Robbie is active on Twitter as @cardplayerlife

We also go over this week’s home game results and discuss these topics:
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Time Stamps

The tournament was the big finish of the inaugural Mixed Games Festival, a brand-new poker event that took place at Westgate Las Vegas Resort from October 4-7. When registration closed the finale had effectively sold out with 124 players signed up to generate a prize pool of $20,460.

Robbie Strazynski’s four-day festival was a major success both on and off the felt. Poker pros and authors stopped by to share their knowledge of mixed games with a long line of visitors while raising money for charity with book signings throughout the week.

Dylan Linde stopped by on Day 1 to sign copies of his book Mastering Mixed Games: Winning Strategies for Draw, Stud, and Flop Games. Linde spent a lot of time talking mixed game strategy with fans while signing several books. He left behind a stack and they continued to sell at a brisk pace throughout the week. Eli Elezra stopped by on Day 2 to sign copies of his book Pulling the Trigger and played a couple of orbits with visitors. Book sales from throughout the week raised $1,045 for the Westgate Resorts Foundation.

Tournament Action

Among the 124 entries were several notable faces from the poker world. Bracelet-winners, writers, photographers, video producers, Hall of Famers, and local grinders made up a tough field of players looking for mixed game tournament action with a Platinum Pass up top.

The room’s filling up and cards will be in the air soon!

Good luck to everyone playing our Mixed Game Festival!#PokerLifeMedia pic.twitter.com/2X3Z1J3YtQ

— Cardplayer Lifestyle (@PokerLifeMedia) October 7, 2021

Nathan Gamble, Linda Johnson, Chris “Fox” Wallace, Robert Turner, and Chad Holloway represented the rest of the six WSOP gold bracelet winners who took their chance at a Platinum Pass. Women in Poker Hall of Famers Jan Fisher and Marsha Waggoner also stopped by to take their shot. Up-and-coming local grinder Dave Alfa made an early run but hit the rail before the money.

Poker media veterans Donnie Peters, Remko Rinkema, Brent Harrington, Christin Maschmann, Jesse Fullen, Mike Patrick, Tim Duckworth, Chad McVean, and 2019 WSOP Main Event finalist Garry Gates stopped by as well to take a break away from their duties at the WSOP.

Notables among the final 29 in the @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival @FossilMan, @Donnie_Peters, @thechipburner, @Bloodlow, @foxpokerfox, @GarryGates, @MikePatrick98, @Veaner85, @BrentHarrington, @MixedGameMike and @WIPHOF-er Marsha Waggoner.

A $30K #PlatinumPass is at stake. pic.twitter.com/MiNBXZ5rdw

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) October 8, 2021

Patrick, a PokerNews live reporter (and fellow Cardplayer Lifestyle contributor who incidentally wrote the festival’s Day 3 recap), finished in fifth place and took home $1,432 for the effort. Houston’s Jeff Planck took fourth place for $1,841 and Jason Simon of O’Fallon, MO won $2,455 for his third place finish. Runner-up Unsal missed out on the Platinum Pass but grabbed $3,069 along with the chance to play heads-up with a world champion.

Raymer Wins

Raymer almost didn’t play in the tournament, but a brief delay at the WSOP on Wednesday forced a change in plans.

“I was sitting in my room and thinking about playing the stud tournament at 3 p.m., but I saw the delay,” Raymer said in an interview with Cardplayer Lifestyle after winning the Platinum Pass.

“I haven’t gotten into a late-night schedule yet, so I am not going to be playing my best after 1 a.m., and I knew that I was not going to be entering that tournament. I saw the Mixed Game Festival cash games on the Wednesday schedule and decided to come over and support Robbie.”

Thank you for putting on this festival. came yesterday to support it, got talked into playing it! YAY
RT @cardplayerlife: Congrats to the @FossilMan!
Winner of the @PokerStars #PlatinumPass for the @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival

The champ is HERE!

pic.twitter.com/0nRQ6S9vAd

— Greg Raymer (@FossilMan) October 8, 2021

Raymer is in town to play the WSOP and initially hesitated to come back on Thursday for the H.O.R.S.E. tournament.

“People at my table asked if I was going to play the tournament and I said no, but they brought up the Platinum Pass and I had forgotten about that!”

Raymer will certainly never forget this PokerStars Platinum Pass, a highly coveted prize that includes a $25,000 buy-in to the prestigious PokerStars Player’s Championship along with travel, accommodation, and other perks.

The world champion soaked up his victory just as he would any other. It might have been a smaller event, but to Raymer winning is a wonderful feeling no matter what.

“It means a lot because the PSPC is a huge event,” Raymer said. “If it’s like the last one, the winner gets $5 million. That’s as much as I got for winning world championship in 2004. It’s not like winning $5 million is ho-hum. Winning $50,000 isn’t ho-hum either.”

