Jan Fisher – Cardplayer Lifestyle https://cardplayerlifestyle.com Wed, 16 Aug 2023 22:57:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3 Top 10 Highlights of Mixed Game Festival V https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/top-10-highlights-of-mixed-game-festival-v/ Tue, 01 Aug 2023 14:42:16 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=59823 It’s amazing to look back now, in August 2023, and think that Cardplayer Lifestyle has successfully put on five Mixed Game Festivals. Back in late 2019, the idea was just a twinkle in my eye! Our first one was supposed to have been announced in March 2020 — of course we had to put things on hold for 1.5 years until finally announcing it. Fast forward some, and less than two years after staging our first one, we’ve now got a handful under our belts.

With each new Mixed Game Festival, it’s important to me to try and improve, tweak, and ensure that we do better than the previous time. I obviously have my personal goals to fulfill, but above all, my three aims always are that the venue enjoy hosting our players, that sponsors feel glad to have supported the event, and that our players have a great time. Beyond that, of course, the uniqueness of our festivals — versus other “meet up games” — is that they are designed to help promote and grow mixed game poker.

I’d like to believe that we once again achieved all of our goals with Mixed Game Festival V, which wrapped up a few weeks ago at Resorts World Las Vegas. I can’t help but smile and think back to a number of highlights where I believe we truly succeeded. I’ve put together my top 10 and have listed them below, as well as why I specifically believe these are highlights worth reminiscing about.

three tables Mixed Game Festival V

Poker Trivia Competition

A festival — by definition — needs to be festive. Beyond just playing poker, we try to incorporate some elements to ensure that our participants 1) show up on time to begin the cash games each day, and 2) have the opportunity to win some cool merchandise and have a great time. Historically, these have included pizza parties and poker book signings.

My daughter Abby suggested that I utilize the Kahoot! portal to create a poker trivia competition. It obviously took some time to prepare, but it was certainly a worthwhile endeavor. Admittedly, one of the most enjoyable parts for me was coming up with incorrect answers for the multiple choice quiz. Special thanks goes to Chad McVean, our Social Media director, who assisted me in running the poker trivia competition. We had close to a dozen people show up to play, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Scavenger Hunt

Another new element we incorporated into Mixed Game Festival V was a scavenger hunt. I had put together a list of 20 items that participants needed to take pictures of and with. At first, only half a dozen people showed up for this one. However, once our cash games began, a wait list formed and rather than just sit and wait, another half dozen players mentioned they wanted to do the scavenger hunt, too, so we ran it back and did so.

It was pretty amusing to see the first hunt’s winner, Mike Patrick, hurtle himself down the final stretch towards the poker room after just 20 minutes, having successfully completed the entire list. It was great to see that every players took the hunt seriously, and put in just as much effort as they did at the felt to try and emerge victorious.

I was elated to see that all of the participants really enjoyed themselves even though of course there could only be a few winners.

Miami John’s unscheduled visit

Something else we try to do to enhance the player experience at our Mixed Game Festivals is arrange for some poker celebrity appearances. I’m grateful that we’ve had the support of many professionals in the poker community who have kindly come out to splash around with our players in the low-stakes dealers choice streets. With that said, I usually make arrangements for these appearances ahead of time, so when a poker celebrity shows up unannounced it’s certainly a welcome surprise.

Prior to Mixed Game Festival V, “Miami” John Cernuto had reached out to me asking if we would be staging any tournaments. I told him that this time it would be an exclusively cash game affair. He said “OK,” and we left it at that. So you could imagine my shocked expression to see him walk in on the second day of MGF V. As I stood up to greet him, John just said “I came to support what you’re doing,” and he proceeded to play $4/$8 limit mixed games with our players for the next hour while I enjoyed a lovely chat with his daughter Debi.

Miami John and daughter Debi

John Maley, “Mr. All-Nighter”

The grand prize for this festival was a PokerStars-sponsored EPT Cyprus Mixed Game Package valued at over $3,000. For every hour of cash game play, a player would earn one entry into the random drawing for the prize package. We’ve done this sort of giveaway before, so it’s no surprise that many players try to put in as many hours as possible. One player, however, took this to an entirely new level.

John Maley drove in from Southern California straight to the Resorts World poker room. He played throughout the day, continued playing throughout the night… and continued further throughout the following day. When he finally got up from the table, over 31 hours had passed and he still looked fresh as a daisy. Only then did John take his bags and check into his hotel room. Having a player that dedicated to playing low-stakes mixed games is just out of this world.

Eli Elezra comes to play my stack

I’m very fortunate to be able to say that over the past few years since I translated his biography, Pulling the Trigger, from Hebrew into English, Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra and I have grown to become very good friends. Eli has always been super kind to come and sign some books at our Mixed Game Festivals as well as splash around with our players. So, I knew he’d make an appearance this time around, but I didn’t know when.

While I was speaking with one of our players, he smiled and told me to turn around. What I saw is that Eli had suddenly appeared in the room and just sat down in my seat, where he proceeded to play my chip stack. I couldn’t help but laugh, but also head over to give him a hug and show my appreciation for his support. For those curious, after about 20 minutes, Eli had successfully added a couple dozen dollars to my chip stack.

Silent auction for two BBO Poker Table Tops

George Chao, CEO of BBO Poker Tables, has always been a supporter of our events. This time around, he contributed half a dozen portable table mats as giveaway items. On the last day of the festival, I still had two that I hadn’t yet distributed. So, I asked some players what would be a good way to give away the two remaining mats.

Someone suggested a silent auction, whereby it would cost a $1 chip to place a bid, and after all bids were submitted the highest one would win. That person’s winning bid plus all of the $1 chips collected would then be equally distributed among the dealers at our mixed game tables. We did this twice, and thus successfully distributed close to $150 in tips to our dealers!

Higher stakes mixed games with Norman, Jan, and Linda

Prior to Mixed Game Festival V, our dealers choice mixed games had exclusively been for stakes of $4/$8 and $8/$16. This time around, Norman Chad agreed to host a special Omaha 8/Stud 8 game for his regular $20/40 stakes on the final day of our festival.

I was happy to see that close to a dozen players signed up ahead of time on the wait list. Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson and Women in Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher got seats at the table, too. I’m glad to see that our festivals were able to attract crowds interested in mixed games at multiple price points, and I hope this is something we’ll be able to replicate at future events.

