Golden Nugget Goes After Growing Demand for Low-Limit Mixed Games

 ^{The poker room at the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas just launched a new lineup of low-limit mixed poker games. (Photo: Imago / Alamy)} 

The Golden Nugget is answering a growing appetite for low-limit mixed games. On September 17 at 10 a.m., the downtown Vegas poker room introduced a $3-$6 cash mixed-game lineup featuring Badacey, Dramaha, Super Stud, and more, giving players an affordable way to try out new cash-games.

Women in Poker Hall of Fame member Lupe Soto championed the idea of bringing these games to the Golden Nugget.

The Golden Nugget is still fresh off the grand opening of its new poker room in July. They opened their redesigned poker room on July 6, which is now located in the Rush Tower lobby. It holds nine poker tables and has a 63-player capacity.

They’ve leaned into the mixed-game scene during their Grand Poker Series Schedule this past June, featuring tournament games like T.O.R.S.E. (2-7 Triple Draw, Omaha, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, Stud/8), Mixed Triple Draw Lowball Limit, and S.O.R.B.E.T. (Stud, Omaha/8, Razz, Badugi, Stud 8, 2-7). 

Come Get Your Chainsaw On

Golden Nugget isn't alone in betting on mixed games. This move comes as Vegas sees renewed interest in mixed games, withAllen “Chainsaw” Kessler’s Chainsaw Mixed Series of Poker and Robbie Strazynski’s Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival.

“When I saw that Women in Poker Hall of Famer Lupe Soto was going to be the driving force behind Golden Nugget’s $3/6 mixed game offering, I knew it was in great hands; she’s awesome,” Strazynski told Casinos.com. 

Kessler’s series started in 2023 under a different name, Caesars Palace Mixed Game Poker Series, before being rebranded as the Chainsaw Mixed Series of Poker (CMSOP). Its latest iteration was in August, running for eight days at Caesars Palace.

The series keeps its buy-ins accessible, with most events priced at $400, except for the T.O.R.S.E. Championship, which carries an $800 buy-in. Taking from Kessler’s distinctive moniker, winners take home trophies designed to resemble miniature chainsaws.  

The Orleans just dropped their own mixed-game tournament schedule, too. The Mix Carnival Schedule will run from October 20-30, with over $220,000 in guarantees.Buy-ins range from $200 to $600. The 11-game Championship will start on October 23. I have it on good authority that the Orleans used to be the only place for “horse-type games” in town. 

Celebrating Five Years of Mixed-Game Festivals

Strazynski founded the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival back in 2021, debuting at the Westgate. He’s currently gearing up for his fifteenth festival to be held at the Bellagio from October 5-9. Cash games start at noon with limits of $4-$8 and $6-$12, with dealer’s choice.

It features two tournaments, the $300 T.O.R.S.E. on October 6 and the $300 Triple Draw Mix on October 7, also starting at noon.

BetMGM has partnered with Strazynski to give mixed-game players a chance to win their way into the Bellagio Fall Classic. During the first three days of the Festival, three players will be randomly awarded seats into the $1,100 buy-in tournament. It features a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool and runs October 8-10.

“There absolutely has been trackable growth in the mixed-game player pool,” Strazynski said. “We see it in the number of people attending our festivals.”

At past festivals, I’ve been shocked at the number of variants that are played.

“Honestly, it’s pretty much ‘if you can explain it, we’ll play it,’” Strazynski said.  “So long as it can be played in fixed limit format (we don’t play any Pot Limit or No Limit games), it’s officially dealer’s choice: any and every poker variant is welcome at the Mixed Game Festival.”

There’s a strong community that attends most of the festivals and has become another kind of poker family.

“I love that by definition mixed games are infinitely more social affairs, meeting all sorts of people who share your love for variety in poker is a fast way to form friendships that can last a lifetime,” Robbie said.

Here’s to the Golden Nugget finding its mixed-game poker family.

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