Mixed Game Festival XIV got off to a phenomenal start, with four action-packed tables going strong for most of Day 1, and one of them playing through the night and well into the morning. Add to that a few big names showing up, and it was the kind of kickoff that’s not easy to beat. Day 2 was supposed to get underway with a traditional Mixed Game Festival pizza party, but players were so eager to get into the action that three tables formed before the pies could reach the Bellagio sportsbook. Once more, we had two $4/$8 games and one $6/$12 table.
An early start meant that by the time pizzas were delivered, everyone in the room was ready for a short break and a quick snack, so that worked out pretty well. As any poker player will tell you, there is nothing like a nice slice of pizza to help bring your energy levels up, even if you aren’t having particularly good times at the table.
Not that there are such issues at Mixed Game Festival XIV, as having a good time is what these events are all about. You won’t see {m}any grumpy faces in the room as the atmosphere is such that it will quickly bring your spirits up, even if cards haven’t been falling your way.
Day 2 of Mixed Game Festival XIV at @BellagioPoker kicking off with two $4/8 and one $6/12 dealer’s choice mixes.
And the FREE pizza hasn’t even gotten here yet 😜
Come join us for all the fun! pic.twitter.com/jwmYve5Yr9
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) June 1, 2026
About five hours into the day, even more players arrived, so another $4/$8 table formed, bringing the total number up to four, which is just more than you could possibly ask for on a Monday afternoon/evening.
Never a Dull Moment
Day 2 of Mixed Game Festival XIV didn’t feature any big-name poker celeb appearances, but that did not stop players from having a great time. Poker stars popping up for a while is always great, of course, but it’s not essential for this particular crowd. The games and the camaraderie are more than enough!
As is always the case, the room featured a mix of mixed game veterans, players who dabble with non-Hold’em games here and there, and a fair few of those who have come across the Festival and decided this would be a great opportunity to try their hand at mixed games for the very first time.
And, once more, there are people from all over the world, including a couple of players who flew in all the way from Japan to join the fun.
Shinsuke, @ya_soshi_, and Itsko having a blast here at Mixed Game Festival XIV at @BellagioPoker!
They flew in to play all the way from Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/yjkXZqw83O
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) June 2, 2026
As for the action on the tables, it was the usual mayhem. With stakes set low, players can afford to just have fun with it, and you can rest assured they do. I’ve been covering the Mixed Game Festival for a hot minute now, and I’m still surprised and confused to see some of the variations being spread on the tables.
At some point, you have to stop and ask, “come on, guys, are you just making up games as you go?” And, surprisingly (or not), quite often the answer to that question is – yes!
PokerCoaching.com Player of the Day: Tim Linderman
In the hot seat today as the PokerCoaching.com Player of the Day is Tim Linderman, a player hailing from California. Tim started playing poker during the Moneymaker boom and, like most, fell in love with Texas Hold’em.
After a while, though, two hole cards became insufficient, so he transitioned to PLO, and that’s what he’s been playing almost exclusively for the past decade, outside of an occasional home game with friends.
Beyond these two variations, though, Tim has very little experience, and when he came upon the Mixed Game Festival at the Bellagio, he figured it would be a great opportunity to expand his horizons – something his friend who loves playing mixed games has been trying to get him to do for a while.
Although Tim played in some mixed game tournaments, featuring variations like HORSE and Triple Draw, he’s not familiar with some of the games present in Dealer’s Choice and 8-Game Mix, and certainly not with many of the ones found at the Mixed Game Festival.
One such variation that caught Tim off guard is Action Razz, a game played like a traditional Razz for the most part, but for your hand to qualify, you also need to have a face card. So, it’s not enough to just have a good low hand – you also need to have a face card to go with it, or your hand doesn’t count.
The reason that particular variation caught Tim’s attention is that Robbie tried an unsuccessful bluff against another player at the table, where he was showing a good Razz hand, but, as it turned out, he did not have that face card in a hole.
Overall, though, Tim feels that this is the perfect opportunity to dip your toes into the mixed game waters, try some fun new variants without getting hurt financially, and get some preparation for some tournaments.
Of course, as the Player of the Day, Tim will also receive a one month free premium membership to PokerCoaching.com, so, in addition to the hands-on experience he’s getting at Bellagio, he’ll have the opportunity to learn from some of the best poker players around.
All this should help him with reaching his poker dream, which is to win a WSOP bracelet, as he sees it as the ultimate poker achievement.
RunGoodGear Dealer of the Day: Emma Stevenson
Three years ago, Emma Stevenson moved from Boston, Massachusetts, to Las Vegas, leaving her job as an accountant to pursue her poker dreams.
Although she is our RunGoodGear Dealer of the Day, Emma is also a poker player. She enjoys dealing cards when not playing herself because it gives her opportunities to see more hands, learn new strategies, and understand just how diverse the game can be.
Two things she likes the most about her job are the opportunities to meet new people and, of course, making money. She loves working at Bellagio as she finds that the property takes good care of its dealers and players alike and feels that they maintain a higher standard than most other places on the Strip.
Emma was attracted to the Vegas nightlife and the overall lifestyle, and these things inspired her to take the leap. Her advice to others who might be thinking about doing the same is to take the risk. “You can always go back to your old life if things don’t work out.”
This is her first time dealing at the Mixed Game Festival, and, like most other dealers we’ve talked to over the years, her conclusion is that the crowd coming in enjoys the game more and has much more fun than most players.
As for her personal goals and aspirations, Emma is very honest. She wants to make a lot of money playing poker, and she wouldn’t mind marrying a rich poker player, she tells us half-jokingly.
First $3,500 BetMGM Poker Championship Seat Giveaway
If you’ve missed out on the first couple of days of the Mixed Game Festival XIV and still need convincing to head over to Bellagio, how does an opportunity to get a free $3,500 tournament ticket sound?
That’s right, everyone showing up for the action tomorrow will have a shot at winning the first (of three) tickets to the 2026 BetMGM Poker Championship. The winner will be determined by a blind PLO flip.
Each active table will play one blind hand of PLO. No betting is involved. Everyone’s dealt four cards, the board runs out, and the best hand wins. All winners proceed to the final, where they’ll play another PLO flip, and whoever wins that one gets the ticket.
It’s a lot of extra value up for grabs, so it could be a packed room. To secure your seat ahead of time, call (702) 693-7291 and put your name on the list. The action kicks off at noon, sharp!
