Not just one game but a mix of several poker types, HORSE poker contains phases of Texas Holdem, Omaha Eight, Razz, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud Eight. It is a limit betting game but you can find in some tournament play that the limit is forgiven near the end of the tournament to pick up the pace. HORSE is one of the most visible games in the World Series of Poker and often seen in high stakes poker games to challenge the skills of players during multiple games. Felt to be THE game of games for poker professionals, HORSE demands a complex comprehension of the rules, systems and strategies of many games.

For those players unaccustomed to playing combination games, a concerted effort to educate oneself about the rules of methods of play is mandatory before placing that first bet. It’s true the game is a limit one but it is not difficult to stumble upon extravagant pots and bets on Horse tables particularly since game play can rapidly accelerate. Limits in Horse generally start at $2/4 and then the sky’s the limit. The limit stays across all rounds. Multiple limits can usually be found in casinos as they cater to the player new to the game right on up to the professional high roller.

The Workings of HORSE

If you are familiar with only one of the types of games in HORSE, play a lower limit table. The types will change whenever each rotation of the dealer button occurs and you will be playing up to ten hands per type before venturing onto the next one. So you will be playing one of the types described in the next paragraphs for up to ten rounds and you better know quite a bit about each one so you won’t lose your proverbial shirt. Each of the games involved do use the standard rules and methods of play peculiar to it, meaning that you should vary your strategy by saving your big bets for the one(s) in which you are the most skilled. In both table and tournaments you will be playing each of these games:

*Texas Holdem

This is the most played variation and is the mainstay of World Series of Poker. Holdem is a round-type game in which players construct the highest five-card hand from five community cards and two hole cards. None of the hands, one or both of them can be used to structure the highest hand at showdown.

*Omaha Eight or Better

Four cards are dealt in this variant and the majority of players will need at least two of their cards and any three out of five community cards to construct the highest hand. The showdown pots are split between the highest and lowest hand with the low hand having cards ranked between aces and eights.

*Razz Poker

A most unusual variant where the lowest possible hand gets the gold. It is somewhat akin to the low part of Omaha but there are no hand qualifications. The lowest high card is usually the winner, but a master of bluffing strategy can rule the pot as well.

*Seven Card Stud

Another popular form of the game, where cards are dealt one at a time, some hidden, some visible. He who holds the highest-five card hand is king of the pot.

*Seven Card Stud Eight Hi-Lo

This one follows the same direction as Omaha Eight with its split pot for the lowest hand below eight.

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While Crazy pineapple poker does bear some resemblance to Texas Hold’em, the much more familiar game, its peculiar rules and betting mechanics set it apart from this and any other of the poker variations. The variance is much higher to Pineapple because of the various potential hand combinations and the increased odds given by the extra card. If you have not encountered this interesting form of poker before, I entreat you to not involve yourself in a game without a thorough study of the rules and betting strategies, both by observing many games and reading the literature.

How Crazy Pineapple Poker is Structured

To begin the game two players put forth a blind ante before the deal, which is similar to many other poker games. Once the antes are placed, the dealer gives each player three cards, a round of betting follows, then the flop, after which the dealer shows the table three community cards. Now comes betting round one which encompasses pretty standard rules after which the craziness begins giving this variation its name with its crazy labyrinth of strategies and moves. This is why one must be prepared to play the game before taking the plunge and making that first bet.

After the flop, the players will place a bet and are able to trade in one of the three hole cards in their hand, at which point, the game takes on more of a standard Texas Hold’em countenance. However, this traded in card adds greatly to the games intricacy and this is where the serious study of pineapple pays off. One must have a profound conception of the bluff, the worthiness of the pot and positioning. The format is not too different from Texas Hold’em after this second round of betting as the foremost 5-card hand wins drawn from the player’s hole cards and the community cards. There are often more chances to hit draw hands like flushes, straights or threes of a kind in pineapple.

Systems of Play in Crazy Pineapple Poker

Since pineapple has a high variance, it is probably to the player’s advantage to have experience in determining odds very quickly and often. There may be many a player who remains active after the flop in hopes that their hand will be improved upon at trade-in, and this is also a chance to value bet should you have a formidable opening hand. It often happens, too, that a large percentage of the players fortify the pot up to the river, giving them yet another opportunity to increase their pot earnings. While it is not an easy strategy to pull off, some combo of aggression and patience after the turn is a terrific plan to ensure success at bringing the pot contents your way time and again.

The most coveted opening hand will consist of high suited cards or high pairs that can be converted into a flush or even better hand. The number of cards that are visible provides a stronger winning hand then Hold’em so make that adjustment in your anticipated earnings as well. If you can hold a pair into the flop do so unless the board reflects a good chance of hitting into a straight, flush or full house. Slow play is one of the tactics players use in Pineapple, but aggression done right can pay off as well. Keep your plays crazy mixed up to throw off your opponents and maximize your pot potential when your hand is fierce. And don’t forget those semi-bluffs, they can be used to form a nice stack. The combination of strategies and plays should establish you as a consistent winner.

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