It’s time to get in the mix!
The MGA Gold Coast Festival is coming!
When?: Sunday 21st – Sunday 28th May
Where?: Southport Sharks, Gold Coast
We are absolutely stoked to bring you some variants that have never been played before in the Australian Mixed Game scene as well as a mix that may well be the first time EVER played in a public arena, anywhere in the world!
Only at MGA, Australia’s first and only Mixed Game Specialists!
I have been asked many times what the ‘rules’ are when putting together a mix of games for these events. In its simplest form, there are no rules, at MGA HQ we put together the mixes we would want to play!
A mix of draw, stud and flop games inclusive of fixed limit, no limit and pot limit betting structures. When defining the mix we put together complementary game types making sure the rotation makes as much sense as possible when going through the rotation.
A lot of players are familiar with two standard mixes being H.O.R.S.E. and 8 Game – but the options are endless, the important things to understand are:
- What game does each letter of the acronym refer to?
- How do I play each variant in that mix?
- Simple? Yes!
The betting structures for these games are all similar as are the MGA tournament structures (view them here)
Let’s discuss each event in detail:
Event 1 – 8 Game – $600 Buy-in
Sunday 21st May @ 2pm
This is a fairly standard, old school mix of 8 Game variants, covering all betting structures as well as the draw, stud & flop options. The games covered, in order, are as follows:
| Game and type | Betting structure | Nut hands(s) |
| 2-7 Triple Draw (Draw) | Fixed limit | 2,3,4,5,7 (no flush) |
| Holdem (Flop) | Fixed limit | Best high hand |
| Stud Hi/Lo – 8 or better (Stud) | Fixed limit | Best high hand (half) and best Low hand, 8 or better (half) |
| Razz (Stud) | Fixed Limit | A,2,3,4,5 |
| Omaha Hi/Lo – 8 or better (Flop) | Fixed limit | Best high hand (half) and best Low hand, 8 or better (half) |
| Stud (Stud) | Fixed limit | Best high hand |
| No Limit Holdem (Flop) | No limit | Best high hand |
| Pot Limit Omaha (Flop) | Pot Limit | Best high hand |
A minimum of six hands of each discipline is played right through the entire tournament (including heads up). At the beginning of the tournament there will be a random process for the ‘button’ followed by a random process for the game to start the tournament. Each new table that opens will follow the same process. This is the case for all of our Mixed Game tournaments.
If you converted this to an acronym it would look something like this:
T.H.E.R.O.S., NLH & PLO
T = 2-7 Triple Draw (T is for Triple draw)
H = Limit Holdem (H is for Holdem)
E = Stud Hi/Lo – 8 or better (E is for Eight)
R = Razz
O = Omaha Hi/Lo – 8 or better
S = Stud
The order of games was previously 2-7 Triple Draw, H.O.R.S.E., NLH & PLO … it was recommended by the Tournament Directors Association that Stud Hi/Lo – 8 or better and Stud should be separated, where possible, so as not to confuse players when changing between the two variants. This is especially useful for new players to mixed games, so, you’re welcome!
To simply this further it is now (for MGA at least) 2-7 Triple Draw, H.E.R.O.S., NLH & PLO – the same mix in a slightly different order to make your life easier!
This is, generally, the first mixed game step for NLH/PLO players once they have an understanding of “Low” hands as they have half the games covered and the rest are fixed limit so how much of your stack could you possibly dust off during those games!
Event 2 – T.E.R.O.S. – $600 Buy-in
Monday 22nd May @ 3pm
This one is for the grinders! All fixed limit betting covering draw, flop and stud games.
T = 2-7 Triple Draw (T is for Triple draw)
E = Stud Hi/Lo – 8 or better (E is for Eight)
R = Razz
O = Omaha Hi/Lo – 8 or better
S = Stud
We have taken away the two card game of Holdem as well as the two big bet games of NLH & PLO.
The fixed limit betting structure of these tournaments has them run VERRYYY deep with some games seeing players holding an average of 3 big bets, its a grand so strap in for a long ride!
Event 3 – Big Bet Mix – $350 Buy-in
Tuesday 23rd May @ 2pm
This is a first time mix on the MGA schedule and has been added by popular demand so the players used to big bet games can get their fix, but with a twist!
Here are the games and order:
| Game and type | Betting structure | Nut hand(s) |
| Big O (5 Card PLO Hi/Lo – 8 or better) | Pot Limit | Best high hand (half) and best Low hand, 8 or better (half) |
| NLH | No Limit | Best high hand |
| 2-7 Single Draw | No Limit | 2,3,4,5,7 (no flush) |
| PLO Hi/Lo – 8 or better | Pot Limit | Best high hand (half) and best Low hand, 8 or better (half) |
| 5 Card Single Draw | No Limit | Best high hand |
| PLO | Pot Limit | Best high hand |
| 2-7 Triple Draw | Pot Limit | 2,3,4,5,7 (no flush) |
A mix of seven big bet games including only No limit and Pot limit betting structures!
Like all of the MGA tournaments, our Pot Limit betting games are played with an ante. The ante is calculated after the flop.
Event 4 – PLO Hi/Lo – 8 or better – $600 Buy-in
Tuesday 23rd May @ 6:30pm
A single discipline, split pot Omaha game with Pot Limit betting structure. With half the pot awarded to the best ‘high’ hand an the other half awarded to the best ‘low’ hand which must consist of five unique cards 8 or better.
You MUST use two cards from your hand and three from the board when making your best high and best low hand. You don’t need to use the same cards when competing for the high and low side of the pot.
When holding a hand that is best for both the high and the low this is called a “scoop”. You want starting hands that have scooping options otherwise you are only playing for half the pot!
This rounds off the first four events at the upcoming Gold Coast Festival running from May 21-28 at Southport Sharks on the Gold Coast!
Watch out for upcoming details of events 5-9 where we will discuss, amongst others, a 21 Game Dealer’s Choice event and our Main Event – 10 Game rotation!
Get in the mix!
🚀 MGA website: http://bit.ly/3Z4j8Qk
🚀 MGA Gold Coast event schedule and structures: http://bit.ly/43stpro
🚀 MGA Sponsors page: http://bit.ly/3Q8qZYW
🚀 APT Gold Coast schedule: http://bit.ly/3MB8WLi
