Mixed Games Corner (warming-up for CC Variants League)

[rhoudini]

Hello mixed games lovers! How are you doing?

Cardschat has a special place for all poker variants, and the proof is that we had a Decathlon early this year, and in some days a new Weekend Variants League will kick off! Therefore, I was thinking, "Why don't we share with each other some great stuff about our beloved poker mixed games?".

We know that sometimes it is so difficult to find material about mixed games, therefore let's try to gather good recommendations here.
Please, feel free to share some great content about your favorite games! Let's help each other to get better! The competition just has to be at the tables, outside of them we are a great community. Remember, your league team mate may be in this topic needing your help.

I will start. Trying to improve specially at Stud games, I am watching the 4-hour full version of the Mixed Games Clinic with Daniel Negreanu and Jason Somerville, with a full review of a $2,100 H.O.R.S.E. final table feat. Daniel the Kid Poker and also the man, the myth, the legend Viktor "Isildur1" Blom.

By the way, any recommendations in Stud?

 

[Debi]

Great idea for a thread!

 

[Poker_Mike]

By the way, any recommendations in Stud?

I have found Stud to be a thinking player's game.

You have your hand but you can also see some cards from the other players.

I usually play this game by playing my hand vs my opponents' exposed cards.

If I can't beat what they are showing and they are betting then I fold rather than chase.

 

[Debi]

I love playing stud but have never studied this variant so not very good at it. I won't have hours to watch that video so interested to see if anyone has some more digestible nuggets of wisdom share. Here is some condensed and slightly revised AI on a good basic strategy:

1. Starting Hands:
   • Play premium starting hands, such as three of a kind, three cards to a flush or straight, or high pairs.
   • Avoid weak starting hands, such as low pairs, non-connecting cards, or unmatched low cards.
2. Pay attention to what your opponents are doing:
   • Note their exposed cards try to remember them. (lol at my old brain remembering them)
   • Watch their betting patterns and look for signs of strength or weakness.
3. Position:
   • Playing from a late position gives you an advantage just like in NLHE.
   • Be selective with your starting hands in early position.
4. Bet Sizing:
   • When you have a strong hand, consider betting and raising to build the pot and put pressure on your opponents.
   • When you have a weaker hand, consider checking or calling to control the size of the pot and avoid unnecessary losses.
5. Drawing Hands:
   • Be careful about chasing draws when you need multiple specific cards to improve.
6. Bluffing:
   • Use bluffing sparingly and strategically.
7. Pay Attention to Board Cards:
   • Continually assess the community cards to determine how they might have affected your opponents' hands.

Based on that I haven't played horribly. The starting hands information is very helpful and understanding that position matters in this game too.

 

[rhoudini]

Great idea for a thread!

Thanks, Debi!! I hope it is useful to anybody who wants to get better at other games besides Hold'em!!

---

I have a recommendation for Drawing Games (and sometimes a little bit of Razz and Omaha8). It is the channel Poker for Muppets. Despite being relatively small and unknown, there A LOT of videos playing micro tournaments of several variants, but specially 2-7 Single and Triple Draw, and Badugi.

Here is an example of a video:

Sadly, its creator is no long posting new videos. About 2 months ago he said he was quitting poker for indefinite time. If you guys like his video, please leave a comment there. Maybe he gets motivated to get back playing and generating content.

For Badugi enthusiasts, there is a great site with amazing articles on Advanced Badugi Strategy, it is the Counting Outs.
I think the Badugi section is the best on the entire website. There is also some content about all other variants as well, but none of them is so complete as the Badugi one.

I love playing stud but have never studied this variant so not very good at it. I won't have hours to watch that video so interested to see if anyone has some more digestible nuggets of wisdom share.

Hey Debi, this website Counting Outs has a great and short introduction to Stud, and another 3 articles that start to touch in some deep theory, I hope it helps.

 

[Poker_Mike]

I started a thread for 2-7 single and triple draw...

Strategy Difference 2-7 Single Draw vs. Triple Draw

I know how the mechanics of the two 2-7 Draw variants play differently. I have been playing limit 2-7 Triple and no limit 2-7 single draw. But can anyone help me with starting hands for each and also what hands are often good after the river? I am thinking about 6-handed tables for both...

www.cardschat.com

 

[rhoudini]

Hello everyone! Here is a golden nugget from the web about a relatively difficult game to find free stuff about: 2-7 Single Draw!

Here is a series of articles covering strategy for NL 2-7 Single Draw on FlopTurnRiver website.

For now, there are 5 articles:
No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Strategy (Part 1): The Basics
No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Strategy (Part 2): Pat Hand Combinations
No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Strategy (Part 3): Draw Combos
No Limit 2-7 Single Draw Strategy (Part 4): Pre-Draw Overview
No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw Strategy (Part 5): Post-Draw With Draws

But it looks like they are still posting them, so maybe there are more to come, because the 5th article says that there will be at least one more. Let's wait to see

 

[rhoudini]

Hello mixed games lovers! How are you guys doing?