It’s difficult to compare any win to capturing the WSOP Main Event, but to Raymer that doesn’t matter.

“Winning is always great. Winning this tournament might not even be in my top 20 cash payouts lifetime, but winning a tournament always feels good.

When you win there’s no better feeling. Maybe it feels better when you win a bigger tournament. But I still won. I couldn’t have done better.”

Jeremy Ausmus wins his 2nd WSOP bracelet, 2021 Covid-19 Relief No-Limit Hold’em Charity Event

Robbie Strazynski discusses the Inaugural Mixed Game Festival during the 2021 WSOP

NOTE: PLEASE SUBSCRIBE To Bernard’s YouTube page AND LIKE any videos that you enjoy

Jeremy Ausmus and Robbie Strazynski

In this episode of The Bernard Lee Poker Show on the Cardplayer Lifestyle Podcast Family, Bernard Lee first interviews 2021 WSOP Covid-19 Relief No-Limit Hold’em Charity Event champion, Jeremy Ausmus.  This win was his second WSOP bracelet. Then, Bernard interviews Robbie Strazynski who discusses the Inaugural Mixed Game Festival held this week during the 2021 WSOP.

During the first half of the podcast, Jeremy Ausmus talks about winning his 2nd WSOP bracelet in the interviews 2021 WSOP Covid-19 Relief No-Limit Hold’em Charity Event. Jeremy also discusses his time at home with the family and playing online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Playing in high roller events, Jeremy talks about adjusting when playing between the lower buy-in and high roller events. He also talks about how he felt entering the 2021 WSOP and the registration process and COVID-19 protocols. Finally, Jeremy discusses how he determines his 2021 WSOP event schedule and the specific events he is looking forward to playing in 2021.

During the second part of the podcast, Robbie Strazynski gives his initial impression of the 2021 WSOP. Robbie talks about his Inaugural Mixed Game Festival held at the Westgate Casino, formerly the Hilton. Also, he talks about the $200 H.O.R.S.E. buy-in tournament on October 7, with a PokerStars Platinum Pass ($30,000 value) for the winner. Robbie and Bernard discuss the different mixed games including explaining all the games that make up H.O.R.S.E. Also, during the interview, Robbie discusses the new format of CardplayerLifestyle.com.

The Rio remains the most popular spot to find the best poker in town during the series, but veterans of tournament poker know that Las Vegas has much more to offer than what you can find at the WSOP. Players regularly step away to visit the local poker rooms in town for a break from the large crowds and long bathroom lines. Off-strip poker tournaments also have lower buy-ins that can help you stretch your bankroll or give you a chance to bounce back after a rough week in the Amazon room.

The poker festivals around Las Vegas that run concurrently with the WSOP are growing in popularity, but it’s still difficult for players to find mixed game tournaments at budget-friendly buy-ins. In response to the growing demand, Cardplayer Lifestyle partnered with Westgate to open their doors to mixed game enthusiasts who are looking for a chance to catch up on lost time and play some poker variants with like-minded poker fans.

Our Mixed Games Festival kicked off on Monday and will continue with cash games through Thursday, October 7, when the festival ends with a $200 H.O.R.S.E. tournament offering a PokerStars Player’s Championship Platinum Pass to the winner. The tournament kicks off at noon on Thursday, and a big turnout is expected.

Opening Day

Monday’s opening sessions were a resounding success, with new friends and old faces stopping by Westgate all day long to take part in the festival. Several players arrived early to make sure they could secure a spot in Thursday’s H.O.R.S.E. tournament, and the first table filled up quickly.

More sights from Day #1 of the @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival

Lots of fun being had at @WestgateVegas. pic.twitter.com/29KJ3fbYoR

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) October 5, 2021

By 4 p.m. the game had grown to two tables, and a steady stream of enthusiastic poker fans was enjoying pizza while trying to snag the high card giveaways from PokerGO, Faded Spade Playing Cards, and BBO Poker Tables. Visitors came from places like Oklahoma, Illinois, and Canada, and they were excited to share their enthusiasm for getting back into a card room.

One visitor, a guest of the hotel, had stopped by the poker room looking for action. The regular Hold’Em tables weren’t running yet but the mixed game players were ready to go. The new player did not hesitate to jump in and give mixed games a try.

Where else can you play 3-2-1?

Gotta love the @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival pic.twitter.com/grErpFTizP

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) October 5, 2021

“I don’t play stud,” he said to the others at the table. But that is rarely a problem when you are in a group of mixed-game players. The players quickly explained the rules of seven card stud and the game rolled right along.

A relaxed atmosphere and friendly company are a great way to learn any new poker game, and a few of the more obscure variations usually require a rules refresher for even the most seasoned poker veteran. The game moves at a casual pace and without pressure, so it’s well-suited for someone interested in learning about casino poker without the bright lights and glaring opponents that can sometimes be found at larger tournaments.