Norman Chad Linda Johnson Jan Fisher

Alek Gillies wins the EPT Cyprus Prize Package

To be fair, whomever would have won the grand prize package would have made this festival’s highlight reel. With that said, it gives me special pleasure that our grand prize winner is a 21-year-old who had never really played mixed games before.

I had the pleasure of playing with Alek for a couple hours, and while he readily admitted that he had no idea how to play mixed games, that nonetheless didn’t stop him from having a great, positive attitude and being willing to learn one new variant after another.

For poker to thrive, we always have to attract new audiences, which means “newly minted” 21-year-olds who can now play legally in poker rooms. Mixed game poker is no different, and it’s always good to lower the average age at the felt and see some 20-somethings enjoying themselves playing dealer’s choice.

Alek Gillies

Post-Festival Shawarma with Brian, Pat, and Matt

We don’t exactly have a “closing ceremony” for our festivals, so after the grand prize is given out, cash games just sort of continue until people get tired of playing and then go their separate ways. This time around, I wanted to celebrate with a nice dinner.

Rather than head to a kosher Las Vegas restaurant alone, it was a special pleasure to bring along some guys who’ve become close friends from one Mixed Game Festival to the next, Pat, Brian, and Matt. Sure, the food at Mother Falafel was great, but the company was what made the meal a memorable one.

shawarma

Charity donations fund a Monday night feeding of the homeless

Ever since our first Mixed Game Festival, there has always been a charity component to our events. I had advertised ahead of time that a portion of proceeds from the poker trivia competition and scavenger hunt would go towards the volunteer-powered Poker Gives charity. Altogether, we were able to collect a total of $300, and a couple button clicks later, the money had been donated.

It’s one thing to just say the money is being given to charity, but it’s entirely another to witness the charity itself being given, and the gratitude from the recipients. I’m grateful that we were able to use Mixed Game Festival V as a vehicle for doing good for some needy people in the Las Vegas community, as you can see in the video below.

]]> Mixed Game Festival V Day 5 Recap: Raymer, Elezra, and the EPT Cyprus Prize Package https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-v-day-5-recap-raymer-elezra-ept-cyprus-prize-package/ Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:23:25 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=59558 It seems like just yesterday that we were eagerly awaiting the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival V at Resorts World Las Vegas. And now, in the blink of an eye, it has come and gone.

The festival was a huge success by all measures. We saw dozens of excited mixed game players – some of whom traveled thousands of miles – join us for five days to play their favorite poker variants in the popular Dealer’s Choice format.

More players took seats throughout the week with limited knowledge of some games, eager to learn. We even had players venture away from No-Limit Hold’em to play mixed games for their first (and hopefully not last) times!

In case you missed them, be sure to check out our recaps from Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 as well.

FossilMan Spends The Day With Us


Day 5 action kicked off at 3 p.m., and 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg “FossilMan” Raymer was already in the room and engaging with players at the start.

Raymer has been a staunch supporter of the Mixed Game Festival since its inception when he won the inaugural MGF H.O.R.S.E. event in October 2021 to earn a PokerStars Platinum Pass.

When play began, Raymer took a seat with host Robbie Strazynski and a full lineup of faces we’d seen all week long. Others came and went as the day turned to night, but Raymer’s presence remained a constant.

In case you missed it, Raymer played the WSOP Main Event on Tuesday, Day 1b, and bagged a top-25 stack in his flight. He will play Day 2 today, and we wish him the best of luck. In the meantime, we couldn’t be more grateful that he took time out of his summer schedule to play and hang out with us.

The Toughest $4/$8 Game in the World

Raymer’s presence was only the beginning of celebrity visits from the poker world.

Poker Hall of Famer and five-time WSOP bracelet winner Eli Elezra took a break from the high-stakes games to play Robbie’s stack for a few hands. I couldn’t imagine a tougher $4/$8 game anywhere on the planet during that time, but there also may not have been a more fun one.

Alek Gilles Is Going To EPT Cyprus

“You got me hooked,” said Alek Gillies on Day 2 of the festival. Gillies, a full-time dealer at Edmonton’s Yellowhead Casino, has been in Vegas all month, working his first summer as a PokerNews live reporter.

When asked what he meant, he said he had so much fun on Day 1 that he had to come to play again after his shift ended at the WSOP.

Gillies was back on the WSOP grind during the festival’s final day. However, he logged plenty of hours throughout the week, each hour giving him an entry into a random drawing for an EPT Cyprus package valued at over $3,000.

PokerNews' Alek Gillies

The draw occurred just after 6 p.m., and Gillies was selected randomly, earning a Mixed Game tournament buy-in of up to €550 with roundtrip airfare and four nights’ accommodation on the Mediterranean island this autumn.

“I’ve never been to Europe,” said Gilles via text message later in the evening. “I’m super excited!”

Upping the ante: Norman Chad hosts $20/$40 O8/Stud8

One of the greatest aspects of the Mixed Game Festival is that it makes low-stakes mixed games accessible for all. However, we also love that it has created enough demand to accommodate the occasional larger game.

WSOP commentator Norman Chad made his second appearance at the festival Thursday, helping to close things out with his very own $20/$40 Omaha 8/Stud 8 game. The game started at 6 p.m. with a full table and a waiting list.

Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson and Women In Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher were among those on the waitlist, arriving shortly after cards went in the air. Both found open seats at a $4/$8 Dealer’s Choice table in the meantime, ultimately making it into Norm’s game later in the evening.

Pokercoaching.com Player of the Day – Zak Zimbile

New to the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival V, we are featuring a “Player of the Day” each day during the festival, sponsored by PokerCoaching.com. As a reminder, all Mixed Game Festival V attendees can receive a free one-week membership to PokerCoaching.com Premium just by asking Robbie in person for the special link. Check out this article with the specific details of what that entails.

Our final Player of the Day joined us this afternoon to play mixed games for the first time in his life. Naturally, he sat with Greg Raymer on his direct left.

Zak Zimbile was unafraid, eagerly looking to learn the games he was now playing. Raymer was the perfect teacher, explaining everything and helping Zimbile understand games like Drawmaha-Dugi.

