HORSE Poker Tips
HORSE poker can be quite intimidating to a new player. The rounds changing after each button rotation, switching from flop games such as Hold'em or Omaha to Stud games such as Razz, blinds versus buttons, and bring in bets can all add up to more than a little frustration for a player still learning the game(s). If you're new to HORSE poker, here are a few tips that may help your transition into the game.
The easiest way to experience the assortment of games played in HORSE is to dive right into a low limit game and play it yourself. That said, it's important to maintain your bankroll because without that there's no chips to play with! How do you manage to accomplish this without going broke? Simple, just remember the saying "tight is right" and play a very limited range of premium starting hands.
While we're not going to get into specific starting hands in this article due to the range of games played in HORSE, you may wish to visit (insert link/anchor text here) to see the various starting hands in poker.
Another great strategy is take copious notes on every player that's seated at your table. Each player will have a strong game and more than likely, a few weaker games when playing HORSE. This is very common at the low to middle stakes HORSE games and if you're detailed in your observations and note taking skills, it can pay big dividends for your bankroll. An example of a good set of notes on a player would be: Player A is TAG in Hold'em and Omaha but very much a LAG in Stud Hi Lo, only plays premium hands in Razz but will check call with anything but the nuts.
Taking the time to master a game like Seven Card Stud can be very profitable in HORSE. Let's face it, how many players do you see seated at the Stud tables over at Full Tilt right now? What about a RAZZ table at PokerStars? Nowhere near the numbers that you'll see at the Hold'em tables so do the math here. If you're able to master a game like Stud or RAZZ, you be relatively confident that you're going to be one of the top RAZZ or Stud players at your HORSE table.
Of course, there will be very solid HORSE players that you'll bump into as well but for all practical purposes most players at low limit HORSE are weak. They're going to make mistakes, especially in the games that don't have a flop. They will bring in too many weak hands, complete too many weak hands, and chase too many weak draws. If you're playing with a "tight is right" style you can punish these players for their mistakes. If you're playing the same way then you may as well turn to the lottery, you have a better chance of winning.
In summary, there's no magic formula that will send you to the top of the worldwide HORSE rankings. It's widely accepted by pro players as the most difficult poker game to master and win consistently at. It's also a very fun game and presents a challenge to even the best player to master. Don't go in expecting to win every session and you can't expect to be profitable right off the bat, either. However, if you take your time and learn the nuances of the game it can be a very fun departure from the doldrums of playing Hold'em everyday for the rest of your poker playing life.