Dylan Linde Stops By

Dylan Linde stopped by on Monday to share time with poker fans and sign copies of his book Mastering Mixed Games: Winning Strategies for Draw, Stud, and Flop Games. Linde’s enthusiasm for mixed games drew an early crowd and several visitors spent time with questions for the author and poker pro.

We’ve got @DylanLinde in the house signing his Mastering Mixed Games book by @DBPoker1.

$20 a copy, with all proceeds being donated to charity (the @WestgateResorts Foundation).

Come get yours! pic.twitter.com/agRQRqmqcG

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) October 4, 2021

“I come from mostly playing no-limit tournaments with smart, competent players that had no idea how to play mixed games,” Linde shared with a fan while signing a copy of his book. “My approach to writing this book was to try and show how the games are all connected and to bring some concepts you are already familiar with into your learning about new games.”

The popular mixed game strategy book was available to visitors for $20, and all of the proceeds will benefit Westgate Resorts Foundation, including matching funds from PokerStars and Westgate. The opportunity to spend time with a poker great will come again on Tuesday when Eli Elezra will be at the Mixed Games Festival at 11 a.m. PT to visit and sign copies of his autobiography Pulling the Trigger for $10 with 100% of the proceeds to benefit charity.

Much More to Come

Monday was the first day of the festival and there will be two more days of cash games before the $200 H.O.R.S.E. tournament awards the PokerStars Platinum Pass on Thursday. The Platinum Pass is valued at over $30,000 and a large crowd is expected to take their shot at winning the coveted poker package. Players will start with 10,000 chips and cash game grinders will have the opportunity to double their stack by playing in the cash games throughout the festival. Bonuses start at an extra 2,000 chips for every five hours played and cap out at 10,000 extra chips for 25 hours of play.

Space is limited for Thursday’s H.O.R.S.E. tournament, and several players were in line at 10 a.m. Monday to secure their spot, so make sure you get over to the Westgate and register as soon as possible. The room can handle up to 144 entries. If necessary, the alternates will be seated during the first two hours until the end of late registration.

The excitement is palpable and we’re looking forward to seeing you there. Here’s a rundown of what you can expect.

We’ve Got ALL the Games

From Archie to Razzdugi, you’ll be able to play all of your favorite poker variants at our Mixed Game Festival. Flop Games, Stud Games, and Draw Games – you name it, you’ll find it at the Westgate between October 4-7.

Our Mixed Game Guide is a bountiful resource for tips and strategies for all the games we’ll play, plus it lists some excellent additional resources that can help you brush up on your mixed game skills.

We’ve Got a Platinum Pass

While this is the first ever live poker festival to focus specifically on mixed game play in both cash game and tournament form, our biggest draw is of course the Platinum Pass to the PokerStars Players Championship.

We’re thrilled to be offering an extra $30,000 of value to our $200 H.O.R.S.E. tournament, which takes place on the festival’s final day (October 7, starting at 12pm).

We’re Expecting a Full House

All of that extra added value is sure to draw a crowd. Westgate’s capacity for the $200 H.O.R.S.E tournament is 18 8-handed tables = 144 player capacity. Registration for the tournament opens promptly at 10am tomorrow, Monday October 4.

We are expecting a sellout, so we strongly advise that you register as early as possible to guarantee yourself a seat. Please note that you will need your ID as well as a Westgate players card (WOW Rewards) in order to register.

As the tournament is a freezeout, should any players bust within the first 6 levels (2 hours), alternates will be seated.

We’ve Got Extra Tournament Chips for Cash Game Play

Buying in to the $200 H.O.R.S.E. tournament will get you 10,000 in starting chips. That is unless you’ve participated in our cash games from Oct 4-6. For every five hours of cash game play you log, you’ll receive 2,000 extra in starting chips for the tournament up to 25 hours for a double starting stack of 20,000.

So, if you want to get the biggest possible edge in the tournament, have an advantage over the rest of the field and take your best shot at scoring the Platinum Pass, you’ve got extra incentive to join us during the festival’s first three days of cash games as well.

We’ve Got FREE Food!

A well-fed poker player is a happy poker player, and we want to ensure our poker players are happy!

Participants in our Mixed Game Festival will enjoy access to a free fruit and salad bar, located adjacent to the poker room, compliments of the Westgate Las Vegas.

*Please note that while you may drink at the tables, the food must be consumed away from the tables. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

We’re Covered (Part 1)

Lest you think we’re the only excited ones, our inaugural Mixed Game Festival has gotten LOADS of hype and press over the past few weeks. In fact, no fewer than 22(!) different poker media outlets have been kind enough to devote some coverage to our festival, for which we are exceptionally grateful. These include:

• PokerNews (podcast)
• PokerStars Blog
• Legal US Poker Sites
• USPoker
• Poker.org
• PokerScout
• Pokeren (Dutch)
• PokerStrategy
• PokerFuse
• CardsChat
• USBets
• AssoPoker (Italian)
• VegasSlotsOnline
• Poker Industry PRO
• MyPokerCoaching
• GambleOnline
• Pokerlogia (Spanish)
• F5poker
• USGambling
• Gambling Industry News
• Poker Pilgrims
• Top Ten Poker Sites

We’re Covered (Part 2)

The inaugural Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival will be an occasion to remember, so we’ve got a whole crew that’ll be present to document the proceedings.