Zak Zimbile

Zimbile has played poker on and off for over a decade but is a CPA by trade. Most of his clientele are gamblers  – poker players and sports bettors – and he’s even written articles for Cardplayer Lifestyle about poker players and taxes. He opened his own firm in Las Vegas within the past year and has been upping his poker volume lately, playing cash games three or four days a week.

Zimbile thinks some of the increased volume is due to the time of year. Summer is not only the busiest time for poker in Las Vegas but also after tax season ends. He is enjoying the grind while it lasts but is remembering to have fun, as evidenced by his desire to join us. Off the tables, Zak also loves rock climbing, especially indoors.

Festival Recap

The Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival V brought five days of events, giveaways, and $4/$8 Dealer’s Choice cash games.

Opening Day kicked off with a pizza party before cards went in the air on two tables. Later that night, four tables were running with more players present and waiting for seats to open.

Extracurricular events headlined Days 2 and 3 with the first-ever Poker Trivia Competition and Scavenger Hunt. Cardplayer Lifestyle contributor and veteran poker reporter Mike Patrick stole the show both days, but unanimous fun was had all around. Several prominent poker players also visited us on Day 3, including “Miami” John Cernuto, Norman Chad, and a trio of PokerCoaching.com coaches, Justin Saliba, Paul Beitelspacher, and Kieran Woods.

Poker Hall of Fame member Linda Johnson and Women In Poker Hall of Fame member Jan Fisher joined us on Day 4, occupying one of the two opening tables for the afternoon. WPT champion and WSOP bracelet winner Dylan Linde took a seat at the other, taking time to talk strategy with his tablemates and autograph his book, Mastering Mixed Games, for anyone who procured a copy.

The final day concluded with repeat visits from Johnson, Fisher, and Chad. We also concluded the festival by learning new poker variants, making new friends, and forging memories that will last a lifetime.

Thank you to everyone who was a part of such an incredible week. We look forward to the next Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival and hope you do, too. Be sure to join the Cardplayer Lifestyle newsletter to be among the first to find out where and when it will take place.

*Our daily coverage of Mixed Game Festival V is brought to you, with much appreciation, courtesy of PokerStars.

]]> Mixed Game Festival V Day 4 Recap: Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher and Dylan Linde https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-v-day-4-recap-linda-johnson-jan-fisher-dylan-linde/ Thu, 06 Jul 2023 18:30:08 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=59525 It’s hard to believe we’re already through four days of the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival V. Day 4 saw another full slate of action inside the Resorts World Las Vegas poker room. Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson, Women In Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher, and WSOP bracelet winner and Mastering Mixed Games author Dylan Linde all came to start the day’s action.

With a 3 p.m. start time, we got going with three tables, but only two of those tables were new, however. The third (or rather, the first) never stopped running from the day before!

Poker Takes Center Stage

Part of the fun of the Mixed Game Festival comes from festival host Robbie Strazynski’s extracurricular activities like the scavenger hunt and poker trivia competition. Even folks who don’t yet feel comfortable sitting down to try their hands at mixed games pop in to see what all the fuss is about. One such individual was Anish Patel, author of the Final Nine graphic novel, who dropped by to say hello.

Anish Patel

Rumor has it that some more notable “drop-ins” will happen on the festival’s final day… stay tuned for tomorrow’s recap 😉

However, Day 4’s focus was all about poker. (And the Winchell’s donuts provided by Chuck “Donut Boy” Martin). Fisher and Johnson occupied one of the new tables alongside Robbie and several other players who’ve been with us all week.

Linde helped open the other new table alongside a full slate of familiar faces from the week, including prize winners from earlier in the week, Mike Patrick and Scott Sandoval. Linde spent several hours fielding questions and discussing various game strategies with the table, all while engaging with others in the room and signing copies of his book.

The Theme of the Week: Mixed Games Rock!

One of the coolest things about the Mixed Game Festival is how it allows players to get into low-stakes Dealer’s Choice games and learn new poker variants. It’s truly incredible that some of our participants have traveled from all over the country – and even the globe! – to get involved, with the MGF circled on their calendars months in advance.

The festival has also served as an introduction to all the games not named Hold’em. I’d like to say I’m surprised that so many people are falling in love with mixed games after playing, but we all know that wouldn’t be true.

Dylan Linde joined by a table full of mixed game players at the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival V.

Dylan Linde with our crew of mixed game lovers

I’m also not surprised to have seen fellow poker media colleagues make regular appearances here. PokerNews has had strong daily representation, including players like the aforementioned Mike Patrick, as well as Connor Richards, Calum Grant, Roxanne Johnson, Alek Gillies, Yori Epskamp, and Frank Visser.

Best of all, everyone has a new favorite game. We saw multi-board variants, like Squid Game and Watermelon regularly called yesterday to complement the Draw game, Stud game, and Flop game offerings in the stack of placards.

Players discuss a hand of Watermelon poker at showdown.

Watermelon

Pokercoaching.com Player of the Day – John Maley

New to the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival V, we are featuring a “Player of the Day” each day during the festival, sponsored by PokerCoaching.com. As a reminder, all Mixed Game Festival V attendees can receive a free one-week membership to PokerCoaching.com Premium just by asking Robbie in person for the special link. Check out this article with the specific details of what that entails.

There was a clear-cut winner for Wednesday’s Pokercoaching.com Player of the Day at the Mixed Game Festival.

Orange County’s John Maley (from Fountain Valley, to be exact) had been at his seat for more than 28 hours when we spoke with him at around 9 p.m. It was his new personal best for the longest session he’d played by a long shot.

Maley said he drove in, arriving at 4 p.m. on Tuesday and immediately got in a game. He plays long sessions and intended to stay until the table broke, something that never occurred as the calendar shifted to Wednesday. As a result, he still hadn’t checked into his hotel nearly 30 hours later!

Mixed games are where Maley has the most fun. He has played poker for around 20 years now and started exploring games other than Hold’em after the first five years. He loves the mental stimulation and nuanced differences in strategy that each game provides, which he said helped keep him mentally alert through the marathon session.

