Mixed Game Festival XII Day 2 Recap

The second day of Mixed Game Festival XII at Resorts World in Las Vegas saw the $300 O/E “Miami” John Cernuto commemorative event take place along with a pair of dealer’s choice cash game tables running for over 14 hours! The tournament, which aims to honor the legacy of “Miami” John, a mixed game legend who passed away last year, ended up being a relatively small and intimate affair, but there is much more to poker than breaking attendance records.

With a field of 16 players, the tournament ended up with three cash prizes (and a little something for the bubble finisher), and it was Kento Watanabe who held all chips in play when it was all said and done, pocketing $1,836 for his efforts.

While the tournament field was somewhat modest in numbers, there was no lack of action at the Resorts World. On the sidelines, there were two cash game tables going strong throughout the day. The $4/$8 game only broke down around two o’clock in the morning, while $8/$16 table kept on going, with no real signs of slowing down.

A Friendly Competition & Fond Memories

Late “Miami” John Cernuto was a long-time pro player and a regular at the Mixed Game Festival who won this tournament back in 2023, beating a rather star-studded field, featuring the likes of Chip and Karina Jett, Matt Savage, and Linda Johnson.

“Miami” John may no longer be physically present at the tables, but his spirit certainly lives on among his friends and colleagues, and the tournament named after him is probably one of the best ways to keep his memory alive.

As mentioned, it was a rather small affair, with only 16 players in the mix, but this didn’t really take anything away from the event. Joe Santagata, one of those 16, even had a pin with Cernuto’s face clipped to his shirt.

16 players partaking in our $300 @MiamiJohnC O/E commemorative event here at Mixed Game Festival XII.

Joe S. wearing the pin in tribute to John 😍

Patch last-longer in effect with a @PokerCoaching_ Premium 1-year membership on the line + an $1,862 top prize 💰 pic.twitter.com/xiovFVL0wy

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) November 18, 2025

All the action from the tournament was reported live — a Mixed Game Festival first! — by pokerreporting.com, and the coverage included written recaps of major hands, a photo gallery featuring all participants, and some bits and pieces covering the action on the sidelines, such as the Lupe Soto sighting at the $4/$8 table.

All of it combined added an air of dignity to this commemorative event, bringing smiles to players’ faces. Once the registration was done, it was announced that the top three places would be paid, and the race to the top was well and truly underway. If you’re interested in more details as to how it all went down, check out live reporting for some interesting hands.

But, long story short, the field continued to dwindle, and the money bubble finally burst with the elimination of Daniel Sprung. It was a bit of a rough break for Danny, but at least he didn’t walk away empty-handed, as he received a nice hoodie, courtesy of Phenom Poker. And we all know that a true poker player can always do with another hoodie.

Congratudolences to @Three4Three, who busted our Mixed Game Festival XII @MiamiJohnC $300 O/E Commemorative event on the bubble.

But thanks to @PhenomPokerApp he won’t walk away empty-handed.

Enjoy your hoodie. Danny 😁 pic.twitter.com/zAxjJRXLN1

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) November 18, 2025

Of the remaining three, Hani Awad was first to hit the rail, picking up $988 for his third-place finish. Joseph Hallock started the heads-up confrontation as the chip leader, but Kento Watanabe just wouldn’t let him have it. He managed to grind his opponent down and run away with the first prize of $1,836, while Hallock had to settle for the runner-up honor and the cash prize of $1,150. Kento also won a 1-year Premium membership to PokerCoaching.com (almost $1800 value!) as being the “last player standing” in the patch last-longer competition.

Congratulations to Kento Watanabe, winner of Mixed Game Festival XII’s $300 O/E tournament for $1,862 + a one-year subscription to @PokerCoaching_ Premium 🏆

Kento flew in from Tokyo 🇯🇵 specifically to attend our festival 🥳

His winning words: “now the trip is free!” 😁 pic.twitter.com/8fsDkVl116

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) November 18, 2025

PokerCoaching.com Player of the Day: Ian Gerber

Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, PokerCoaching.com player of the day Ian Gerber is a 64-year-old recreational poker player who’s been enjoying the game for over four decades. Mostly retired from his day job, he spends his time acting, teaching spin classes, running, and, of course, playing poker.

Although he’s dabbled with HORSE before, Ian’s passion for mixed games was truly set ablaze when he happened upon the Mixed Game Festival here in Las Vegas this past summer. He decided to join the action and had so much fun that, when he saw the MGF was back in town, he had to take a bit of a break from his day-to-day obligations and fly out.

Ian told us that the last Festival also inspired him to set up his own home game featuring many of the variations he came upon during the summer. Two times a month, he and his friends come together to have fun playing a low stakes mix.

His message to all those who may be afraid to give mixed games a try is that events like the MGF are a great place to start, featuring low limits and a casual, friendly atmosphere.

After 40+ years of playing poker, Ian doesn’t have many poker goals left on his bucket list. During this year’s WSOP, he played in a $1,500 HORSE event, which was one thing he really wanted to do, and he’s happy he got that proverbial monkey off his back, even though he admits it’s hard to justify those bigger buy-ins when you play poker purely for entertainment.

RunGoodGear Dealer of the Day: Gina Turnipseed

Las Vegas is truly a unique place when it comes to the people you can meet and their life stories. Gina Turnipseed, one of the dealers at the Resorts World today, is a living example of this.

Originally from Poland, Gina came to the US 40 years ago through a refugee camp in Italy. After enduring many hardships, she landed in Colorado Springs, where she found a sponsor in the Lutheran Church.

When she first came to the US, she didn’t speak any English, so she started working at a restaurant as a dishwasher. Just eight months later, she became the restaurant’s manager … and that was only the start of Gina’s journey.

Determined to keep chasing her dreams, Gina went to a culinary school in Paris and learned secrets of the trade working at various French restaurants, bakeries, and bistros, before returning to Colorado Springs to open her very own French restaurant.

For all the foodies out there, Gina’s favorite dish to prepare is Beef Bourguignon, while her top pick when sitting on the other side of the table is Steak au poivre. 🙂

After some 20 years, she decided it was time to retire, so she sold the restaurant and spent some time traveling with her husband. When they felt it was time to settle down again, they picked Las Vegas because they loved playing poker and, like so many, they figured they could beat the game.

Gina soon found out why poker is often said to be “a hard way to make an easy living” and decided to cut her losses. She enrolled in a dealer school, got her certifications, and took her seat on the opposite side of the felt some 12 years ago.

Starting at the WSOP, she dealt at the Venetian for seven years, later joining the Wynn (where she still deals part-time) and Resorts World.

Gina is a full-time dealer at Resorts World, and she says that she loves her team, her bosses, and the fact that there are so many players she’s become friendly with over the years.

Poker-wise, Gina still dreams about playing in the WSOP Main Event and becoming the first woman to win it. It’s a hefty dream, to be sure, but you never know. RunGoodGear Dealer of the Day Gina Turnipseed is nothing if not a fighter!

More Cash Game Action in the Cards for Day 3

The third day of Mixed Game Festival XII will be all about cash games. As per usual, the action will start at noon, sharp, and players can reserve their seats ahead of time.

Once again, there will be $4/$8 and $8/$16 action on the menu, so you can pick your flavor. The MGF is, first and foremost, about having fun at the tables, so even a couple hundred dollars can get you into a nice, pretty stress-free session and last you all day long.

Plus, you never know if there might be a surprise appearance or two lurking beneath the surface. You just never know who might turn up to play or if someone will come up with a fun idea for a new game that everyone will just go along with. You just have to be there for it!