Mixed Games Strategy (H.O.R.S.E.)
Mixed games rotate between multiple poker variants within a single session, testing your versatility across formats. Whether you're playing H.O.R.S.E., 8-game, or any rotation mix, the players who profit most are those who maintain solid fundamentals across every game while exploiting opponents' weakest variants.
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Understanding Mixed Game Formats
H.O.R.S.E. is the most common mixed game format, rotating between Hold'em (limit), Omaha Hi-Lo (limit), Razz, Stud, and Stud Eight-or-Better. Each game is played for a set number of hands or orbits before the table switches to the next variant. The game changes are announced by the dealer and displayed on signage.
8-Game Mix adds No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha, and 2-7 Triple Draw to the H.O.R.S.E. rotation. This format tests an even wider range of skills and is the standard at many prestigious tournament events, including the WSOP Poker Players Championship.
The key advantage of mixed games is that most players have 2-3 strong games and 2-3 weak games. The profits in mixed games come primarily from exploiting opponents' weakest variants — the Hold'em specialist who struggles with Razz, the Stud player who can't adjust to Hi-Lo, or the tournament pro who has never played 2-7 Triple Draw.
Bankroll requirements for mixed games are higher than for single-game specialists because you're forced to play games that may not be your strongest. You'll have a lower edge in your weakest games and need the bankroll to weather the variance of playing suboptimally in certain rounds.
Limit Hold'em in Mixed Games
Limit Hold'em plays very differently from the no-limit version. Because bet sizes are fixed, you can't protect strong hands with large bets or generate significant fold equity with bluffs. The game rewards disciplined hand selection, value betting, and understanding pot odds.
Starting hand requirements in Limit Hold'em are tighter than in no-limit. Without the ability to win large pots with implied odds, speculative hands like suited connectors and small pairs lose value. Focus on premium pairs, strong broadways, and hands that make top pair with a good kicker.
Bet sizing in limit is structured: preflop and flop use the small bet (1 unit), while the turn and river use the big bet (2 units). This means the turn and river are where the most money is won and lost. Players who check the turn too often or fold to river bets too frequently are among the biggest losers in Limit Hold'em.
Bluffing in Limit Hold'em works differently because you can only bet a fixed amount. River bluffs need to work less often to be profitable (you're risking 1 unit to win a pot of 6-10 units), making selective bluffing correct even at tight tables. However, multi-street bluffs are rarely profitable because you can't generate enough pressure with fixed-size bets.
Razz Fundamentals
Razz is seven-card stud played for the lowest hand, with aces counting as low. The best possible hand is A-2-3-4-5 (a "wheel"). Straights and flushes don't count against you, so the only hands that matter are the five lowest unpaired cards from your seven.
Starting hand selection in Razz centers on having three low cards (8 or below) as your starting hand. Premium starting hands include three cards to a wheel (A-2-3, A-2-4, A-3-5) and any three unpaired cards 7 or below. Avoid starting with any card above 8, and never continue with a starting hand that includes a face card.
Reading the board is crucial in Razz because you can see your opponents' exposed cards. If you need a 4 to complete your low and you can see three 4s among the other players' up-cards, your draw is nearly dead. Use the exposed card information to adjust your hand strength assessment and fold when your outs are visible in opponents' boards.
Many opponents in mixed games view Razz as their weakest game and play too loose or too passive. Exploit this by stealing antes aggressively with any three low cards showing, completing (raising) with strong starting hands, and folding quickly when your hand deteriorates on fourth or fifth street.
Stud and Stud Eight-or-Better
Seven Card Stud requires tracking dead cards obsessively. With no community cards, every visible card on the table reduces the probability of your outs and changes your hand's equity. A player who doesn't track dead cards is playing blind in Stud.
Starting hand selection in Stud prioritizes premium pairs (especially hidden pairs where your pair is concealed), three-card flush draws, and three-card straight draws with live cards. An open pair of kings on third street looks strong but is exploitable because opponents know exactly what you have. A hidden pair of kings with a low up-card is much more deceptive.
Stud Eight-or-Better (Hi-Lo) splits the pot between the best high hand and the best low hand (five unpaired cards 8 or below). The most powerful hands in this game are "scooping" hands — hands that can win both halves. A starting hand like A-2-3 suited can make flushes, straights, and the nut low, giving it potential to scoop the entire pot.
In Hi-Lo variants, the most common mistake is playing for only one half of the pot. Chasing a high-only hand against multiple opponents who have low draws usually results in winning half the pot at best, which barely covers your investment in the hand. Target hands that can compete for both halves, and be prepared to fold high-only hands when the board develops multiple low possibilities.
Exploiting Weak Games in the Rotation
The key to profiting in mixed games is identifying which game each opponent is weakest at and maximizing your action during those rounds. A player who is a solid Hold'em reg but plays Razz for the first time is giving away enormous equity during the Razz round.
Watch opponents closely during game transitions. The first few hands of a new game in the rotation reveal who is comfortable (acts quickly, makes standard plays) and who is struggling (hesitates, makes sizing errors, plays too many hands). Target the strugglers during their weak games.
Your own weak games require damage control. If Stud is your weakest variant, play extremely tight during the Stud round — fold marginal hands, avoid tough spots, and preserve your stack for the games where you have an edge. Losing 3 big bets in Razz and winning 10 big bets in Hold'em still nets you 7 big bets. Don't try to be brilliant in your weak game; just survive it.
Study all games in the rotation to at least an intermediate level. You don't need to be an expert in every variant — you need to be competent enough to avoid major mistakes and recognize when opponents are making theirs. A player who is average at all 5 games but great at reading opponents' weaknesses will outperform a specialist who is excellent at 2 games but terrible at 3.
Key Takeaways
Profits in mixed games come from exploiting opponents' weakest variants — identify which games each player struggles with
Play damage control during your weakest games by tightening up and avoiding marginal spots
Track dead cards obsessively in Stud variants — visible cards on the board change your equity calculations
Target scooping hands in Hi-Lo games — playing for only one half of the pot is rarely profitable