When asked about his favorite games, Maley said he enjoys those with multiple boards and ways to win. That said, he loves “The Game” (of poker) and is even cool sitting around the table with players who only know how to play Texas Hold’em, noting that we pretty much all got into the game that way. We should be grateful that it can be a foot in the door for new players in mixed rotations like HORSE and 8-Game.

Maley’s day job also keeps him around the game, as he is a cage supervisor at Commerce Casino. However, there’s not much of a mixed scene at LA casinos, and he credited Las Vegas locals such as Raul Yapor  and “Coach” Donald Shiflett for regularly running mixed games. He also had nothing but love for the room, staff and players at Resorts World.

“They’re all great,” Maley concluded. Over 31 hours after arriving, his table finally broke and he finally got up and checked in to his hotel room. 😁

Day 5 Preview: EPT Giveaway, Norman Chad Returns, and Greg “FossilMan” Raymer

Today’s the last chance to get in on the $4/$8 Dealer’s Choice action at MGF V. We look forward to seeing 2004 WSOP Main Event champion Greg “FossilMan” Raymer and poker commentary legend Norman Chad play today, the latter of whom will be hosting a $20/$40 Omaha 8/Stud 8 mixed game.

Sticking to the week’s theme, we have more prizes to give away on the festival’s final day. In addition to more swag giveaways, a grand prize drawing will take place at 6 p.m. The winner will win an EPT Cyprus package courtesy of festival sponsor PokerStars valued at over $3,000. Every hour of play throughout the week has earned our players one entry into the random drawing, and the winner will receive:

  • A Mixed Game tournament buy-in up to €550
  • Roundtrip airfare for one
  • Four nights’ accommodation

*Our daily coverage of Mixed Game Festival V is brought to you, with much appreciation, courtesy of PokerStars.

]]> Mixed Game Festival V Day 1 Recap: Setting the Stage for a Massive Week Ahead https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-v-day-1-recap-setting-the-stage-for-a-massive-week-ahead/ Mon, 03 Jul 2023 15:32:47 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=59438 A palpable excitement was in the air to kick off the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival V on Sunday at noon. The festival will run for five days through Thursday, July 6, featuring low-stakes dealer’s choice and mixed cash games, daily merchandise giveaways, a trivia competition, poker book signings, and more.

Players representing all corners of the globe began filling the poker room inside Resorts World Las Vegas a little after 11 a.m. and were eager to get the cards in the air. Play officially began closer to 12:15, as Cardplayer Lifestyle’s owner and founder Robbie Strazynski first welcomed everybody with a pizza party to ring in the festival.

Let the Games Begin!

Three full tables of players quickly devoured the pizzas and began selecting their games of choice.

The first giveaway came on the day’s first hand. Robbie announced that the best badugi in a split-pot game would also receive their choice of a Jim Donahue-authored poker book.

In some cases, players chose to subject others – namely Robbie – to Razz. Apparently, that’s a thing 😉

BBO Poker Tables Founder and CEO George Chao stopped by in the opening hours of the festival to sing his praises for the Mixed Game Festival V. Chao also delivered a half dozen portable table mats that will be given away to the winners of our Poker Trivia Competition on Monday, July 3, at 11:30 a.m, Scavenger Hunt on Tuesday July 4, at 11 a.m., and a few other luckily drawn random winners throughout the festival.

Pokercoaching.com Player of the Day – Nadi Medlege

New to the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival V, we are featuring a “Player of the Day” each day during the festival, sponsored by PokerCoaching.com. As a reminder, all Mixed Game Festival V attendees can receive a free one-week membership to PokerCoaching.com Premium just by asking Robbie in person for the special link. Read on for specific details of what that entails.

Nadi Medlege became the first ever Player of the Day. Medlege is in town from Lebanon and played a full session on Sunday, but not without taking a few moments to speak about his love for mixed game poker.

Medlege’s roots in poker date back to 2000. He started playing at the Aviation Club in Paris, and recently relocated to Lebanon to be closer to family, but only spends about half the year there.

As for the other half?

Well, Medlege takes two trips each year to Las Vegas and stays for about three months each time. When he’s in town, he said he always plays mixed games at Resorts World, usually playing $8/$16 or $20/$40.

Medlege credited the variety he enjoys in mixed games to his ability to play long sessions. He said it’s harder for him to play longer sessions of No-Limit Hold’em than mixed games, with his longest marathon session to date coming in at 32 hours.

He added, “I love mixed games, and I think it would be so good for the game if everybody learned them!”

Four Tables of Play Mark a Successful Day 1

Resorts World’s poker room was electric all day Sunday. The Mixed Game Festival V had a double-digit waiting list due to a packed house, along with the casino’s regular cash game offerings and another successful tournament for the room this summer.

A fourth table of play opened just after 8 p.m., easing the wait list and bringing even more energy to the room. A trio of veteran and newer industry writers, Yori Epskamp, Mike Patrick, and Jeremy Geist, took a break from their busy roles at PokerNews to jump into the action.

It didn’t take long before a post-it note made its way onto a placard on the felt for the game, Watermelon. Players each received four cards, just like Omaha, before the dealer brought three boards. Each board’s winner got a point at the end of the hand, and the player with the most points took down the pot.

Eventually, players took things to another level and ate watermelon while playing Watermelon!

Perhaps expected, players took full advantage of the dealer’s choice format, with fun variants being chosen on the regular. Badugi had a steady presence, often in split-pot games like Razzdugi, Drawmaha High-Dugi, and Badacey.

We’ll see if those games remain a constant over the remainder of the festival, or if players change things up a bit in the coming days.

Remaining Schedule of Events

One full day may be in the books, but we’re only 20% of the way through the fifth iteration of the Mixed Game Festival.

There’s still a full slate of events scheduled for the rest of the festival, and we look forward to seeing more new faces join the ones who are already looking forward to being with us all week. If you’re looking to pop in, please do! We’ll have cash games going until the wee hours of the morning, along with the following promotions:

  • Monday, July 3: Poker Trivia Competition at 11:30 a.m.
  • Tuesday, July 4: Scavenger Hunt at 11 a.m.
  • Book signings from mixed games legends like Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra and WSOP/WPT champion Dylan Linde
  • Celebrity visits from other famous names in the poker world. Players such as Greg Raymer, Linda Johnson, Jonathan Little, “Miami” John Cernuto, Justin Saliba, Jan Fisher, and Ari Engel have regularly appeared at past festivals.