Today I bring a suggestion of one more place to practice some mixed games from time to time for free (or, if you prefer, for an affordable price).
It is the poker room SwC Poker, a room that works only with crypto currency.
(Disclaimer: I don't receive anything from them to be recommending. I also don't know much about how much we can trust in poker rooms that only work with crypto, but I have never heard any negative comment about them. You are responsible for the money you invest anywhere)

Everyday they offer several freerolls, and some of them feature other variants, but sometimes they are also a mix of several games, like this one today, a 12-game mix.



Prizes are not big. This 20 chips prizepool worths just 0.000020 BTC, which right now is about $0.58 USD. But who cares? hahah. Still very funny to play. There you can find super micro cash games to practice too. A $50 deposit (0.0017 BTC) would give you about 1700 chips to play, and stakes start at 0.1/0.2 chips. Great chance to practice for a little price.

 

[Poker_Mike]

Hello mixed games lovers! How are you guys doing?

Today I bring a suggestion of one more place to practice some mixed games from time to time for free (or, if you prefer, for an affordable price).
It is the poker room SwC Poker, a room that works only with crypto currency.
(Disclaimer: I don't receive anything from them to be recommending. I also don't know much about how much we can trust in poker rooms that only work with crypto, but I have never heard any negative comment about them. You are responsible for the money you invest anywhere)

Everyday they offer several freerolls, and some of them feature other variants, but sometimes they are also a mix of several games, like this one today, a 12-game mix.

View attachment 338491

Prizes are not big. This 20 chips prizepool worths just 0.000020 BTC, which right now is about $0.58 USD. But who cares? hahah. Still very funny to play. There you can find super micro cash games to practice too. A $50 deposit (0.0017 BTC) would give you about 1700 chips to play, and stakes start at 0.1/0.2 chips. Great chance to practice for a little price.

And Replay Poker has:

• Omaha
• Omaha Hi/Lo
• Royal
• 7 Card Stud
• 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo

 

[CeegeePoker]

If you want to learn more about Stud, I'd suggest reading Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players by David Sklansky. It's one of the better materials on stud that has stood the test of time.
Good luck!

 

[rhoudini]

If you want to learn more about Stud, I'd suggest reading Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players by David Sklansky. It's one of the better materials on stud that has stood the test of time.
Good luck!

Hey CeegeePoker! Thank you so much for your suggestion!! In fact, I have it right here waiting to be read. I really appreciate reading poker books, by the way. But trying to quickstart, I have searched for videos first, because for me it is easier to understand when we can see the action and the cards, also time is precious at the start. But to specialize, I think these "old but gold" books are mandatory.

I also have here some other titles like:

• CORE STRATEGIES FOR H.O.R.S.E.: Selected excerpts from A Poker Player's Guide to Mixed Games, by Ken Lo
• High-Low-Split Poker, Seven-Card Stud and Omaha Eight-or-better for Advanced Players, by Sklansky and Malmuth

 

[rhoudini]

If you want to learn more about Stud, I'd suggest reading Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players by David Sklansky. It's one of the better materials on stud that has stood the test of time.
Good luck!

This month I could find a used edition of this book! One of the best deals I could make, I've paid just $6 on it, plus $2 shipping fee here in brazil.
The vendor's description apparently said the book was not so good, but it came in a great state of conservation!!
Now it is time to study!!! 🧑‍🎓📖

Anyone here has read this book recently? Any tips on how to make the most out of this book?

 

[rhoudini]

Talking to @najisami recently, I expressed my desire to learn the basics of Badugi, but every time I try to start, it feels overwhelming, because it looks a completely different game from the others (in fact, it is!). He recommended me two introductory videos that were very useful, and I would like to share here with you:

 

[BetterThanAvgButNotByMuch]

View attachment 343520

This month I could find a used edition of this book! One of the best deals I could make, I've paid just $6 on it, plus $2 shipping fee here in Brazil.
The vendor's description apparently said the book was not so good, but it came in a great state of conservation!!
Now it is time to study!!! 🧑‍🎓📖

Anyone here has read this book recently? Any tips on how to make the most out of this book?

I studied that book for years with Ray Zee's book.

I would have recommended 7 card stud 42 lessons How to Win at Medium and Lower Limits by Roy West if you're starting out but that book is harder to find and is more expensive probably and not as detailed as that 2+2 Advanced book you have there.

I have a lot of time with that book.

 

[Dzill_230]

Hello everyone! Thank you for such a great topic! I am participating in the League of Options, and now I won't have to search for the information I need for a long time. I don't have anything to share at the moment, but I think I will soon!!

 

[rhoudini]

After a long time I need to revive this thread, because after some time I am making a little pause in the grind to study mixed games again. I've bought the BBZ Mixed Games bundle, and I am studying it. Definitely worth the investment! Mason Pye and Tobias Leknes are great teachers, they simply have put a lot of work in it, as I can see. The course is simple, yet very deep for beginners and even intermediate players.

