A Horse as in “staked player”

In the poker world, a common phrase you will hear asked of some people is “how many horses do you have in this event?” In the poker world, a “horse” is a poker player that is backed by either another player or another person that invests in poker players. Another common poker lingo for this is known as backing.

There are several reasons that a play may choose to become a horse for someone. Some players become backed to reduce variance in their bankroll. This is common in tournament poker. When a player is backed, someone is putting up the money for the player to enter tournaments or play in cash games. Profits made at the table are then divided between the player and the backer based on a percentage minus any make-up.

Playing on the tournament circuit is draining on one’s bankroll and having someone put up part or all of your tournament entry helps to relieve the pressure. Other players use backers as ways to play in higher stakes games. This can be for various reasons. Sometimes, the player has poor bankroll management. Other times, the player may be on a bad streak of luck and cannot afford the tournaments. This is especially true of tournament specialists.

Most backing situations occur in one of two ways. First, a player may get noticed by a backer and the backer may approach the player about possibly putting them in games. Other times, players learn the identity of a potential backer and approach them with a backing proposal. Online players have the option of posting on various message forums in search for backers. Backers can find horses the same way.

In most every backing arrangement, there is some type of make-up. Make-up is the losses that a backer takes for putting his players into a game. When a player makes money at the tables, he receives a profit only after make-up is taken out. Make-up is a key consideration when choosing horses. Seldom should you ever think about backing a player without some type of make-up.

There are several benefits to becoming backed. First, you take pressure off your bankroll. For many players, this allows them to play without the pressure of bankroll considerations. For others, this is a confidence booster. Since someone else believes in their game, they start to have more faith in themselves. Next, some player get opportunities to play in games they normally would not have. For instance, Ivan Demidov may not have had his fantastic run at the 2008 World Series of Poker without the help of a backer.

While there are many positives with backing, there are also some drawbacks. The first, and biggest, drawback can be make-up. While it is a necessary evil, there are times where make-up can keep a player in debt. A couple of years ago, Mike Matusow won over $600,000 at an event. It was rumored that after paying off his debts to backers, he walked away with only $40,000.

Another potential drawback is underhanded backers. Some backers will charge juice on the money they lend. The juice, or interest, that accumulated on the money can sometimes just keep a player in debt. Also, some backers run a very tight ship regarding their money. You may have to endure constant questioning regarding your play and other forms of intrusion or harassment.

Ending a relationship with a back usually occurs in the form of paying off your debt and walking away or walking away when you are making a profit. Usually it is a good idea to try and end any backing deal amicably.

If you are interested in being backed, talk to some players that you think are being backed or to some of the better players. Most people can tell you who you can work with and who you cannot. Online poker players can check out boards such as two plus two to try and find and arrangement. Whichever route you take, make sure you work out a situation that you are comfortable with.