We’re already two days into the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival V after the conclusion of play on Monday. Time flies when you’re having fun.
Day 2 stayed true to the MGF theme, with festival host Robbie Strazynski going out of his way to ensure players had fun and were on the receiving end of giveaways throughout the day. A brand new event – the Poker Trivia Competition – headlined the giveaways, awarding the top three finishers hundreds of dollars worth of prizes.
Of course, poker remained the primary attraction inside the Resorts World Las Vegas poker room. Cards officially went into the air at noon with two tables to start, and a third opened shortly after that to accommodate the demand of a 30-person waitlist.
Fourteen hours later, three tables were still going strong.
Thanks so much to our @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival V sponsor @FadedSpadeBrand for the great hats and deck set-ups!
Gave ’em away at each of our THREE $4/8 dealer’s choice tables still(!) running at 2am; Austin, Keely, and Pete won ’em and love ’em ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ddFQDT7BgJ
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) July 4, 2023
Trivia Competition Kicks Off Day 2 Festivities
The inaugural Poker Trivia Competition began at 11:30, and players got the memo to arrive early. Familiar faces to the Mixed Game Festival arrived early for the event, including Ruth Sun, Rob “Bergs” Bergman, and PokerNews reporter/Cardplayer Lifestyle contributor Mike Patrick.
In total, nine players got into the competition with their sights set on claiming bragging rights. Robbie quizzed everybody with 30 multiple-choice questions on various poker-related topics, creating an atmosphere full of laughter and excitement. What a surprise – poker players love all things poker!
Nine players showed up early for the @cardplayerlife #MixedGamesFestival V Poker Trivia Competition this morning.
All participants received their choice of a MGF shirt or Eli Elezra’s book, and Quizmaster Robbie will be awarding prizes valued at $100 to the top three finishers! pic.twitter.com/vWz8pzTILs
— Cardplayer Lifestyle (@PokerLifeMedia) July 3, 2023
Shortly before the quiz began, Mike told us that his trivia game was strong. He became an early favorite to take down the competition after climbing into the lead after the first few questions. When all was said and done, he remained on top with nobody able to catch him once he pulled ahead.
Congratulations to @MikePatrick98 on winning the first-ever @cardplayerlife #MixedGamesFestival Poker Trivia Competition!
Mike chose a rack of chips among our offered prizes and is now playing $4/$8 dealer’s choice.
Two tables are running, and a third id set to open shortly! pic.twitter.com/nqYyqOShKa
— Cardplayer Lifestyle (@PokerLifeMedia) July 3, 2023
For his win, Mike had his choice of three prizes:
- A “bucket o’ swag”, including a portable table mat from BBO Poker Tables, a collection of Jim Donahue poker books, D&B Poker’s Mastering Mixed Games by Dylan Linde, a PokerGO coffee mug, a two-deck set of cards from Faded Spade and an accompanying Faded Spade hat
- A $100 voucher credit to the PokerStars Store
- A “free first rack” rack of $1 chips (a.k.a., $100 toward the player’s first buy-in of the day)
Mike chose the $100 in chips. Second place finisher Brian Dowd chose the “bucket o’ swag” and bronze medal winner Pat Ang shipped the PokerStars voucher. They weren’t the only winners though, as ALL participants received their choice of a RunGoodGear-produced Mixed Game Festival V long-sleeve shirt or a copy of Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra’s book, Pulling the Trigger.
Brian with his “bucket o’ swag”
It’s Time to Join Us!
Fewer marathon sessions took place among MGF players on Monday, creating an opportunity to work through the games’ waiting list and allow everybody a seat who wanted one.
We’ve still got three $4/8 dealer’s choice tables going at @PokerRoomRWLV and open seating with no list at @PokerLifeMedia#MixedGameFestival V
THIS is the time to join us 😁 pic.twitter.com/M4co9cJmyR
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) July 4, 2023
After spending the beginning of the day at the festival, I left the room for a few hours and returned a little after 8 p.m. to two open seats across the three still-booming tables calling my name.