WSOP $10K H.O.R.S.E. winner and Cardplayer Lifestyle contributor Chris Wallace will be on-site throughout the festival capturing professional-quality pictures that will be made available to you all for your personal use.

We’ll also have a rotating cast of top-tier poker reporters, consisting of past and present contributing writers Matt Hansen, Geoff Fisk, and Mike Patrick, each of whom will be enjoying the festivities and recapping each day’s highlights right here on this site.

Our Social Media Director, Chad McVean, will also be in the house, both enjoying the festivities and sharing the festival’s highlights via Facebook and (primarily) via the @PokerLifeMedia Twitter feed. Be sure to follow those accounts, and you’re always welcome to follow me @cardplayerlife as well.

We’re Covered (Part 3)

It’s always a big deal when poker happenings get exposure in the mainstream media, which is why I’m thrilled and elated that Jim Barnes of the Las Vegas Review Journal will be coming together with a photographer colleague to visit our Mixed Game Festival.

Jim will be joining us on the morning of October 6, so be sure to wear your Tuesday finest, folks (and sport your Cardplayer Lifestyle patches, which I’ll be distributing for free throughout the festival ).

We’ve Got Swag, Signings, Stars, and a Soft Spot for Charity

Beyond those patches, we’ll be doing all sorts of random giveaways throughout the festival. Just by being present at the tables, you’ll have the chance to win a vast assortment of prizes and merchandise, including playing cards, T-shirts, hoodies, gift bags, books, and more!

Plus:

• Monday 11am: Dylan Linde signing his Mastering Mixed Games strategy book
• Tuesday 11am: Eli Elezra signing his autobiography Pulling the Trigger
• Wednesday 11am: Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher Mixed Game Q&A session

The full proceeds of Dylan’s and Eli’s book sales (sold at discounted rates of $20 and $10, respectively) will be donated to the Westgate Resorts Foundation, with funds to be matched by both PokerStars and Westgate.

We’re Ready!

Enough with the talking… let’s play some mixed game poker!

—

* If you haven’t already done so, be sure to use our promo code ZCLPO21 in order to book a special room rate at Westgate: $50 per night from October 3-6 and $80 on October 7 (no additional resort fees!). Book your room at (888) 999-3836 or (702) 732-5151.

So, I’m proud to hereby announce a number of wonderful EXTRAS that participants in the Mixed Game Festival will be able to enjoy.

While cash games will be technically be running 24/7 in the poker room, each of the festival’s first three days will feature a special “kickoff” event:

At 11am on Monday October 4, Dylan Linde, author of Mastering Mixed Games will be signing copies of his book, available for purchase at a discounted price of $20, with ALL proceeds being donated to charity.*

At 11am on Tuesday October 5, 4-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner and World Poker Tour title winner Eli Elezra will be signing copies of his autobiography Pulling the Trigger for a discounted price of $10, with ALL proceeds being donated to charity.*

At 11am on Wednesday October 6, Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson and Women in Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher will be conducting a Q&A session on “all things mixed games” as well as offering tips and strategies for some of their favorite poker variants.

Moreover, throughout the inaugural Mixed Game Festival, we’ll be giving away lots of FREE swag:

• Merchandise from the PokerStars Store
• Gift bags from BBO Poker Tables
• Limited edition T-shirts from RunGoodGear
• 2-deck set ups from Faded Spade Playing Cards
• and more!

Plus, don’t forget that you still have until the end of the Mixed Game Festival (October 7) to take advantage of our exclusive 25% discount on Upswing Poker’s Mixed Game Mastery course by Jake Abdalla. Be sure to use the promo code: mixedgamefest. Check out the full details of this offer here, as well as our Twitter giveaway.

A number of well known names and faces from the poker industry have also confirmed to me privately that they’ll be popping in to say hi during the festival’s first three days, as well as possibly entering the tournament on the festival’s final day. So be sure to bring your selfie-ready poker faces, as you might be seated next to a poker celebrity!

Finally, if all of that’s not enough for you, don’t forget… the winner of the $200 H.O.R.S.E. tournament to be held at 12pm on Thursday October 7 will also receive a Platinum Pass to the PokerStars Players Championship to be held next year (date TBD) worth approximately $30,000! Registration begins at 10am on Monday October 4 at the Westgate Las Vegas Poker Room.

