PLAYING TIPS for HOURGLASS POKER
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HOW TO PLAY HOURGLASS POKER:
Hourglass Poker is a variation of Omaha. Deal each player 4 hole cards. The board cards are placed face down and consist of 8 cards arranged in 3 horizontal levels or rows. See diagram below. The bottom level has 3 cards, the middle level 2 cards and at the top level is 3 cards. Players make their hand by using exactly 2 of their hole cards plus just 1 card from each of the levels (ie. 1 card of 3 from the bottom level, 1 of 2 cards from the middle level plus 1 card of 3 from the top level.) Reveal each level starting with the bottom 3, then middle 2 and, finally, the top 3 cards, with a round of betting between. May be played high-low split. A A A
B B C C C |
SUMMARY of ACTION
Deal 4 hole cards to each player. Arrange board cards. Bet Reveal 3 cards of the bottom row (C). Bet Reveal 2 cards of the middle row (B). Bet Reveal 3 cards of the top row (A). Bet High only or Hi-Lo Cards Speak: Showdown High-Low Declaration: Declare Bet Showdown |
PLAYING TIPS for HOURGLASS POKER
In Hourglass poker players have a choice of 2 cards in the middle row and 3 cards in each of the top and bottom rows. This makes a total of 18 three card combinations on the board. With that many combinations in play there are many opportunities to draw the cards you want and it is easier to draw big hands, both high and low. It also gives more opportunities for what started out as the best hand to be counterfeited, especially for the low hand. On the other hand, with so many common cards to choose from, even a mediocre starting hand can emerge a winner.
STARTING HAND SELECTION
As with most high-low split games you want to have been dealt a hand that gives multiple possibilities of winning so combining elements of good starting low and high hands gives you the best shot.
For high having one or two high pair is a good start. (You will be dealt any 2 pair about 3% of the time and any one pair about 30%.) Should you then flop a set you now have a good draw to a full house or better. This will require that an eligible pair appear on the board. (An eligible or qualifying pair is one where the 2 paired cards appear in different rows.) But, be careful if that pair is of a rank higher than your trips. Several connected cards are helpful for straights and a straight is often the best possible hand. Flushes occur infrequently so suited cards, though better than unsuited, are only marginally more valuable. If you catch a flush that is not the nuts be careful. Trips in you hand are worthless since you can only use 2 cards.
For low 2A is the best start. 3A or 32 gives you a one card draw to the nuts. In fact, in Hourglass having low cards that are even a 2 card draw to the nuts (4A, 42, 43) can be worth playing. Unfortunately, having only 2 low cards in your hand is a very vulnerable hand. There is a good chance that one of them will appear on the board. With all the cards out there that may not necessarily ruin you low, but there is a good chance it will. It is especially true if one of your 2 low cards appears in the middle row and the other card is of a high rank. For that reason a protected low like 32A or 42A is a far better starting hand. Whenever you hold one of these low hands with an ace you'd prefer the ace to be suited to one of your other cards to add flush potential.
In Hourglass poker players have a choice of 2 cards in the middle row and 3 cards in each of the top and bottom rows. This makes a total of 18 three card combinations on the board. With that many combinations in play there are many opportunities to draw the cards you want and it is easier to draw big hands, both high and low. It also gives more opportunities for what started out as the best hand to be counterfeited, especially for the low hand. On the other hand, with so many common cards to choose from, even a mediocre starting hand can emerge a winner.
STARTING HAND SELECTION
As with most high-low split games you want to have been dealt a hand that gives multiple possibilities of winning so combining elements of good starting low and high hands gives you the best shot.
For high having one or two high pair is a good start. (You will be dealt any 2 pair about 3% of the time and any one pair about 30%.) Should you then flop a set you now have a good draw to a full house or better. This will require that an eligible pair appear on the board. (An eligible or qualifying pair is one where the 2 paired cards appear in different rows.) But, be careful if that pair is of a rank higher than your trips. Several connected cards are helpful for straights and a straight is often the best possible hand. Flushes occur infrequently so suited cards, though better than unsuited, are only marginally more valuable. If you catch a flush that is not the nuts be careful. Trips in you hand are worthless since you can only use 2 cards.
For low 2A is the best start. 3A or 32 gives you a one card draw to the nuts. In fact, in Hourglass having low cards that are even a 2 card draw to the nuts (4A, 42, 43) can be worth playing. Unfortunately, having only 2 low cards in your hand is a very vulnerable hand. There is a good chance that one of them will appear on the board. With all the cards out there that may not necessarily ruin you low, but there is a good chance it will. It is especially true if one of your 2 low cards appears in the middle row and the other card is of a high rank. For that reason a protected low like 32A or 42A is a far better starting hand. Whenever you hold one of these low hands with an ace you'd prefer the ace to be suited to one of your other cards to add flush potential.