastery of one game, and it is played at the highest levels of live poker.
What the letters stand for
- H — Hold’em: limit Texas Hold’em.
- O — Omaha Hi-Lo: four hole cards, split pot for high and an eight-or-better low. See Omaha Hi-Lo rules.
- R — Razz: seven-card stud where the lowest hand wins. Straights and flushes do not count, aces are low, and the best hand is A-2-3-4-5.
- S — Seven Card Stud: the classic high-hand stud game. See stud rules.
- E — Stud Eight-or-Better: stud with a split pot between the best high and the best qualifying low.
How the rotation works
The game changes after a set number of hands (often one full orbit of eight hands) or a set amount of time. All five games are normally played with fixed-limit betting, so the bet sizes stay the same as the games change.
Other mixed games
- 8-Game: adds No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha and 2-7 Triple Draw to HORSE.
- Dealer’s choice: each dealer picks the game, popular in home games.
Tips for mixed games
- Your weakest game costs the most, so study the games you know least.
- Learn the low-hand rules thoroughly; misreading lows is the most common mistake.
- Track each game separately in the free poker tracker using notes or tags, so you know which game actually makes money.
Try the free tool
Poker Hand RankingsKeep reading