MGF V Schedule

*Our daily coverage of Mixed Game Festival V is brought to you, with much appreciation, courtesy of PokerStars.

]]> Mixed Game Festival IV Day 5 Recap: Watchman Wins H.O.R.S.E. Event and EPT Prague Prize Package https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-iv-day-5-recap-watchman-wins-h-o-r-s-e-event-and-ept-prague-prize-package/ Fri, 24 Mar 2023 17:21:08 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=58065 Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival IV capped off another successful series at Resorts World Las Vegas yesterday with a $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament that drew appearances from some of the most familiar faces from throughout the poker community.

The fifth and final day of the festival marked the end of the fourth iteration of Robbie Strazynski’s gathering of mixed game fans and aficionados. Eighty-one players turned out to play for a total prize pool of $17,820 — along with the grand prize of a trip to EPT Prague to play in a mixed game event as a value added bonus for the winner.

The grand prize trip came courtesy of PokerStars, and it includes roundtrip airfare for one, four night’s accommodation, and a buy-in to a mixed game tournament up to €550 at this December’s PokerStars European Poker Tour stop in Prague.

The $260 finale kicked off at 2 p.m. and the field piled in quickly before registration closed at the end of the first break. Mixed game tournaments aren’t offered in Las Vegas as often as no-limit hold’em, so the chance to play H.O.R.S.E. for a free trip to Prague attracted some of the bigger names from the local poker scene.

The Players

PokerGO’s Jeff Platt took a break from the US Poker Open at the Aria to jump into the tournament. He busted out before things could get serious, but he got his H.O.R.S.E. fix before a long weekend at the PokerGO Studio. World Series of Poker commentator Norman Chad also stopped by to say hello, along with Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher.

Jeff Platt

“Miami John” Cernuto was among the others in attendance, and he was joined by two-time bracelet winner Ari Engel. Cernuto took down the Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament earlier in the series, and Engel finished in second. Both players failed to qualify for the money in H.O.R.S.E., but they’ll likely be found together again soon at a final table in another mixed game tournament.

Ari Engel

The Final Table

The top 12 places paid a min-cash of $421 and the winner was slated to take home $5,517, along with the EPT Prague prize package worth over $3,000. Ryan Leonis had the bitter honor of busting out on the bubble, but his despair was short lived and he was refunded his $260 buy-in, courtesy of PokerCoaching.com’s bubble protection.

Tournament players battled for nearly 12 hours until Warren Coleman, Bill Watchman, and Denis Nesterenko were the only three players remaining just after 1 a.m. local time. Coleman hails from England and Watchman has several wins over the last decade in a number of poker variants. Interestingly enough, Nesterenko won a bracelet last year in the $1,500 2-7 Triple Draw event at the 2022 World Series of Poker.

The final three players agreed to bring the tournament to an end and flipped for the trip to EPT Prague. Watchman won the runout and he will be headed to the Czech Republic in December for the poker trip of a lifetime.

A Look Back at Mixed Game Festival IV

Day 1 kicked off the fourth Mixed Game Festival with three tables of $4/$8 Dealer’s Choice and free pizza offered throughout the day. WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage was one of the poker personalities to check out the early action, and he was joined by a steady stream of poker players from near and far.

Day 2 gave way to the O8 tournament, won by the aforementioned Cernuto, who bested a field of 61 players to take the top prize of $4,375. Day 3 brought out book signings by Dylan Linde, Chris “Fox” Wallace, and Eli Elezra, with bomb pots and Mixed Game Festival merchandise flowing all week long, while Day 4 saw the Pokercoaching.com crew enter the fray, headed by Jonathan Little and Justin Saliba, along with popular poker vlogger Ethan “Rampage” Yau. The Day 5 finale was a fitting end to a week full of great mixed games and new friendships with poker players from around the world.

It was another successful festival in the books for Cardplayer Lifestyle, and players are already looking forward to the next one. Be sure to join the Cardplayer Lifestyle newsletter to be among the first to find out where and when the next Mixed Game Festival will be.

]]> Mixed Game Festival IV Day 4 Recap: Ethan Yau, Jonathan Little, and lots of WSOP Bracelet Winners Enter the Fray https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-iv-day-4-recap-ethan-yau-jonathan-little/ Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:15:09 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=58043 Word must have gotten around Las Vegas that the Mixed Game Festival IV was in full swing in the Resorts World poker room. There was an $8/$16 game that was still running from the night before and the list to start new games was so long that you could not read the bottom of it on the room’s screen! At the peak of Day 4 there were a total six low-stakes mixed game tables running simultaneously, a new record for a Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival (Ed. note: Which we can’t wait to break next time!) Many players showed up to play, but also specifically to have a chance to meet their poker heroes.

First to make an appearance on Day 4 was 2014 WSOP $10K HORSE bracelet winner Chris “Fox” Wallace. He signed a few copies of his book Getting Started with HORSE for the participants and then joined the festivities by sitting down to play in the $8/$16 mixed cash game.

As we sat there playing poker, a new $4/8 dealer’s choice table opened up featuring Norman Chad, Jan Fisher, and the First Lady of Poker Linda Johnson, who all returned to join in the festivities having had a blast playing and mixing it up in the cash games on Day 3. The table quickly filled up with fans who wanted the chance to play a hand of poker with them!

Jonathan Little and Justin Saliba brought not only PokerCoaching.com hats to give out to randomly selected players, but also a few fans alongside them who couldn’t wait for the opportunity to play small-stakes poker with the professional crushers. Jonathan hopped into one of the $4/$8 mixed cash games where he offered tips and tricks on what to look for in a hand to play depending on the game that was being played. He also played Drawmaha for the first time and seemed to enjoy learning the new poker variant. It was unique to see someone with over $7 million in lifetime tournament earnings and such a brilliant, successful career in poker learn a new variant for the first time and arguably be the least experienced one at the table, where the majority of the players were already familiar with Drawmaha. Learning and enjoying the game were high on everyone’s agenda, but the chance to win a few bucks of the pros was likely the highlight for most.