The best things in the bundle for me are:
1. Organization: content is very well organized, despite following a relatively simple division.
2. Coverage: I found really hard to have good structured material to study about two special variants: 2-7 Single Draw and Badugi. And the course covers both! With a satisfactory level of details!

Definitely recommended!!

Disclaimer: I don't earn anything for recommending the bundle. I really think it can help those who want to learn mixed games.

 

[rhoudini]

pokerstars.com SCOOP 2024 will start in some days, and as a preparation for all mixed games players, here is a nice $22 HORSE final table review by Mason Pye and Benny Glaser, two great mixed games players. Enjoy!!

 

[rhoudini]

One thing I've struggled when starting to play fixed limit games was the fact that stack sizes are not measured the same way we evaluate them in NL Hold'em.

In NLH, we consider ourselves short stacks with around 10 to 12 BBs or less. But what is the threshold in limit games? What is the stack size that should make us commit our last chips to the pot?

This very question is answered in this nice article published at PokerStrategy: The play in fixed limit tournaments.

I really recommend the full read, but in a nutshell:

• In FL games, we should consider our stacks in Big Bets, not big blinds. From now on, read BB as big bets.
• > 12BB: You have a good stack. You can continue playing analogous to how you would play in a cash game and in accordance with the illustrated adaptations, and put your opponents under pressure.
• 8-12BB: You have a solid stack. However, you can become somewhat tighter, play more hands with showdown value and bluff rather few hands.
• 3-8BB: It's important not to panic. Your stack is still good, you should select your starting hands carefully and look for and take advantage of good situations to steal.
• < 3BB: In contrast to NL, 3BB are still quite a lot in an FL tournament - be patient and commit yourself to the pot with good starting hands.

I hope it helps!!

 

[Poker Orifice]

Hey great thread!
I've really only just dabbled a bit with mixed games but have aspirations of pursuing them further (I mean who goes to wsop for a couple weeks without playing in mixed games tourneys?). jk... but I would like to get good at some of the games.
Recently I've purchased a couple books
Mastering Mixed Games by Dylan Linde
&
Getting Started with HORSE Poker Chris Wallace, Michael Mizrachi, Robert Mizrachi

 

[Poker Orifice]

Thanks for all the info. you've posted here rhoudini

 

[Suns of Beaches]

Hey great thread!
I've really only just dabbled a bit with mixed games but have aspirations of pursuing them further (I mean who goes to WSOP for a couple weeks without playing in mixed games tourneys?). jk... but I would like to get good at some of the games.
Recently I've purchased a couple books
Mastering Mixed Games by Dylan Linde
&
Getting Started with HORSE Poker Chris Wallace, Michael Mizrachi, Robert Mizrachi

This book by the mizrachis, would not be surprised if its from 2006 or something. but that mixed game content probably never gets old 😅

 

[rhoudini]

Hey great thread!
I've really only just dabbled a bit with mixed games but have aspirations of pursuing them further (I mean who goes to WSOP for a couple weeks without playing in mixed games tourneys?). jk... but I would like to get good at some of the games.
Recently I've purchased a couple books
Mastering Mixed Games by Dylan Linde
&
Getting Started with HORSE Poker Chris Wallace, Michael Mizrachi, Robert Mizrachi

That's amazing!!!! So glad to see that we have one more great player joining the mixed games crew!!
You`ll discover a great joy in the mixed games, be sure about that!! Lynde`s book is fantastic, a great starting point for basically all the main games!
If you need some help with anything, fell free to post here or to contact me!!

 

[Poker Orifice]

This book by the mizrachis, would not be surprised if its from 2006 or something. but that mixed game content probably never gets old 😅

It's a relatively new release - June 8/2022

Both of the books are new releases.

 

[Poker Orifice]

That's amazing!!!! So glad to see that we have one more great player joining the mixed games crew!!
You`ll discover a great joy in the mixed games, be sure about that!! Lynde`s book is fantastic, a great starting point for basically all the main games!
If you need some help with anything, fell free to post here or to contact me!!

I will for sure. Thanks.
I love to learn.
Thanks for posting the links in this thread. I will for sure be reading all of them.

Maybe with the micromillions series coming up, I could take some time to play all of the mixed games tourneys there and try to add in whatever other mixed games (of similar format) that Stars is running.

 

[rhoudini]

Maybe with the micromillions series coming up, I could take some time to play all of the mixed games tourneys there and try to add in whatever other mixed games (of similar format) that Stars is running.

Really a great opportunity!!! You will see that MM series will bring to the tables far more players who never played any of the games, and sometimes you will find yourself playing a hand with someone completely crazy who never took time to even read the rules!!! Specially in the lowball games like Razz or 2-7 Draw. That's maybe the only time in the year where the micro mixed games will have decent field sizes.

A good material to study is the BBZ Mixed Games Bundle, despite costing $125 now.