Poker Games

You can only go so far with a general explanation of poker rules, etiquette and strategy. Sooner or later all this information must be applied in the context of a specific game. Of the hundreds of possible games and variations that all share the name "Poker," Las Vegas card rooms "spread" (that is, deal out) the just the main versions of stud, draw and Hold'em poker. This is still potentially a large variety. Many games are offered in different table stakes, like "limit," "pot limit" and "no limit." A large poker room will have 30 or so tables, and can offer combinations of game and stake structures in different betting levels. Typically, most tables are devoted to Texas Hold'em, in limit and no limit versions.

Standard Games

The "standard" or "high" versions of the games of stud, draw and Hold'em award the pot to the holder of the highest-ranked hand at the end. Each of these three families also has a "low" version, in which the holder of the lowest-ranked hand at the end will win the money. Hold'em has "Omaha" (which uses a different number of cards, but otherwise works in the same way). Stud has "Razz." Draw has two: Ace-to-Five Draw or Triple Draw, and Deuce-to-Seven Draw or Triple Draw. These games are sometimes referred to vaguely and imprecisely as "low-ball." Further filling out the possibilities are "split-pot" games, in which the high hand and the low hand (if any) split the pot. "Omaha Hi-Lo" is an example. The following table summarizes these possibilities:

Standard Poker Games

Each card room will choose which of these many possibilities it wants to host at any given time. The decision depends in part on the traffic in the card room and the customer demand for games. Because Hold'em has grown so immensely in popularity, few tables will be dedicated to anything else. However, in most card rooms, if you show up with enough players interested in a specific game, they will spread it for you. In some rooms you can show up alone and put your name on a list of people interested in a specific game. When enough people sign up, they will host the table.

Unusual Games

Sometimes a poker room will host an unusual game, one outside of the common set. For example, five-card stud was once extremely popular, but in recent years has fallen out of use. Sometimes a card room will offer five-card stud nonetheless. Another possibility is Badugi Poker, a recent addition to a few Las Vegas poker rooms. It is a triple draw low-ball game played with four cards.

Mixed Games

Finally, card rooms offer what are called "mixed games." These are essentially a buffet of different pokers, played in some pre-determined sequence at the same table. They are often used as vehicles for small, local tournaments, as they test everyone's staying power with more than just a single game.

The predominant mixed game is called "HORSE." Each letter stands for one of the games played. Each game is fixed limit. The order follows the letters in the word.

Then the cycle repeats.

"Round" can be defined in different ways. In Tournaments, a round ends when the blind level (or bet level) increases. In ring games, the round ends after eight hands. In some home games, the "round" is over after each player has had the chance to deal once.

Here is one important nuance: Between "O" (Omaha Hi-Lo) and "R" (Razz) the dealer button does not move, and stays where it is until after "E" (Eights or better). This is because R, S, & E are stud games and do not use blinds. As a result, when the cycle returns to Hold'em, no one has missed being in a blind position.

Other mixed games are possible, such as "HOSE" (which omits Razz, obviously). At other times a draw game might be inserted, making it HORSED or HOSED. By far the most common designation, however, is the traditional HORSE.