A surprise visitor, popular vlogger and poker pro Ethan “Rampage” Yau, then popped in to Resorts World to see what all the fuss was about and to splash around in the $4/$8 streets of mixed game poker. Rampage had never played mixed game and was learning every single new poker variant on the spot! His first game that he played was 7 Card Super Stud 8 or better. This variation of poker is the same as 7 Card Stud 8 or better, but you are dealt four cards facing down and one facing up. You then choose which two of the four cards dealt to you to keep and discard the other two cards. From there you play as you would normally would play in a stud game. Ethan looked like he was doing well and managed to win a few hands right away!

READ MORE: Mixed Games Poker Guide — Stud Games

PokerGO’s Tim Duckworth also made an appearance to show his support for the event once again, as he has attended two prior Mixed Game Festivals here in Las Vegas. He was all smiles and was kind enough to answer questions from fellow players at the table about how content is created for PokerGO. He stayed many hours playing poker before it was time to call it a night.

The game of the day that was played is currently called Squid Game but some of you may know it as Oklahoma. This game was popular among many players not only because it was fun but also, the dealers also had a little sweat on the outcome of the hand. This is an Omaha style game where players are dealt five cards and then see three full boards as they try to make the best possible high hand. The catch is that on the end; the river with the lowest card is eliminated. What happens if all three rivers are the same? Well, if that happens then no one who is playing the hand can win the pot since there is no longer a board they can use to make a poker hand. In this instance the pot is awarded to… the dealer!

An Awesome, Positive Vibe Prevails in the Poker Room

Overall, there was a ton of laughter and good times being shared by all who attended and played at the half dozen tables throughout the day. Players were thrilled to meet some of the best players and poker industry personalities and listen to stories they had to share about their careers. Many poker books were signed. Lots of swag was given out to players via randomly drawn splash pots, thanks to great sponsors like D&B Poker, BBO Poker Tables, and RunGoodGear. The atmosphere was abuzz with excitement as numerous players hopped from table to table to get a chance to play with the poker celebrities in attendance.

Some of the Mixed Game Festival regulars that were in attendance to participate in the festivities, who we’d like to give special shout outs to, were Ruth, Pat, Chuck, and Chance. These players helped keep the games friendly and were always happy to explain the rules to games if someone was not familiar with a game. More than once during the day I heard players compliment the friendliness of the community and how they made the game fun!

Grand Finale H.O.R.S.E. Tournament

The festival’s marquee event, a $260 H.O.R.S.E tournament, is set to begin at 2:05 PM Las Vegas time today, March 23rd. It will include a prize package sponsored by PokerStars to play at December’s European Poker Tour stop in Prague. You’ll get roundtrip airfare for one, four-nights’ accommodation, and the opportunity to mix it up with poker greats in a €550 buy-in mixed game tournament.

We’re expecting a field of over 100 players, including a who’s who of mixed game poker, to be duking it out at the felt for top prize and the value added prize package. The final day of Mixed Game Festival IV will also be your last chance to score some awesome merch and other great prizes… until the next festival!

]]> Mixed Game Festival IV Day 2 Recap: Miami John Cernuto Adds to His Legend https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-iv-day-2-recap-miami-john-cernuto/ Tue, 21 Mar 2023 18:50:55 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=57984 Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival IV at Resorts World Las Vegas held its first of two tournaments yesterday. A full house of 61 players entered the $260 Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament, including a cavalcade of mixed game poker legends and rising stars. A couple tables of $4/8 Dealer’s Choice cash games were also running simultaneously alongside the tournament. Seated amongst the recreational players were Matt Savage, Chip and Karina Jett, Jan Fisher, and Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson, as well as Ari Engel and “Miami” John Cernuto. The latter two poker legends would end up playing heads up for the title, with Cernuto ultimately prevailing.

Robbie Strazynski, owner and founder of Cardplayer Lifestyle, is hosting the festival from March 19-23 at Resorts World. The Festival will include cash games and culminate with a $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament on Thursday March 23rd. In addition to the regular prize pool, the tournament will award EPT Prague prize to the winner, sponsored by PokerStars.

Chuck, Chip, Matt, and Linda

Chuck, Chip, Matt, and Linda

An exciting addition to the Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament was bubble protection in the form of free poker training memberships donated courtesy of Pokercoaching.com. Bubble protection will also be in place for Thursday’s H.O.R.S.E. tournament.

Pokercoaching.com’s Justin Saliba also stopped by yesterday with additional free merchandise to hand out to players in bomb pots throughout the festival. Justin is a professional poker player with two WSOP bracelets, and was taught by one of the best. He reached out to Jonathan Little while still in college, offering to intern at the company in exchange for poker coaching. He is now a part of Pokercoaching.com and feels strongly about growing poker and being able to learn to play at a $4/8 level.

Justin Saliba

Me, speaking with Justin Saliba

Justin “just loved coming and playing $4/8 and learning all these different games. And when the World Series comes around (and) there’s a $1,500 O8 tournament I can say I’ve played this before.” Justin shared that he learned poker along with his older brother, and played in a neighborhood game, watching Main Event reruns in the background.

“Book bomb pots” were also a fun addition to the tournament on Monday, with multiple players winning Eli Elezra’s autobiography Pulling the Trigger. Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra will be signing copies of his book Tuesday March 21st for a discounted price of $10. Additional book winners included James Basham from St. Louis, who attended Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival III that was held in Malta. He’d already planned a trip to Las Vegas with eight of his friends when he found out about the Festival. He then changed his plans and came to Las Vegas early.

Book Winner

Debi Cheek, Danny Anton, and Clyde Gaskins also won books, with Clyde also winning a sweatshirt courtesy of premium poker industry brands RunGoodGear and PokerGO.

Dylan Linde enjoyed Monday’s festivities and will also be attending the Festival on Tuesday, March 21st, to sign copies of his book Mastering Mixed Games, which will be available for purchase at a discounted price of $25. On Wednesday March 22nd, WSOP bracelet winner Chris Wallace will be signing copies of his book Getting Started With HORSE also at a discounted price of $25.