If you haven’t yet made your travel plans, rooms at Westgate Las Vegas are still available at our exclusive discounted rates of $50/night from October 3-6 and $80/night for October 7 (final price; no additional resort fees!). Make sure that you mention the code ZCLPO21 when calling the hotel to book your room at (888) 999-3836 or (702) 732-5151.

Be sure to spread the word among your mixed game-loving friends, and feel free to be in touch if you have any questions.

*The designated charity is the Westgate Resorts Foundation.

For the first time in almost 12 years of operations, Cardplayer Lifestyle will be hosting its very own branded live event festival. The cash game/tournament hybrid will feature three days of low-stakes Dealer’s Choice cash games culminating in a $200 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. tournament on the fourth day.

We believe that there’s a niche segment of the poker-loving public that’s just a bit underserved. Too often, low-stakes mixed games simply don’t run in brick and mortar casinos because it’s impossible for enough interested players to spontaneously and simultaneously assemble. With plenty of advanced notice, however, we’re ready to make some massive mixed game magic happen!

The cash game portion of the festival will run from Monday October 4 until Wednesday October 6. A direct buy-in $200 H.O.R.S.E. tournament will then take place beginning at 12PM on Thursday October 7 that will see the winner take home a coveted Platinum Pass to the PokerStars Players Championship next year (date TBD).

For every five hours of Dealer’s Choice cash game play logged during the first three days of the festival, players will earn extra starting chips for the final day’s H.O.R.S.E. tournament, up to a maximum of 25 hours play for double the starting stack.

Click to download: Official $200 H.O.R.S.E Tournament Rules

Click to download: Official $200 H.O.R.S.E. Tournament Structure

Due to space considerations, players interested in attending the festival are encouraged to register in advance on the bespoke daily interest lists via the Poker Atlas app.

FREEBIES AND GIVEAWAYS GALORE

In addition to the added value the Platinum Pass brings to the proceedings, all players will enjoy a number of other festival features including:

• FREE salad bar and fruit/vegetable platters throughout cash game play
• Multiple daily merchandise giveaways courtesy of PokerStars as well as other premium poker industry brands
• $7 time rake per dealer down

… with more to come in future announcements.

**Update: We’ve just made that “future announcement” here!

CHARITY COMPONENT

There will also be a nod to charity throughout the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival, with the non-profit Westgate Resorts Foundation set to benefit (with perhaps an additional organization, to be determined).

“Tip jars” will be set up on site where players can choose to donate chips towards charity, with the total amount collected each day to be matched both by PokerStars and Westgate Casino.

HOSPITALITY DISCOUNT

Players who stay at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino during the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival will be eligible for a special promotional rate of $50 per night from October 3-6 and $80 on October 7 (those are final prices; no additional taxes or fees). Just mention the code ZCLPO21 when calling the hotel to book your room at (888) 999-3836 or (702) 732-5151.

I’m absolutely thrilled to have great partners in PokerStars and the Westgate Las Vegas Poker Room with whom to host our inaugural Mixed Game Festival. We’ve been working hard to put this special event together, and we’re all dedicated to making this a truly memorable experience.

Having the opportunity to award a Platinum Pass to our tournament winner brings unprecedented value to a promotion targeting live low-stakes players during peak poker season. This will be an unforgettable festival where every participant will feel like a winner, including charitable foundation(s). It’s a mixed game player’s dream come true.

See you all in Las Vegas!

About Cardplayer Lifestyle

Founded in 2009, Cardplayerlifestyle.com is dedicated to bringing fans the latest news, interviews, op-eds, and strategy and lifestyle pieces from the world of poker. Our digital poker media outlet publishes some of the most interesting stories the world of poker has to offer, including exclusive features on top poker personalities. We also provide our readers with a plethora of unique strategy pieces and the most up-to-date, comprehensive reviews of popular poker training courses.

Got questions about our Mixed Game Festival? Please contact: [email protected]

After a few months during which your room was forcibly shuttered during the pandemic, can you describe the emotions you and your team are having as you prepare to get back to work and reopen to the poker-loving public?

Robbie, I think like many others I have been through he 5 stages of grief. Some of them all on the same day. But now we are here and ready to open excitement is the feeling I have the most. I am excited to be back doing something that I love to do and excited to be back with my coworkers and regular guests. This feels like a big step on the return to normalcy and I am proud to say that I do not think we could be coming back in a safer manner than we are doing here in the Westgate Poker Room.

What sorts of changes have been instituted in the resort-casino property in general and in the poker room specifically as far as policy and procedures regarding hygiene and cleanliness for staff and guests?

Westgate as a company has the Westgate CARES system of keeping everybody safe. Additionally in the poker room we have installed plexiglass dividers on the tables to allow us to spread games 8-handed. In addition we have a rigorous cleaning and disinfecting regime that is carried out in the poker room throughout the day.

