Shaken, not stirred … 

Yes, we are shaking up the poker culture and bringing you more variants to the MGA Gold Coast Festival!

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!

In this latest blog we discuss Events 5-9 on the card. If you missed our previous blog covering the first four events then you can read it HERE.

Let’s get into it!

Event 5 – Triple Draw – $600 Buy-in

Wednesday 24th May @ 3pm

Sponsored By Esteem Vitality

This is a 5 game mix of Lowball Triple draw games. The mix includes Deuce to Seven, Badeucey, Ace to Five, Badacey & Badugi. All games are in the “lowball” genre of triple draw games, each with unique one way winning hands or 50/50 split pot considerations. Let’s discuss each in turn:

2-7 Triple Draw

This is a one-way game with the best ‘low’ hand able to claim the pot (hands of exact equal value will split the pot). The best hand is 2,3,4,5,7 with at least one off-suit card (flushes work against your hand). The idea is to make the absolute best ‘no hand’. Pairs, straights, flushes etc work against the strength of a low hand. Aces are always high in 2-7 Triple Draw.

After the final betting round, the best low hand will be awarded the entire pot.

Badeucey

This is a split-pot triple draw game bringing together 2-7 Triple draw and Badugi. Half of the pot is claimed by the best ‘low’ 2-7 hand and the other half of the pot is claimed by the best Badugi hand.

Unlike standard Badugi, the nuts in Badeucey is 2,3,4,5 rainbow (with a 7 for the Nut low which will, more than likely, will scoop the entire pot).

Ace to five

This is a one-way game with the best ‘low’ hand able to claim the entire pot (hands of equal value will split the pot). The best hand is A,2,3,4,5 but unlike 2-7 Triple draw, you are not required to avoid straights and flushes, pairs however work against the strength of your low hand. Aces are always low in Ace to Five.

After the final betting round, the best low hand will be awarded the entire pot.

Badacey

This is a split-pot triple draw game bringing together Ace to five Triple draw and Badugi. Half of the pot is claimed by the best ‘low’ Ace to five hand and the other half of the pot is claimed by the best Badugi hand.

The same as Badugi, the nuts in Badeucey is A,2,3,4, rainbow (with a 5 for the Nut low which, more than likely, will scoop the entire pot).

Badugi

This is a one-way Triple draw game with the nuts A,2,3,4 rainbow. You are not required to showdown a Badugi, sometimes a three card or even two card might be strong enough to claim the pot.

Event 6 – Dealer’s Choice – $750 Buy-in

Thursday 25th May @ 3pm

Sponsored by Andrew’s Airport Parking 

This is the game you have all been waiting for, a plethera of mixed games covering every variant and betting structure. At the beginning of the tournament we will ‘high card’ for button placement followed by another high card determining which player will choose the first game. Each game choice will be played for one orbit and the ‘choice’ will then be handed to the next player (to their immediate left). We have 21 games on offer in this tournament, all game types and betting structures are as follows:

This is one of the most revered titles in mixed games to hold and is destined to draw a big field. The advantage of this tournament is in the name “Dealer’s choice”, where your table chooses the rotation. There are no rules on the number of times the same game can be chosen either in turn or by each player, it is your choice, choose wisely!

Event 7 – Archie, Omaha 8 & Stud 8 -$600 Buy-in 

Friday 26th May @ 3pm

Sponsored by Andrew’s Airport Parking

Presenting to you for the first time in poker tournament history a 3 game hi/lo mix of Draw, Flop and Stud … George Thorogood may have coined the phrase “one whisky, one shot & one beer” – but here at MGA it will be “One Draw, One Flop & One Stud”.

Archie

Archie is a split pot game with two qualifying hands for a “high” and for a “low”. If there is no qualifying hand at showdown then the pot will be awarded to the player with the highest hand based on the unique cards in each hand. You will be dealt five cards in the initial deal and have the option to discard up to three times, as many cards as you choose, in order to make your best high and low qualifying hands.

Qualifying hands:

High hand – Pair of 6’s or better

Low hand – 8 or better (5 unique cards 8 or lower with A,2,3,4,5 the nut low and straight for the high)

O8 and Stud 8

In these two variants there is no qualifying high hand however your low must be 8 or better to claim half the pot for the low side. In variants that have a qualifying low hand as “8 or better” this means your five card hand must contain five unique cards of 8 or lower in order to qualify for a low. In Stud Hi/lo – 8 or better this means you need five of your seven board cards to have an 8 or better hand. With Omaha Hi/Lo – 8 or better you MUST have two low cards in your hand and you MUST use three low cards on the board (no different to playing your best high hand where you MUST use two from your hand).

This is a world first mix with the game of Archie being included as it has previously only been played in cash games around the world!

Event 8 – Main Event – 10 Game – $1,200 Buy-in

Day 1 – Saturday 27th May @ 1pm

Day 2 – Sunday 28th May @ 12pm

Sponsored by Busy Beaver Airport Parking 

This is the main event of the week! A 10 game rotation tournament with Fixed Limit, Pot Limit & No Limit betting structures. Something for everyone in this game! The mix includes the following:

No Limit Holdem

Badugi

Seven Card Stud

Omaha Hi/Lo – 8 or better

Razz

Pot Limit Omaha

Limit Holdem

No Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

Stud Hi/Lo – 8 or better

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

This is a two day tournament with a deep structure and extended late rego/re-entry given the slow limit increases. The inclusion of three ‘big bet’ games including No Limit Holdem, No Limit 2-7 Single Draw & Pot Limit Omaha will see the swings and wealth transfers the big bet junkies live for! This game is for the all-rounder, the master of fixed limit, pot limit and no limit variations including Draw, Flop & Stud variants.

Come join the fun, only at Mixed Games Academy festivals can you play this spread of games. Australia’s only mixed games specialists!

Event 9 – No Limit 2-7 Single Draw – $350 Buy-in

Sunday 28th May @ 4pm

Sponsored by Big Boy Car Rentals

This has become a staple closer for the MGA festivals so far with some of the biggest fields of the week! The last two series has seen it come down to this game as the decider for our Player of the Series competition!

Becoming a crowd favourite for the No Limit Holdem wizards, giving them the opportunity to play some old school, no limit, lowball draw poker!

Each player is dealt five cards in the initial deal, the game is played with blinds and a big blind ante. Following the first round of betting there is the opportunity to discard up to five of your hole cards. This is followed by a second round of betting. Then we go to showdown – best 5 card low hand wins with 2,3,4,5,7 (one offsuit card) being the nuts!

Mixed Games Academy will be running training on-site during the Gold Coast festival – be sure to book a session with the TD with the most, Shannon aka The Prince, see you on the GC!

Get in the mix!