Jan Fisher

Jan Fisher

A portion of all proceeds derived from book sales will be donated to Poker Gives, a non-profit organization that distributes funds to assist military families, homeless veterans, and youth programs in Las Vegas. Originally founded by Linda Johnson, Lisa Tenner, Jan Fisher, and the late Mike Sexton, Poker Gives is a fully volunteer organization, with every dollar donated going to the cause. During a break in the tournament action, Johnson spoke for a couple minutes about the mission of Poker Gives to the assembled crowd, and about the beauty of being able to assist the homeless community in Las Vegas thanks to the generosity of poker players, who donate both money and time to volunteering for the cause.

The $260 Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament was not the only action running on Monday. A couple of $4/8 Dealer’s Choice tables were running all day featuring players like Sean McCormack, Director of Poker Strategy at MGM Resorts International, and Ryan Kirk, Director of Poker Operations at the Aria. Cody Meyer from Nebraska was back at the table, along with Ruth Sun from San Jose after enjoying the first day of the festival.

Resorts World has been a huge part of this festival, providing an atmosphere that you can relax in yet feel Leon Wheeler’s superb professionalism as the venue’s Director of Poker Operations.

Leon Wheeler

Leon Wheeler

Miami John Cernuto Wins Another One

After 13 grueling hours weaving and winding his way through the Allen Kessler “Chainsaw approved” tournament structure, “Miami” John Cernuto took down top prize of the day’s tournament at approximately 2:45 am local time.

Some notables making the final table alongside Cernuto were Chip Jett, Women in Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher, World Poker Tour Executive Tour Director Matt Savage, and WSOP bracelet winner Ari Engel.

“Old school” defeated the “new school” as Cernuto offered a hearty handshake to Engel when winning the final Stud 8 hand.

Cash games will continue running Tuesday and Wednesday and the grand prize will be handed to the winner of Thursday’s $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament. The prize will include an EPT Prague prize package for the winner, sponsored by PokerStars. The package, with an estimated total value of over $3,000, will consist of:

  • Mixed Game tournament buy-in up to €550
  • Roundtrip airfare for one
  • Four nights’ accommodation
]]> Mixed Game Festival IV Day 1 Recap: Poker, Pizza and Prizes https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-iv-day-1-recap-poker-pizza-and-prizes/ Mon, 20 Mar 2023 16:15:47 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=57960 Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival IV started off yesterday with a flurry of players coming from all over the country to enjoy the camaraderie, mixed games, and Resorts World Las Vegas premier poker room. Robbie Strazynski, owner and founder of Cardplayer Lifestyle, is hosting the festival from March 19-23. It will include cash games and two tournaments, a $260 Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament starting at 2pm today, and a $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament on Thursday March 23rd.

Mixed Game Festival IV

Origin of Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival

Robbie created the Mixed Game Festival after thinking “I wish I could attend something like this (mixed game festival)” and he turned it into a reality. This is the fourth Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival. The first was held at Westgate Las Vegas in October 2021.

Robbie played his first mixed game when he was eight, with his father Josef Strazynski, and other members of his extended family. Josef taught him games such as stud, 5-card-draw, baseball, and deuces wild. Robbie’s interest in a multitude of games was piqued, and now manifests itself through Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festivals, including this latest incarnation where poker players from as far afield as Florida, Ohio, Salt Lake City and even north of the border in Canada, have traveled to join in the fun.

Eric Potterton traveled to Las Vegas from Ohio, and decided to enjoy not just March Madness, but the Mixed Game Festival as well. It’s his first festival, and his love for mixed games spurred him to join the crowd today. Cody Meyer, similar to Eric, was visiting from Nebraska, and after hearing of the upcoming event via Facebook decided to come. Alisa and Jeff Eberhard, visiting from Salt Lake City, Utah, both decided to make their way down Interstate 15 to join in the fun as well. This is Jeff’s third Festival and the first time his wife Alisa has been in attendance.

Mike, Brian, and Scott at Cardplayer Lifestyle's Mixed Game Festival IV

Mike, Brian and Scott

Mike Serrano attended Mixed Game Festival II, also held at the Resorts World poker room, and had such a great time he made a point to come again. One of Mike’s friends Brian Dowd has also attended before and brought his friend Scott Sandoval from Florida. Yesterday, Scott was one of the lucky winners of Dylan Linde’s book Mastering Mixed Games. Ruth Sun from San Jose also won a copy of Linde’s book and is looking forward to getting her copy signed by the author, who will be in attendance tomorrow, on Tuesday, March 21st. Copies, if not won in “book bomb pots” will be available for purchase at the discounted price of $20.

Ruth Sun

Ruth Sun

On Wednesday March 22, WSOP bracelet winner Chris Wallace will be signing copies of his book Getting Started With HORSE also at a discounted price of $25. Rounding out this trio is venerated Poker Hall of Famer, Eli Elezra, who will be signing copies of his autobiography Pulling the Trigger for a discounted price of $10.

Donations to Poker Gives

A portion of all proceeds derived from book sales will be donated to Poker Gives, a non-profit organization that distributes funds to assist military families, homeless veterans, and youth programs in Las Vegas. Originally founded by Linda Johnson, Lisa Tenner, Jan Fisher, and the late Mike Sexton, Poker Gives is a fully volunteer organization, with every dollar donated going to the cause. Moreover, volunteers donate time either cooking or handing out food that itself was donated.

Robbie Strazynski

The party kicked off with pizza, one of Resorts World’s many contributions to the festival and very soon thereafter action kicked off at three tables, which ran concurrently for close to 12 hours.

George Chao of BBO Poker Tables donated portable poker table mats to the Festival. George initially met Robbie many years ago, appearing as a guest on his podcast. The two have since become big supporters of each other’s endeavors. George started his company 16 years ago in California’s Bay Area after realizing there was a lack of affordable, well-made poker tables. The manufacturing was either inexpensive and poorly executed, or good quality but wildly expensive. George filled this need, and now provides 60-70% of his business directly to consumers while also working with clients such as the World Poker Tour.

Resorts World Poker Room Staff

Other exciting aspects of the Mixed Game Festival are bubble protection for both tournaments, with free poker training site memberships donated courtesy of Pokercoaching.com. There will also be multiple daily merchandise giveaways courtesy of premium poker industry brands such as RunGoodGear, D&B Poker Publishing, and PokerGO.

