HOSE poker is a mix of 4 different poker game variations with the game variation being played changing after a set number of hands or after a certain amount of time has passed. For example, after 15 minutes of limit hold’em the game being played would be changed to Omaha hi/low and after 15 minutes of Omaha hi/low the game would change to limit seven card stud, then to seven card stud hi/low and finally the rotation would start all over again with some more limit hold’em.
A game of HOSE poker consists of limit Texas hold’em, limit Omaha eight or better, limit seven card stud and limit stud eight or better. The games rotate in that order and all of the games are played using the limit betting style. HOSE is the exact same as HORSE, just without razz poker included in the game rotation. In order to be a winning HOSE player you must understand each of the four game variations and be able to skilfully play each poker variation.
Most people know how to play hold’em and Omaha, so we will take a quick look at the seven card stud hi/low rules so that you know how to play each game variation of HORSE.
Seven card stud is an ante game where
you try to make the highest or lowest possible poker hand with the
seven cards you are dealt. To begin a hand every player antes up and
is then dealt two down cards and one up card. Whichever player has
the lowest up card is the first to act in this first betting round.
This player must either ‘bring in’ and bet half of the low limit
bet, or complete the bet to the full low limit bet. After the
betting for this round has finished all players are dealt another up
card and the player with the best poker hand using their up cards
starts the betting.
After this betting round is complete a third up card is dealt and play proceeds as in the previous round, except for the fact that the betting is now at the big bet level. The big betting continues for the next two rounds in which the last up card is dealt and a final down card is dealt. At showdown the player with the highest 5 card hand wins half the pot and the player with the lowest 5 card hand wins the pot, as long as someone has a 5 card hand where the highest card is at least 8 or lower.