Based on what I’m seeing on social media, there seems to be a pent-up demand among live poker players to get back to the tables. Some rooms are still seating short-handed tables, while others are opting for the current maximum legally allowed at 8-handed. What sort of approach will the Westgate be taking on this?

Westgate poker room is situated inside the largest sports book in the world, The Superbook, our players are keen and avid sports bettors. To help compliment this relationship we will be basing our poker room promotions around sporting events. With the pro football season about to start, we have some awesome football-based promos.

As rooms continue reopening around the city, what do you feel will make the Westgate Poker Room stand out among the competition?

I believe we are room 18 of 31 to reopen. I’m not familiar with any more scheduled to open in the near future. We will stand out by continuing our commitment to exceeding our guests expectations. We will continue to strive to provide a fun, welcoming and safe environment for people to enjoy spending their time with us.

Will you have any special promotions to mark the reopening of the poker room?

Our popular football-based promos from last year are returning this year. Football squares and high hands every half during the football games. In addition to that we will also be running one of our fan favorites, $20 free to the first 8 players in the room every single day!

At what point do you foresee the room once again offering tournaments?

We hope to have tournaments returning towards the end of September or very early in October. I will be sure to keep you updated.

Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

I would like to thank the readers of Cardplayer Lifestyle for continuing to support the live poker industry. During the shutdown it was always very reassuring to read peoples positive messages of support for those of us in the industry. Knowing that people out there wanted us to return was definitely morale-boosting.

Unfortunately, the player pool of mixed game aficionados is still far smaller than we’d like it to be, so it takes considerably more effort to get a game going, even in Las Vegas in the midst of the World Series of Poker. I realized earlier this summer, however, that with enough advanced notice and promotion, it could be possible to attract a sizable number of mixed game enthusiasts to participate in a dedicated Dealer’s Choice cash game evening.

Thus was born the idea of me “hosting” a game for the first time.

Finding Open Seats… and Butts to Fill ‘Em

My “work” began two weeks ahead of time. When gathering together a couple dozen people, you want to make sure tables are free and that the dealers at the selected venue knew how to deal all of the games. Fortunately, I was able to secure the right poker room to host the event. Thanks so much to Jay Corpron and Chuck Palermo, from the Westgate Hotel Casino and Resort, for kindly opening up your venue to us.

We’re ready to see your poker face. pic.twitter.com/2V7sdZhqvx

— Westgate Las Vegas (@WestgateVegas) October 27, 2017

Anyone who has ever hosted an event of any type knows that food and drink most certainly help facilitate better attendance. Quite frankly, I didn’t wish to be out of pocket supplying refreshments for the group. Enter PokerStars. Not only was the company happy to provide pizza and dessert for the attendees, they also were kind enough to voluntarily offer some value-added prizes:

• 2 VIP Tickets to UFC 239: JONES vs. SANTOS
• 2 vouchers to the PokerStars Store ($250 and $150 value, respectively)

Pizza at the @WestgateVegas … And dessert… And $4/8 mixed games

Come one, come all… 2 tables running so far.

Giving away some cool prizes in the next couple hours, too

Thanks @PokerStars for supporting this evening! pic.twitter.com/H7y2Vd6Cpu

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) July 2, 2019

The combination of of free food, some fun mixed game poker, and the possibility of winning cool prizes did, indeed draw people out of the woodwork. Throughout the course of the evening approximately 25 people came out to play. We had two full tables running pretty much the entire night, save for the last 90 minutes (between 3:00-4:30am). I’d say that any game running from 8pm for eight-and-a-half hours could be deemed a success.

Congrats to @schmengieBG, winner of a $150 @PokerStars Store gift card!

The $4/8 mixed game fun continues at the @WestgateVegas… Plenty of still here for the consuming pic.twitter.com/NYTAeEIlma

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) July 2, 2019

Congratulations to @MollyAnneMossey , winner of the $250 @PokerStars Store voucher.

Next prize to be raffled off at the @WestgateVegas $4/8 mixed game is 2 VIP tickets to @ufc 239…

Good times pic.twitter.com/3MojSw16ny

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) July 2, 2019

Friendly Faces and Famous Visitors

As per the title of this post, I had the good fortune of playing with some of poker’s finest on that lovely night. That’s not to say that half the attendees were bracelet winners (THAT happened in the first WSOP bracelet event I played in…), but rather that some incredibly nice and friendly people showed up at the tables.

I had fun reconnecting with friends with whom I’d played mixed games in the past, as well as meeting people for the first time with whom I’d long been in contact via social media. I also had the good fortune of meeting Matt Hansen, who has during the past month become Cardplayer Lifestyle’s newest contributing writer.

The mood was upbeat, the conversations spirited, the play action-packed, and the volume loud; just like a mixed game meetup ought to be.