Grand Prize Mixed Game Package for EPT Prague

The grand prize awarded to the winner of Thursday’s upcoming $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament includes an EPT Prague prize package for the winner, sponsored by PokerStars and valued at over $3,000, which will consist of:

  • Mixed Game tournament buy-in up to €550
  • Roundtrip airfare for one
  • Four nights’ accommodation

The estimated total value of the prize package is over $3,000.

With the feel of playing in the world’s best and largest home game combined with the setting of a world-class casino, Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival brings together a mixture of friends you already know and friends you just met. Plus, especially in Las Vegas, you never know which vaunted poker pro or industry superstar might show up to splash around and join in the festivities.

]]> Poker Tips by George: Best Poker Books https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/poker-tips-by-george-best-poker-books/ Fri, 27 Jan 2023 16:25:53 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=54907 I must own over 100 poker books, some written by top poker celebrities. On occasion, I have been asked to name my favorite book. Which is the best poker book ever written? Which poker book ought you take on your next trip to a casino for some fun or interesting reading?

After writing my third book, that thought garnered more than an occasional ponder. Maybe someday. . . Even though our poker world has grown from a handful of backrooms and riverboats, and the number of players has multiplied into the millions since the Gold Rush days, an annual awards night remains but a dream. Can we follow in the footsteps of the movie industry that has offered its golden Oscars since 1929?

poker books

Let me offer my own selection of “Best Poker Books,” What Makes a Great Poker Book?
Foremost is the book’s content. Is it worth reading? Does it leave the reader with vital information that will make her better educated in the game – a consistent winner? Is it an easy read? Or, on the other hand, is it boring or confusing to read?

My Candidates for Best Poker Book

   ● Poker – A Guaranteed Income for Life by Using the Advanced Concepts of Poker by Frank R. Wallace (1968)

   ● The Mathematics of Gambling by Dr. Edward O. Thorp (1984)

   ● Doyle Brunson’s Super System (over 600 pages of poker wisdom in collaboration with other top players)

     ● Winning Women of Poker – Secret Strategies Revealed including “The Nuts and Bolts of No-Limit Texas Hold’em” by Maria Ho; “Around the Felt” by Marsha Waggoner; “Strategy Differences Between Cash Games and Tournaments” by Jan Fisher; “The Importance of Position” by Susie Isaacs; “Don’t Tell Me You’re Card Dead!” by Linda Johnson; “The Art of the Bluff” by Barbara Enright;  Poker Face and Tells” by Clonie Gowen; “Know Your Enemy” by J. J. Liu – and more

   ● Hold’em Poker for Advanced Players by David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth

   ● Harrington on Hold’em by Dan Harrington and Bill Robertie

   ● Poker for Dummies by Lou Krieger and Richard Harroch

● I include two of my own: Hold’em or Fold’em? – An Algorithm for Making the Key Decision (2012) and The Art of Bluffing (2015)

● Lou Krieger’s book, 52 great poker tips – one for each card in the deck – is tops in my mind

What makes Lou’s tips so great is the sound advice they offer, enhanced by his personality which spills over into his tips. As I read each of his tips, I found myself anxious to read on.

Highlighting Some of Krieger’s Tips:

Why it’s important to know and understand the odds; The odds and implied odds; Starting standards; Calling pre-flop depending on position; Hands you can play in any position; Calling a raise from the blind; Default programming; Folding before and after the flop; Finding the best game; The Front-Loaded effect; Classify and categorize your opponents; Playing with maniacs; Three ways to play winning hold’em; Counter-intuitive strategy; Record-keeping and note-taking; Playing multiple games online; Fit or fold; Playing and raising with a draw; Slow-playing; Don’t let your opponents read you; The gap between betting and calling; Raising – two ways to win; Raising can define your hand; Another reason to raise; Check-raising; Betting patterns; Looking for tells.

Unfortunately, we lost Lou when he died of cancer in December 2012 at the age of 67.

Could one of these be a candidate for the “Poker Book Oscar” – or should we give our statue a different moniker? Will the poker world one day have its own Oscar?

George Epstein ad

]]> Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival II: Day 1 Doesn’t Disappoint! https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/mixed-game-festival-ii-day-1-doesnt-disappoint/ Mon, 13 Jun 2022 17:26:24 +0000 https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/?p=52753 Our second mixed game festival got off to a roaring start! The action started at 11:00 o’clock in the morning and almost immediately we got two tables of $4/8 dealer’s choice poker going.

Within the first hour, we were graced by the presence of poker royalty, as Women in Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher and Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson came to jump in the mix.

Linda Jan Robbie

Also present were are social media director Chad McVean and Calum Grant, a past Cardplayer Lifestyle contributor who (shot the great picture above and) now writes full-time for PokerNews.

A third table, an $8/16 mix, was also running for hours on end, and players rotated and switched among the three games throughout the day. besides the regular local mixed game lovers, numerous participants flew in from around the country as well as from north of the border, in Canada. It was also wonderful to see Martin Smith, who flew in all the way from Malta for his first ever trip to Las Vegas, specifically play in our festival.

Chips were flying across the felt at the resorts world poker room at a frenetic pace, and players got to enjoy a number of old mixed game favorites as well as learn some new variants of the game we all love including but not limited to “Oma-jack”, “Watermelon”, and more!

Beyond the poker we also staged a number of spontaneous giveaways including bespoke, limited edition, T-shirts from RunGoodGear, Hoodies from PokerGO, and gift bags from BBO Poker Tables which got delivered in person by the company’s founder George Chao.

WSOP bracelet winners Dylan Linde and Dominick Sarle showed up to play the night shift, as the shenanigans lasted well into the wee hours of the morning.


I logged 15 hours of play until I had to turn in for the night, but one table was still going when I left.

The excitement was palpable throughout the room and it was very clear from the noise emanating from our section that the fun was to be had in the dealer’s choice mix as opposed to the “regular old Texas Hold’em” tables. 😊

Today, Day 2, we’ll see poker media personality Bernard Lee come in for a book signing, plus he’ll be helping to kick off the action with some good old fashioned triple draw!

The fun will keep on rolling until Thursday, when we’ll randomly select our grand prize winner (you get one entry in the drawing for every hour of cash game play logged), who will get a PokerStars Live Event Package to a Road to PSPC Event in one of eight European countries (flight and accommodation), plus a €400 seat into an event where they could go on to win a Platinum Pass valued at $30,000!

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