Event #37: HORSE

 

Today I take on the $1500 HORSE tournament. For those of you who aren't necessarily poker afficionados, HORSE is a mixed game in which you play Hold'em, Omaha hi/low, Razz, 7-Card Stud, and 7-Card Stud hi/low in rotation. All of the games are played with a fixed-limit structure, which means the min/max amount you can bet is always a set amount.

I ran pretty deep in this event last year, and I'm hoping for another good outcome this year. This tournament moves slowly, and I don't expect we'll get near the money bubble today.

Level 1

It never ceases to amaze me how many long time poker players don’t understand how fixed limit games work. Four players at my table right now, and two don’t seem to get it. Then again, the player in seat 5 (who somehow is even older than Donald) seems to have no idea what is going on at all. 

This is kind of ridiculous. The dealer doesn’t know how any of the games work. He thought Razz was a draw game. None of the other players seem to understand either. The dealer tried to skip stud completely and go straight to stud 8. This thing is a mess. I will give the dealer credit that he caught on quickly and is a fast pitch. 

Two hands of consequence this level. Playing O8 and raised pre with ABCD. I get one caller. I flop a wheel wrap on a J53 board. I bet and get called on both flop and turn. The board runs out 99. We both check the river and I lose to K963. Not sure what that guy was doing. 

Playing Stud and get dealt split Js. I complete and a K calls. Turn brings me Js up. I bet and the K raises. I think I’m good, but I don’t want to lose a mint here when my hand is vulnerable. So I check call all the way down. He shows Ks only, and my Ja up are good. 

Finish the level with exactly 25k, so right where I started. 

Level 2

Playing stud. Get dealt wire JJ and complete. Seat 2 raises showing A and I call. He draws a K and I dont improve. I call the 4th street bet. He draws a Q and I still don’t improve. He bets, and I fold. 

Get dealt rolled up JJJ in stud 8. I end up check calling down against a low starting on 6th street. He ends up showing a wheel. Down to 19.9k. If that was going to happen, glad it happened early. 

Level 3

Win one in limit hold’em when QJ holds up on an AKJ83 board. Up to 22k. 

Omaha/8: I raise with A322 ds and get 3 callers. Flop is KK5 none of my suits. Womp womp. Fold. 

Lots of folding. 19k at the break. 

Level 4

I’m just about to lose my mind here. Half of the players can’t keep track of what’s going on, the dealers aren’t keeping control of the table, and they don’t know what’s going on. It’s slowing the game down to a crawl. 

Stud 8. Start with A2349 with a flush draw.. End up with nothing but a pair of 9s. Down to 14k. 

Level 5

I have mostly been folding. Down to about 12k chips, which is about 7 big bets. 

On 5th street k have 7543A with a straight flush draw. Make nothing better. Some dipshit calls down and makes a tap tap 6 low. Down to about 6k. 

I get it all in playing PLO8 with AKK2. Flop the nut low draw and an over pair. Miss my low and someone has AA. I’m out. 

What a disaster today was. I’ll be back in action later this week.