PokerWorks

A couple weeks ago, I was inspired by the World Series of Poker.

I didn't fly out to Vegas. Flights were expensive, and I didn't want to take out a second mortgage so I could afford the gas to drive out there, and the wife probably wouldn't like me leaving her with our 1-year-old twins and toddler anyway.

In fact, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't.

So what I did was hop on PokerStars and play a game of H.O.R.S.E.

The $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. championship is quickly taking the place of the Main Event as the WSOP's most highly regarded bracelet. The Main Event is still a big deal, of course, but the H.O.R.S.E. event covers five tough games and is stacked with the world's top pros.

If the Main Event is more of a lottery than a poker tournament, with its $6,000+ players, some regard the H.O.R.S.E. event as its true world title.

Therefore, I hopped into a $5.50 H.O.R.S.E. Sit 'N Go.

I know. The stakes were just a little lower. OK, so what, Sourpuss? The great thing about PokerStars is you can play many Sit 'N Gos and Multi-Table Tournaments for $1 + .10 to tournaments with buy-ins of thousands of dollars.

In fact, if you download PokerStars now, you'll get an exclusive PokerWorks bonus
of $25 free in addition to a 100 percent matching bonus up to $50. You must enter
the marketing code of POKERWORKS upon registration and the bonus code of
FIRST2008 upon your first deposit.

As you probably know by now, H.O.R.S.E. features five games, Hold 'Em (you're
probably familiar with that one), Omaha, Razz, Stud and Stud hi-lo Eight or Better
(a split game that requires an 8-high for a low hand).

All the games can be frustrating. During the SnG, my Ace-high flush lost to Ace-King high flush in stud, and I was also beaten another time when the guy hit his quad 6s on the seventh card dealt to him.

Even so, I managed to take second, earning just slightly less money than I would had I taken second in the big H.O.R.S.E. event at the WSOP.

Maybe that's next.

Hey, you never know. Can you spot me $50,000?


A few tips

Here are a few tips for playing H.O.R.S.E. I'm not an expert but these could help you if you're thinking about trying it out.

1. Play cards that work together - This is a great tip because it works well for all the games, even Hold 'Em. But you want three cards to a flush or a straight for the Stud games or a big pair with a good kicker or, with Razz, three low cards. Omaha works with the same principle, although you'll want double-suited cards rather than three to one flush.

2. Play tighter at games you don't really understand - Don't feel bad if you're not that good at a few. The pros don't always play every game well either. Just learn their basic concepts and play tight. In Razz, for instance, if you never played a hand with three cards higher than a 7, you'll do fine. I followed this simple rule when I didn't understand Razz and now play Razz regularly in low-limit cash games and win (most of the time).

It's too easy to make "aw-fuk-it" calls when you don't understand the games. Be aware of that.

3. Since all games are limit in H.O.R.S.E., you'll have the odds to chase hands. Only do it when you think your hand will be good if you do hit. Low flush draws, for example, probably should be folded.

4. On the stud games, which make up three of the five, you want to make your decision to stay in the hand by 5th Street. That's when the bets double, making it more expensive to chase. if your hand isn't set, or if you don't have a powerful draw, it's not a bad idea to fold.

5. Patience, patience, patience - Remember, H.O.R.S.E. is a limit game, so you can pick your spots, and there's no reason to take a hand to a showdown unless you have a strong hand or you're playing a weak opponent. Just make sure you're not the opponent.