I took a seat at Robbie’s table, three to his right, and quickly jumped into Badugi mid-rotation. I didn’t need to worry about calling Razz on him when it became my turn to pick the next game, either, since Cardplayer Lifestyle social media director Chad McVean took care of that earlier in the day.
It’s not a @PokerLifeMedia Mixed Game Festival if you don’t #CallRazzOnRobbie!
Come on down to @PokerRoomRWLV and join in the fun!#pokerlife #Vegas29 pic.twitter.com/imrtUGQvxC
— Chad McVean (@Veaner85) July 3, 2023
Plus, we still have three more days to go. I fully intend to call Razz on Robbie sometime before the end of the festival.
I might have had an amazing time at @cardplayerlife’s Mixed Game Festival at Resorts World today. Laughed a lot! Check it out until July 6th. 💓 @MikePatrick98 @Veaner85 @cardplayerlife pic.twitter.com/N8AUeASI3k
— Christina Bradfield (@mauichri) July 4, 2023
Anyway, I got to play a few games I knew, like A-5 Triple Draw and Badeucy, along with new ones for me, like Drawmaha 49 and Archie. After about three-and-a-half hours, it was time for me to retire and begin the day’s recap. I was told the three tables stood solid until 2:30 am until a couple of them broke, with the final table only breaking well after 4:30 am.
Pokercoaching.com Player of the Day – Aidan Long
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.
Meet Aidan Long, our @PokerCoaching_ #MixedGameFestival V Day 2 Player of the Day.
His name got called for the $2/5 NLHE and he said “no way, I’m staying right here!” 😁
His story will feature in our daily recap coverage on @PokerLifeMedia. pic.twitter.com/3A7eJjafnU
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) July 4, 2023
Day 2’s Player of the Day was Aidan Long, a recent Vegas transplant from Boston. A software developer who works remotely, Long moved to Sin City last September to bring himself closer to the game of poker after beginning to take the game more seriously in 2020.
Long learned how to play poker from his grandparents, who taught him when he spent time with them during summers as a kid. After the pandemic hit, he moved back home and began to play home games with friends.
Despite countless hours of studying over the last few years, Monday was Long’s first foray into mixed games. He came into the room around 4 p.m. intending to play some $2/$5 No-Limit Hold’em and saw our $4/$8 mix, piquing his curiosity enough to sit down while waiting for a spot at his intended game.
Even after hearing his name called for $2/$5 at around 8pm, “there’s no way I was leaving!” said Long in between Razz hands. “I’m loving it!” he added after I asked if he was enjoying the change of pace.
When asked about his favorite game so far, he quickly said Omaha 3-2-1.
Why?
In true poker fashion: because he won!
Three Days Remain
Tuesday marks the midway point of the five-day Mixed Game Festival V, and plenty more fun remains on the docket.
We’ll be hosting a Scavenger Hunt at 11 a.m. today (and awarding more gifts to all participants). More giveaways will take place through the remainder of the festival, and we expect to see some poker celebrities make their way to the room as their Main Event schedules allow.
Tomorrow our Mixed Game Festival V starts with a Scavenger Hunt with prizes and fun to be had!
Head over to @PokerRoomRWLV as the hunt starts at 11:00 AM!
As usual, the fun low-stakes dealer’s choice cash games will follow!
Info: https://t.co/H8UDgx9vsq#PokerLifeMedia pic.twitter.com/ggETbCLpy0
— Cardplayer Lifestyle (@PokerLifeMedia) July 4, 2023
Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra will make an appearance at some point, as will Mastering Mixed Games author (and WPT/WSOP champion) Dylan Linde, 2004 WSOP Main Event champion Greg Raymer, and more.
We’ll be welcoming the one and only Norman Chad on Thursday, July 6. He will host a $20/$40 O8/Stud 8 mix as a part of MGF V, and players can join the list a day before to ensure a seat with him when the day begins.
Day 3 is sure to be another fun one today. We hope to see you at Resorts World Las Vegas!
*Our daily coverage of Mixed Game Festival V is brought to you, with much appreciation, courtesy of PokerStars.
