For many of us, poker invokes images of cowboys and saloons, so it's no surprise to hear that one of the newest popular poker tournaments is named after the cowboy's main mode of transportation and beast of burden. HORSE tournaments are sure to rise in popularity, as a $5000 WSOP circuit event has been added to be played prior to the big events in Summer of 2006. Harrah's has announced that they will be adding a $50,000 buy-in to be played just before the regular $10,000 main event that has garnished so much attention on ESPN and around the world. This $50,000 event boasts to be a poker celebrity laden tournament, and will focus much more on the true skill and diversification of the individual players. The HORSE acronym stands for the following:

H = Holdem
O = Omaha
R = Razz
S = Seven Card Stud
E = Seven Card Stud, eight or better.

Where can I play online poker HORSE tournaments?
Currently, FullTiltPoker.com is the place to go for your HORSE poker needs. They have a wide range of HORSE buy-in tournaments and freerolls. Not to mention the fact that you'll get to see pro's such as Chris "Jesus" Ferguson and Phil Ivey play in these events online, as a possible prelude to the World Series of Poker 2006 action. Don't forget to use bonus code HORSE for a 100% deposit bonus up to $600 when you create your Full Tilt Poker account. If you would like to know more details about Full Tilt Poker, please take a moment to look over our Full Tilt Poker Review.

What is the basic format of a HORSE Tournament?
A HORSE tournaments starts with Texas Hold'em, and follows the progression to Omaha, Razz etc., at set timed intervals. The tournament director or rule maker will explain the time intervals before the tournament starts. Common interval changes include, changing games every time the dealer chip makes one rotation around the table, or every time the blinds go up. Any number of interval determinations can be used. Besides this, all of the standard rules for each poker variation are followed. If you are adding HORSE to your home game, make a point to have your intervals explained and the blinds/ante schedules for each variation laid out well so that it is easy for your players to follow. HORSE can be complicated for some players, so strive to make the rules, antes, blinds and intervals as simple as possible!

What are some HORSE tournament strategies?
You must maximize your strong points and do your best to minimize losses during games that you are weak in, or at least weaker than your opponents. If you are a Razz master, then you must take full advantage of your skill there, to offset potential losses during another variation where you might be the weakest at the table.

The best advice to give would be to hone your skills in all of the various poker games. Ultimately, the player who has the best all around game will take home the most money in the long run, when we are playing HORSE poker!