This term is an acronym for a set of poker games, sometimes played at Las Vegas casinos, and usually at high stakes or in tournaments. The letters stand for the following: H (Texas Hold’Em), O (Omaha Eight or Better), R (Razz), S (Seven Card Stud), and E (Eight or Better, Seven Card Stud). There is also a simpler combination that leaves out Razz, and is thus called “HOSE.”

The first HORSE event was in the WSOP in 2002. The first $50,000 buy-in HORSE tournament was launched at the WSOP in 2006, and Chip Reese won the event, taking away $1.7 million. He died a year later, and since then, the trophy for this WSOP event is given in his honor. The WSOP continues to offer two lower level buy-ins each year. The $50,000 event in 2010 was not HORSE, but a different combination of eight games, so three lower level HORSE tournaments were held: at $10k, $3k and $1.5k.

The individual components in HORSE tournaments are usually limit games, except for the final table, which is usually no-limit.