Mixed games: H.O.R.S.E., 8-Game and other mixes

A mixed game tournament rotates through several poker variants instead of staying on one. The table switches games on a schedule, usually every orbit or every blind level, so you need to be at least competent at every game in the rotation, not only your favorite.

How it works

Each game in the mix keeps its own rules, betting structure and hand rankings: some are community-card games like hold'em and Omaha, some are stud games with face-up cards, and some are draw games where you swap cards. When the rotation ends it starts over. The mix name usually tells you the order: H.O.R.S.E. is Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Stud, Stud Hi-Lo (Eight or Better), played as limit games. Rooms invent their own mixes, so always read the lobby description. The next guides explain each game inside the mixes.

Rules and hand rankings

Phenom's published rotations (from its Mixed Games Rules page). H.O.R.S.E.: Hold'em, Omaha 8/b, Razz, 7-Card Stud, Stud 8/b.
8-Game: 2-7 Triple Draw, NL Hold'em (capped), Stud, Limit Omaha 8/b, Razz, PLO (capped), Limit Hold'em, Stud 8/b.
Big Bet Mix: NL 2-7 Single Draw, Pot-Limit Omaha, Big O, No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit 5-Card Omaha.
H.E.R.O.S.: Limit Hold'em, Stud 8/b, Razz, Limit Omaha 8/b, 7-Card Stud. O.E. Mix: Limit Omaha 8/b and Stud 8/b.
Circus: Badeucy, Dramaha High, Stud 8/b, Badacey, Badugi, Dramaha 2-7, Stud Hi/Lo. Super Circus adds Archie 66, Limit Omaha 8/b, DramaDugi and 2-7 Razz. Fun Mix is draw- and low-heavy: A-5 Triple Draw, 2-7 Razz, Limit Omaha 8/b, Badeucy, Badugi, Stud 8/b, 2-7 Triple Draw. Standard Mix combines Big O, Badugi, Badeucy, Stud 8/b, Dramaha 2-7, PLO, Badacey, Limit Omaha 8/b, 2-7 Triple Draw and Razz.
Phenom also runs events named 9-Game, 10-Game, T.O.R.S.E., Triple Draw Mix, Dramaha Mix, Super Stud Mix and a few others whose rotations it does not publish on that page. Check the lobby for the exact list rather than guessing.

Worked example

You are in a H.O.R.S.E. event and the game changes each level. Level 1 is limit hold'em: you fold most hands. Level 3 is Razz and you are dealt 4♦ 7♣ face down with the A♠ face up. Ace-four-seven is three low cards, a good start, so you raise. If you held 9♣ J♦ with a K♠ showing instead, that is a fold in Razz even though a king is a fine card in hold'em. The skill is switching your hand-reading with the game.

Strategy tips

Learn the games one at a time. Start with the ones closest to what you know (limit hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo) and add stud and draw later.
Know which games are your weakest and play tighter there; open up in your strongest ones.
Watch the clock for the game change, especially when Razz, Stud and Stud Hi-Lo come back to back, so you never bet your hand for the wrong game.
Look for opponents who play one game badly and put pressure on them in that game.
Start at the lowest buy-ins while you learn. You pay for every rules mistake.
Use a free-play or freeroll event to practise the rotation before you pay a buy-in.

Common mistakes

Playing too many hands in the hold'em rounds because it feels familiar
Forgetting which game is live after a rotation change
Applying hold'em hand values to stud, draw or low games
Jumping into a 10-game rotation before knowing five of them

Learn more (free)

Independent free articles and rules pages, not our content. We link them because they teach the game well. Each link was checked on 2026-10-24.

Find these tournaments

All mixed-game tournaments → Mixed games at Phenom Poker → Mixed games at Clubs Poker → Phenom PSOP I series → Draw and stud games →

Verified in our data on Oct 24, 2026: Phenom Poker lists the most mixed-game events (8-Game, 9-Game, 10-Game, Big Bet, Circus, H.E.R.O.S., T.O.R.S.E. and more), and Clubs Poker lists H.O.R.S.E. events. Source: each site's published tournament schedule.

FAQ

What is a mixed game poker tournament?

What does H.O.R.S.E. stand for?

Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo (8 or better), Razz, 7-Card Stud, and Stud Hi-Lo (8 or better), played as fixed-limit games.

Is 8-Game the same as H.O.R.S.E.?

No. In Phenom's list, 8-Game contains all five H.O.R.S.E. games (hold'em as limit) and adds 2-7 Triple Draw, No-Limit Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha.

Which sites on our finder run mixed games?

In today's listings, Phenom Poker runs the most, and Clubs Poker lists H.O.R.S.E. and other mix events. Use the Mixed filter to see them with times in your zone.

Do I need to know every game before I play?

It helps a lot. Most players learn the games separately first, then play the rotation at the lowest stakes.

Does Phenom publish every mix rotation?

No. Its rules page lists H.O.R.S.E., 8-Game, Big Bet, Circus, Super Circus, Fun, H.E.R.O.S., O.E. and Standard mixes. For others, such as 9-Game or 10-Game, check the lobby.

Play responsibly. Tournaments are entertainment, not income. Set a budget and time limit, and never chase losses. 18+/21+ depending on site and state. Help: 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Not legal advice. Online poker and sweepstakes laws vary by state, so check your local laws before you play. Only PokerStars (US), BetMGM Poker (US) and WSOP Online are licensed in the US, and only in the states they list (NJ/PA/MI, NJ/PA/MI and NV/NJ/MI/PA). Offshore and crypto sites (Ignition, ACR, BetOnline, CoinPoker, Phenom) are not licensed in the US. GGPoker doesn't accept US players. CoinPoker accepts US players even though its terms list the US as restricted. Sweepstakes sites exclude some states.

Schedules come from each site's public pages, and each listing shows its source and the date we last checked it. Items marked unverified conflict across sources or are out of date. Always confirm in the poker lobby. SC (Sweeps Coins) and CHIP are treated as about $1 for stake tiers.