Shoe? Horse? Are you sure we’re talking about Poker?

Pkr Grl Likes… Playing With Horses!

Poker started off as a simple gentleman’s game where each player was given five cards and had to try and make the highest hand possible, however like most things it evolved over time and today when we talk about stud, shoe and horse, it doesn’t necessarily mean we are talking about horse racing, or stables. But the Horse reference does appeal Pkr Grl.

On top of that, theer are an increasing number of female poker players playing the different variants. Cyndy Violette is a serious Stud pro and always jumps in the H.O.R.S.E. tournaments to get mixed up in the world of poker confusion.

So what does all pony talk actually mean?

There are three main variations of poker which are defined by how you can make your hand of 5 cards. The first is draw poker where five cards are dealt to each player and they are allowed to discard and ‘draw’ new cards to make their hand, however there are many modifications to this basic style. 5 card draw is often the first style of poker most people learn but nowadays is rarely seen played in competitions and at casinos.

Style number two is hold’em where each player is dealt personal or hole cards and uses them along with shared community cards to make their hand. Texas holde’em is the most popular hold’em game but also the most common poker style played in casinos, online and in home games around the world today. A less common variation is Omaha hold’em often just called Omaha, where each play receives 4 cards each of which they must use two along with three community cards to make a hand.

Lastly there is Stud poker usually identified by the mix of face-up and face-down cards. Seven-card Stud is the most common, where each player is dealt two face-down cards, four face-up followed by another face-down to make the highest hand.

However with Razz, the cards are deal the same but the lowest hand wins. That’s right there is a type of poker where your 2,3,5,6,8 is actually a good thing! Confused yet? Well how about adding eights or better otherwise known as high-low stud to the mix where you play both a high hand and a low hand from the same 7 cards.

So where does the horse fit in to this picture?

Well if you wanted to play all these styles of poker in the same competition; Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Seven card Stud and Eight’s or better, you’d get your HORSE, and if you lost Razz, you’d find your SHOE.

Easy as carving an ice sculpture in the snow while squatting in a ladylike manner.

– Pkr Grl