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HORSE poker, also known as H.O.R.S.E. or just HORSE, is a poker variant that has become quite popular and is even available in several events during the WSOP. We will cover the game rules, playing strategies, and everything else you need to know when learning how to play HORSE poker.
What is HORSE Poker?
So, what is HORSE poker and where does its name come from? HORSE is a variant of poker made out of five poker games:
- H: Texas Hold’em
- O: Omaha Hi/Lo
- R: Razz
- S: Seven Card Stud
- E: Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo (Eight or Better)
These are played in rotation and in order, with each game lasting one complete round of the dealer button on the table. The format uses fixed limits, so there are no pot limit or no limit games included in standard HORSE.
It is the most popular mixed poker game and is available on some of the poker online sites.
HORSE Poker Rules
The rules for H.O.R.S.E. are based on the poker rules for each of the five game variants. The action changes to the next one on the list after one orbit and this is usually announced by the dealer.
You may also receive a notification when playing HORSE poker online, letting you know what game variant is in effect.
It is also common for the table to have a card displaying the current game in order to avoid any confusion.
Most online poker HORSE tournaments are played with eight players at the table. Levels last 30-60 minutes, regardless of the current game in rotation.
To better understand how to play HORSE poker, you have to learn how to play all of the five games that make up this variation.
H: Texas Hold’em Rules
The first game in HORSE is Texas Hold’em and it is by far the most popular poker game, both online and in live locations. Most players are familiar with the variant, but it is best to refresh your knowledge and make sure that you know how to play Texas Hold’em before joining the tables.
An important mention for Texas Hold’em in HORSE is that all games are fixed limit, despite the fact that no limit Hold’em is the most common variation. This means that if you are playing HORSE cash games, the maximum betting limits will be set from the start.
Hold’em is one of the flop games in HORSE poker, which means that it has community cards. Each player receives two cards facing down at the start of the round. Five cards are dealt on the table after several betting rounds and you can use any of them to create the strongest hand possible, along with your hole cards.
O: Omaha Rules
Since Omaha is quite popular as well and follows similar game rules to the ones used for Hold’em, it is easy to learn how to play Omaha. The main difference here is that each player starts with four hole cards and not just two. There are still five community cards dealt on the table, but each player can only use three of them along with two hole cards to create a hand.
Again, it is important to note that Omaha in HORSE is played at a fixed limit and not the standard pot limit used for most other Omaha games. We also found that most HORSE poker games use Omaha Hi/Lo instead of the regular version. This means that the pot is split in two, with one half awarded for the highest hand and one going to the lowest ranking hand.
R: Razz Rules
Razz is the first poker board game in the HORSE rotation, which means that it doesn’t use any community cards. Moreover, the hand rankings are different in Razz than in most other poker variants, which may take some getting used to. You should definitely learn how to play Razz before playing HORSE since any weakness can cost you in the long run.
The main takeaway in Razz is that the hand with the lowest five different cards wins the pot. Straights and flushes don’t count in the game and the ace is always the lowest card. Each player starts with three cards, with only one facing up. Up to seven cards can be dealt per player over several betting rounds, with three cards facing down and the others facing up.
S: Seven Card Stud
Stud is the fourth game that you will need to know for the HORSE guide. This is similar to Razz but is generally more popular and so more players will be familiar with the rules at the table. In Seven Card Stud, each player can have up to seven cards and the goal is to have the strongest hand of five cards.
Rankings are the same as in Hold’em and Omaha even if there are no community cards on the table. The mix of cards facing up and down until the end of the round allows for a different strategy where you have to pay attention to what everyone at the table has. It is generally best to learn how to play Seven Card Stud first and then learn Razz if you are interested in HORSE poker.
E: Seven Card Stud Eight or Better
The E in HORSE is the least intuitive one to remember as it refers to Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, also known as Eight or Better. This is a split-pot variant of Seven Card Stud where you have to create two hands from your seven cards with the goal of winning the pot for the strongest hand and for the weakest hand.
It is basically Seven Card Stud and Razz at the same time, with the distinction that the low hand must not have any card higher than eight in order to qualify. If nobody qualifies for the low hand, the entire pot goes to the winner of the high hand pot.
General HORSE Poker Rules
In addition to the rules that come with each poker variant in HORSE, there are also some additional rules to keep in mind. Some of these can depend on the casino or online poker room, so it is best to check in advance. General rules for mixed game poker can include:
- All of the players at the table have to agree on the games from the start.
- Players who want to add or remove games from the rotation must have approval from everyone at the table.
- For mixed game tournaments, the rotation is set from the start and changes must be announced very clearly.
- Each game is played for one rotation, with the dealer button traveling around the table even if the game variant doesn’t use a button.
- There is usually a sign that shows the current poker game being played.
- Players cannot skip a variant in H.O.R.S.E. and only play the ones they like.
Where to Play HORSE Poker
H.O.R.S.E. has grown in popularity and it is now more widely available than ever. We even saw four HORSE poker tournaments included in the World Series of Poker in 2024, including a $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship won by Maksim Pisarenko, securing him an almost $400,000 prize to go along with the WSOP bracelet.
We can expect to see more HORSE poker tournaments included in the series next year as well.
For now, HORSE is available in some live locations in Las Vegas and in other major poker cities. As for online poker, HORSE availability remains fairly limited due to the small demand. It still has a lot of ground to cover to reach the popularity and availability levels of its individual variants.
While Hold’em and Omaha are available on most offshore poker sites, Seven Card Stud is less popular and Razz is even lower on the list. As a result, a mix of all five variants is quite rare.
How to Play HORSE Poker – Strategy and Tips
If you want to improve your HORSE poker gameplay, try to follow the tips below. These will help you get started and get better results as you go. Of course, in order to become an expert in HORSE, you have to be an expert in each of the five game variants and be able to easily switch between them and adapt.
1. Learn How to Play All Five Games
The most important part is knowing how to play Hold’em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Razz, Seven Card Stud, and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo. Make sure that you know the rules for each one and get in plenty of practice before jumping into mixed games.
It is best to play each game on its own for a while to sharpen your skills and develop the right strategies. Once you feel confident, you can switch over to HORSE in an attempt to take advantage of less skilled players.
2. Pay Attention to Your Opponents
While every game of poker requires you to pay attention to everything that is happening at the table, HORSE poker takes this one step further. It is very common for players to be strong in some variants and weak in others. This makes it very important to pay attention to your opponents for any changes in playstyle.
You will often notice that the action slows down towards the end of the rotation, especially with Razz and Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo Eight or Better. These are the least popular variants and can make for the best opportunities.
3. Look for Soft Games and Tournaments
Small stakes HORSE poker games are often filled with newcomers who just want to play a bit. Most opponents will only be familiar with Hold’em and Omaha, so the games tend to get softer after the first two variants in the rotation.
It is also a great idea to take part in HORSE tournaments online. Here, you might come across players who signed up quickly and didn’t even know they were playing HORSE.
4. Keep the Biggest Pots for the Best Games
It is generally considered poor poker etiquette to stand out of the variants you are not fully comfortable with when playing H.O.R.S.E. but you can still tread lightly at times. That is why it is best to get involved in big pots only in games that you know very well.
5. Don’t Forget the Fundamentals
While there is more to pay attention to, you should not forget the basics of each variant when playing HORSE poker. Pay attention to your position, don’t make unnecessary bluffs, don’t play every hand, and stay aggressive when you do get involved in the hand.
