Summer of Mixed games

Happy New Year? Well that’s an understatement, especially if you are in any way going to judge your happiness by the number of mixed game options you will have available to you in 2023 courtesy of the Mixed Games Academy and our friends at the Australian Poker Tour!

It all kicks off in two weeks, where we will see seven tournaments covering 11 poker variants over the 8 day carnival. Let’s break them down and talk a little more about each:

Day 1 – Opening event H.E.R.O.S. – 15 January @ 4pm

Some of you would be more familiar with the ‘old’ acronym of H.O.R.S.E. Different order of games but the same disciplines are covered, as follows:

Holdem, Stud Hi/Lo – 8 or better, Razz, Omaha Hi/Lo – 8 or better, Stud

All game variants have a fixed limit betting structure with one bet and up to four raises allowable in MGA tournaments. For those new to ‘fixed limit’ there are specific bet amounts allowable on each street known, in the biz, as, small and big bets or limits. The initial deal and first two betting rounds are at multiples of the ‘small bet/limit’ and later rounds a multiple of the ‘big bet/limit’.

All this and more will be explained at MGA’s FREE player training sessions on-site at Eatons Hill Hotel and function centre starting Sunday 15th January!

Big thanks to our sponsor, Big Boy Car Rentals, with branches in Brisbane and Melbourne, see our sponsors page for discounts and direct booking details.

Day 2 – T.H.E.R.O.S. – 16 January @ 1pm

This is the standard H.E.R.O.S. mix detailed above as well as adding the first draw game for the series, Limit 2-7 Triple draw. This is commonly referred to as a ‘lowball’ variant where the objective of the game is to use up to three opportunities to discard and replace cards until you hold the best ‘low’ hand. You need to avoid hands like a straight, flush and pairs as they work against the weakness of your hand (because that’s what you want, the weakest hand). The absolute nuts is 2,3,4,5,7 with at least one off-suit card (no flushes remember).

This game will also be covered in detail at MGA training sessions during the week.

Thanks to Busy Beaver Airport Parking in Melbourne for sponsoring this event! See our sponsors page for booking links and discount codes for all your parking needs while travelling to MGA events!

Day 3 – Triple Triple Draw – 17 January @ 630pm

Potentially one of the most popular games on the fixture, this mix will bring out the old school draw in everyone! We are covering three disciplines:

2-7 Triple Draw, Ace to five, Badugi  

We discussed 2-7 earlier, here are some notes on Ace to five and Badugi:

Ace to five – This is a triple draw variant where the object is to make another ‘lowball’ hand, in this case, as the name suggests, Ace,2,3,4,5. You are not penalised for straights and flushes but pairs will work against your hand. For those that know how to play Razz, this is the triple draw version of Razz.

Badugi – Can be as frustrating as it is beautiful depending whether the cards fall (draw) your way or not. The objective is to make a complete rainbow hand with the four lowest cards possible ie. A,2,3,4. The main objective is make make a four card Badugi with the lowest unpaired cards that you can. A rainbow hand (Badugi) where you hold a pair – is no longer a Badugi … you have what is then referred to as a “three card”, or worse yet, a “two card”.

In later series during 2023 we will be teaching combination draw games where 2-7 and Ace to five are combined with Badugi and morph into the superheroes known as “Badeucey” and “Badacey” where two hands are paid! Half for the best low hand and half for the best Badugi … watch out for these ones, you are going to love them!

Our friends and MGA offical Media for MGA events, ACE Group, offer photography, videography, event blogging and more. Contact them direct via our sponsors page.

Day 4 – 8 Game – 18 January @ 630pm

Mixed game purists and enthusiasts alike are very familiar with this game mix, covering:

2-7 Triple Draw, H.E.R.O.S., NLH & PLO

Adding some No limit and Pot limit betting to the mix! This is a standard mix that many are familiar with!

Our sponsor, Andrew’s Airport Parking, with branches in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne, have your car parking covered for all your travel requirements, see our sponsors page for direct bookings and 20% discount code.

Day 6 – 9 Game – 20 January @ 630pm

This is the same game mix used in the World Series of Poker $50,000 Players Championship (won by Jungleman Dan Cates twice, back to backin 2021 and 2022). Here is the mix:

NLH, Stud, Omaha Hi/Lo – 8 or better, Razz, PLO, Limit Holdem, No Limit 2-7 Single Draw **, Stud Hi/Lo – 8 or better, Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

** The last of the poker variants being dropped on you in January, this is for the purists, bluffers and big bet game wizards! There are only two betting opportunities in this game, initial deal and then after the first, and only, draw.

This event has a deep and long structure with all the perfect limit increments and is scheduled to run for two days. Players who bag chips at the end of day 1 will return at 12 noon Saturday 21 January to play down to a winner.

As the biggest mix and biggest buy-in this is the MGA main event proudly sponsored by Andrew’s Airport Parking with branches in Melbourne, Brisbane & Adelaide. At Andrew’s they have you covered, wherever you are going!

Day 7 –  9 Game (Qualifiers) and H.E.R.O.S #2 – Saturday 21 January @ 630pm

Bringing it back to where we started on the opening day, another chance to take down the fixed limit five game mix now known as H.E.R.O.S. 

Day 8 – No Limit 2-7 Single Draw – Sunday 22 January @ 5pm

This one is so popular it deserves a tournament all of its own! Unlimited re-entries and the lowest buy-in of all events on the calendar at $250 this one is expected to be huge!

To round off the sponsor group for this event we have Esteem Vitality, specialising in on-line training, nutrition coaching and all things health, see our sponsors page for discount codes for on-line packages for all MGA and APT players.

It’s time to join the revolution! It’s time to expand your mind and learn some mixed games. They are the future of poker in Australia as a permanent side-by-side carnival of events within the APT schedule. MGA will spread more game variants across the Australian poker scene during 2023 than has ever been done before!

Make sure you come and say “Hi” at the Eatons Hill event. Mention this blog and get yourself a limited edition, MGA official card guard for the first lucky five blog readers!

Regards

TD Prince

All the links you’ll need!

MGA website: http://bit.ly/3Z4j8Qk 

MGA Sponsors page: http://bit.ly/3Q8qZYW