Mixed Poker Games including HORSE, HOSE and 8-Game are growing in popularity online at a rapid pace. Thinking players are finding these games extremely profitable due to the large numbers of inexperienced ‘fun’ players that they attract. This article provides 5 tips to improve your HORSE Poker strategy – one for each game – to watch your profits grow today.
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HORSE Poker Strategy Tip #1 – The Holdem Round
Fixed Limit betting leads to some adjustments that opponents more used to No-Limit betting will often miss. Firstly starting hand values favor the high-card hands above smaller pairs and suited connectors. Since the size of the pot is smaller compared to your initial investment it is harder to get ‘paid off’ with those ‘high implied-odds hands’ that rely on hitting hidden monsters. Secondly, it can often be profitable to raise with hands in position that you might have only called with in no-limit. Preventing the blinds from seeing the flop and having position on a late position raiser will often create profitable post-flop situations. Watch out for players who will always open the pot with any-2 when folded to in later position, if your hand recons to be a favorite over their range then your positional disadvantage may be balanced by catching your opponent on the steal.
HORSE Poker Strategy Tip #2 – Omaha Hi-Lo Split
The tip here is to make sure that every hand you play has scooping potential – either by winning both sides of the pot at the same time or hitting a monster high with no low on board. Many HORSE players over-value ‘bare Ace-Two’ hands, putting in multiple bets with them before the flop and when drawing to a low. This often results in being quartered and often loses the whole pot when an ace or two hits on a later round to counterfeit the players low. Suited small cards with an ace are ideal starting hands, you can loosen up in this game from position and should not bluff often – mixed poker games fish will call with almost anything!
HORSE Poker Strategy Tip #3 – Razz
The low-only version of 7-card Stud is a game to play in a very straight forward manner. While situations do arise for making ‘plays’, the solid game will win over time – simply due to your opponents making far too many errors. As with all Stud Poker games it is very important to monitor and remember folded cards – these have a more significant effect on your chances of making a hand than most people realize. Having a ‘live’ low often increasing your chances in a pot by up to 30% compared to those times several cards you need are already folded. Making money in the Razz round can often be as simple as waiting for a strong low and betting aggressively – your opponents will often chase their own hands while already beaten.
HORSE Poker Strategy Tip #4 – 7 Card Stud
Remember that in all Stud Poker games there is one more betting round when compared to Holdem. This makes entering a pot more dangerous – since you can become ‘priced in’ to calling (by comparing the pot to your chances of hitting your hand) all the way to the river. Caution with starting hands is thus advised. Folded cards are again vitally important. For example if you are drawing to a straight on 3rd street the cards 2-ranks away from your own cards become significant. Should you make a 4 straight then having seen 2 of the cards 2-ranks away that were required can reduce your outs from 8 to 6. When dealt a pair in 7-card stud you should make sure no other of you cards are visible, if no cards match your kicker either then all the better!
HORSE Poker Strategy Tip #5 – 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo 8-or-Better
Suited-Babies are the premium hands in the high-low split version of Stud. What you will often find in mixed games is that opponents over-value their high-pair hands. A pair of queens (for example) is in bad shape against A-3-5 suited in this game, especially if the low hand has many ‘live’ outs to the low, flush or pair of aces. While being quartered is not so prevalent as in Omaha Hi-Lo, there is a danger of being ‘sandwiched’ in this game. This occurs when you are stuck between someone betting a high hand and someone else betting a better low – unless you feel that you have a nut hand (or sometimes 2-way draw) you should fold early when this looks like a possibility.