And then at 11pm a special guest made an appearance…

He refuses to take a seat, but he came to commentate our $4/8 and berate the winner of every pot…

Thanks, @NormanChad pic.twitter.com/mEQ9NrcaSh

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) July 2, 2019

For a full hour, Norman Chad mingled with our crowd and plainly put just enhanced our group’s collective experience. I’d like to give a huge public thank you to Norman for showing up to lend his support to the initiative. Beyond meaning a lot to me personally, his presence genuinely boosted the mood of each and every participant.

The First of MANY Mixed Games to Come

When you’ve never hosted a public event of this nature before, anxiety tends to run high. Will enough people show up? Will the refreshments arrive on time? Will people enjoy themselves?

After wrapping up a meetup game that would by all accounts be declared “successful,” however, you’re abuzz with adrenaline and excitement. You immediately want to do it all over again.

The chilled, fun-filled atmosphere is addictive; you want to recreate it over and over again. You want the next event to be bigger and even better. You want to fill twice or three times as many tables.

When?

As often as possible.

Where?

Anywhere that mixed game enthusiasts are ready to gather together.

I even won some money to boot #goodtimes

Session One: The Westgate

I’ll be blunt. Things were not going well for me at the tables in the days prior. I had played $1/$2 and $1/$3 No Limit Hold’em exclusively and I was down many hundreds of dollars over multiple sessions. Even so, I sauntered in to the Westgate poker room with my head held high. I may not have been brimming with confidence – losing sessions do take their toll after all – but I knew deep down that I wasn’t playing poker poorly.

After about three hours of play, I was up a little over $250. Having bought in for just $100 that session, my stack was at that point the third-largest at the table. While I was on the big blind, the under the gun player announced a raise to $12; rather unusual as he had been playing kind of snug. I then looked down at my cards to discover one of the prettiest sights in poker, pocket aces (my favorite hand, by the way). Everyone else folded until action reached the player in the cutoff position. He then uttered two exquisite words, “I raise,” counted out $35 from his stack, and pushed those chips forward. Action folded to me and I was seeing dollar signs. The 3-bettor, who had me covered, had been playing rather loose throughout the session while the initial raiser was short stacked, with just $95.

After Hollywooding a bit, I slid a stack of redbirds in, $100, figuring the original raiser would move all-in and the 3-bettor would fold, so I’d be in a very strong position heads up. Indeed, quite quickly the raiser announced “all in” and we both sat there waiting for the 3-bettor to fold so we could table our hands.

A minute passed, and then another. Finally, the 3-bettor said, “I dunno, I just have this feeling. I call.” I took my cue and practically insta-shoved over the top. Once again, the 3-bettor went into the tank, and once again he ended off with the same phrase after a couple minutes, “I dunno, I just have this feeling. I call.”

I immediately turned over my red aces, while the short stack dejectedly revealed his pocket kings. The 3-bettor decided to play things coy and clutched his cards close to his chest. At just over $800, it was the largest pot I had ever played.

The board ran out Q, 10, 6, 2, 9 with no flushes possible. Just as I was ready to scoop the pot, the 3-bettor laughed hysterically, shouting “I knew it! I had a feeling!” and slammed down his J8 suited.

Without missing a beat, the dealer then announced “aces cracked,” meaning I had the pleasure of sitting felted at the table, waiting for a floorperson to deliver $50 to my seat as everyone at the table talked nonstop about what had just taken place. While waiting, I took to Twitter…

Nobody likes a bad beat story, so I’ll just say that poker can be exceptionally cruel. $50 for cracked aces is no consolation for losing a 3-way all in preflop when the guy with J8 suited says “I had a feeling” and is now stacking $800 that could have been mine.

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) May 28, 2018

When the floorperson arrived, I signed, took the money, and sullenly headed back to my hotel room. I might only have been down $50 for the session after getting the promotional money, but it felt like I had lost a fortune.

A Fateful Dinner Turns the Tide?

I woke up the next morning and, with 24 hours left in Las Vegas, I of course still had the itch to play more poker. After getting slammed at the felt in such dramatic fashion, however, I had quite simply lost my mojo. I was even thinking about trying to play free slots online. As mentioned, I was already down several hundred dollars for the trip and just didn’t feel as though playing any more poker would be such a good idea. After all, if you sit down to play poker with scared money, you’re practically guaranteeing yourself a loss.

I holed up in my room, broke out the laptop, and worked all day, willing myself not to lose any more money at the tables, but nonetheless fighting the urge to head over to a poker room and scratch my itch to play. As evening settled in, the city was buzzing, as the Golden Knights were set to take the ice in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Midway through the game, a very good friend texted me and asked me if I’d be interested in going out for dinner after the game ended.

That’s what I needed. A friend! “Yes, of course! I’ll be happy to join you!” I texted back.

Over a sumptuous dinner – he kindly treated, as he had won big betting on the Golden Knights – I couldn’t help but spill my guts. That’s what friends are for, right? I spared no details as I told my friend about my poker woes over the previous week. While he very much sympathized as I related the final bad beat from over at the Westgate, he’d seen it all before. This was a Las Vegas local who had plenty of experience with the ups and downs of casino life. “That’s poker,” he said.

When I finally finished relating my poker sorrows, he quipped “so, where are you playing tonight?” I laughed, but he was completely serious.

He continued: “You’re flying tomorrow morning, Robbie! You have to get on the plane tired, then you’ll sleep all the way back to Israel. It’s a long flight!” I told him he was crazy.

“Come with me to the Bellagio,” he continued. “We’ll play together.”

I then told him I was too scared to play at the Bellagio poker room. “I’m not good enough; only the pros play there. Plus, I’d be playing with scared money!”

His response shook me to my poker core: “Robbie, first of all, it doesn’t matter who is playing or where the game is. $1/$3 is $1/$3 and you can only lose what you’ve got in front of you. Second of all, you’re approaching the game wrong. Don’t play scared; pretend the money is already gone! Will losing another $500 break you? Will you feel any worse than you already do? Take $500 and see what happens. You really have nothing to lose.”

I couldn’t think of any way to argue against his logic.

Session Two: The Bellagio

We arrived at the Bellagio around 10:30 pm and my friend’s name was called first from the list. As he headed off to his table, he reminded me once more: “Robbie, pretend you’ve already lost the money. Play like you have nothing to lose! I’ll come check on you later.”

I decided to give myself two $250 “bullets.” Within an hour of sitting down to play, I was forced to reload with bullet #2, as my made straight lost to an opponent’s rivered flush. I had gotten then money in good on the turn. What can you do? That’s poker, right?

Somewhat sick to my stomach, I took the second $250 out of my pocket and asked the dealer to exchange my two black chips for two stacks of reds. I placed my two green chips atop those stacks, then left the felt and walked to the bathroom to wash my face and clear my head a bit. I reminded myself that I had committed to following my friend’s advice. He was right, after all; it was just another $1/$3 game, and I had been getting my money in good. Things were bound to turn around.

It’s said that when G-d split the Red Sea, the first Israelite Nahshon the son of Amminadab nonetheless had to wade in up to his neck until the waters fully parted.

Over the next 30 minutes, my stack took one hit after another until I was down to my last $22. A missed draw here, an iffy call there. I was grasping at straws, but I should’ve known better. You can’t force good fortune.

Ready to call it a night, I tossed my $22 in under the gun with KJ offsuit. I had my one caller (with QJ) dominated and my hand “miraculously” held. Chip and a chair, eh?

A short stack of just over $40 doesn’t allow for much play, so I figured I’d wait for an opportune moment, some good cards, and hope for the best. Pocket tens came along a couple hands later and they, too, held up against a lone opponent. Suddenly, we were back in this thing. I felt a surge of momentum starting to swing in my favor. With $86 in front of me, I could actually play some poker again.

And play poker I did… Over the next couple hours I could quite literally do no wrong. By 3:00 am I had managed to climb all the way back out of the huge hole I had dug. With $505 in front of me, I got up from the table, too shocked to know how to proceed. A back and forth swing of that magnitude within such a short time period is something I had never experienced before.

I walked over to my friend’s table and told him what had happened, how after 90 minutes I was all but packed up to go, when the tide had suddenly turned. Now, I had painstakingly built back up to what I had started with. Perhaps I should call it quits, head back to the room, and catch some shuteye before the flight?

He smiled, laughed, and said “Robbie, nothing to lose means nothing to lose! If you still feel good, keep playing, buddy.”

And play on I did. The run good continued. At around 6:00 am I was somehow up a shade over $300. My friend came over to wish me good night/morning. I felt that that was my cue. I had had the most exhilarating poker night of my life and winning more money wouldn’t move the needle while losing would certainly sting a bit. Before cashing out, I had to Tweet something out to capture my mood at that moment.

…and sometimes poker can be the f***king best game in the world!

You know those moments when you have just $22 left… and then 6 hours later THIS happens?

Well, yeah #VEGAS pic.twitter.com/ld5kmJZA6p

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) May 29, 2018

The adrenaline kept coursing through my veins over the next few hours as I went back to my room to pack up and then continued on to the airport. Exhaustion hit pretty hard once I settled into my seat for the lengthy flight home, but I’m pretty certain I fell asleep smiling. Though I was still down overall for the trip, it sure felt like I had won big time.

Conclusion

Win or lose, for recreational poker players like me, it’s the experiences you have at the table that make the game so exciting and fun to play. There will always be ups and downs, hopefully more of the former than the latter, and all we can do is buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Two tweets from two poker tables, barely 24 hours apart. Tweets sent by the same person playing the same game. Yet, they encompass two wildly different stories and outcomes.

Sometimes poker drags you through the worst of times, but thankfully it’s also the setting for some of the best.