It’s sometimes really hard to say what the best thing about the Mixed Game Festival is. Is it the sheer number of poker variations that we don’t see anywhere else? Is it the sense of camaraderie that we witnessed once more on Day 7 as players gathered around to have a few slices of pizza in between hands?
Or is it all the well-known players and poker industry insiders who frequent the event?
We knew ahead of time that Day 8 of the Mixed Game Festival XIV would be “Tuesday with Mori,” featuring Mori Eskandani, one of the people who can take the most credit for the growth of televised poker. An absolute industry legend and a Poker Hall of Famer, Mori is also a huge fan of mixed games plus he has previously graced the festival with his presence (last summer), so to have him at the tables is a great honor.
But there was another surprise in the cards for those who found themselves inside the Bellagio poker room on Tuesday. Huck Seed, the 1996 WSOP Main Event champion and a fellow Poker Hall of Fame member, decided to hop over for a few hours. Where else do you get to play against such poker legends at super-low stakes?
Another Day Buzzing With Excitement
Players started gathering at Bellagio ahead of the official kickoff, and, at noon, there were already three tables going. Shortly after, the fourth one opened up, so everything was lined up for another great day of mixed game action.
Mori Eskandani came in, as promised, and sat down for some $4/$8 action. With everything he has going on, it’s really kind and generous of him to devote some of his time to the festival, showing his true passion for and giving back to the game that helped him achieve so much over the course of his career.
📣👉 Poker Hall of Famer Mori Eskandani has joined the 4/8 streets here at @BellagioPoker! You never know who you will sit beside at @cardplayerlife‘s Mixed Game Festival XIV! 👍🥳
♠️♥️♣️♦️#PokerLifeMedia #MGFXIV pic.twitter.com/JK7wySGWRL— Cardplayer Lifestyle (@PokerLifeMedia) June 9, 2026
It goes without saying that players were delighted to have a chance not only to play with Mori but also to chat with him and enjoy some of his many amazing stories. There are very few people who have been in the industry longer, and even fewer who have accomplished so much and had a chance to meet pretty much all the poker legends. A man like that never runs out of interesting stories!
On the topic of Poker Hall of Famers with stories to tell, the 1996 WSOP Main Event champ Huckleberry Seed certainly qualifies as well. One of the more colorful characters who was a big part of the game even before the game got big decided to relive his early grinding days by visiting the Mixed Game Festival.
Playing Micros Against the World Champ
Stakes during Mixed Game Festivals are pretty much as low as you’ll find anywhere in Vegas. That’s not a secret. It is, in fact, one of the main “selling points” of an event that primarily seeks to promote the game and a friendly atmosphere around the felt.
And yet, there are so many big-name players who have joined the action over the years to show their support for the idea and possibly relive some of those earliest moments of their careers.
The latest player to show his support in this fashion was Huck Seed. He came to the Bellagio a few hours into the action and had no hesitation about sitting down and splashing around in some $4/$8 and $6/$12 pots. He spent a couple of hours going from table to table, so that everyone got a chance to play with him.
📣👉 Poker Hall of Famer and 1996 @WSOP Main Event Champion Huck Seed joined our Mixed Game Festival XIV at @BellagioPoker yesterday. @cardplayerlife was able to chat with him about his experience! 🎙️🥳
📽️ https://t.co/IKlXabDTOl
♠️♥️♣️♦️#PokerLifeMedia #MGFXIV pic.twitter.com/2v2l3C5nX2— Cardplayer Lifestyle (@PokerLifeMedia) June 10, 2026
Of course, the action slowed down a bit, as players wanted to take selfies with the champ and many had questions and wanted to hear stories. Winning a pot or two off a Main Event winner is cool and all, but, for many, this was a unique opportunity to pick his brain and ask him about many interesting stories that circulate the poker space to this day, as well as some specific poker strategy questions.
To have both of these legends at the tables on the same day was something that’s hard to put into words. It’s an experience that only those who frequent Mixed Game Festivals are privy to.
Pokercoaching.com Player of the Day
While we all love seeing big names at the tables and are grateful for their support, it is the official policy of the festival that we treat all of the players who join the action as stars and try to give as many of them as possible their time in the spotlight.
Today, the honor of the PokerCoaching.com Player of the Day goes to Patrick Ang, hailing from Ottawa, Canada. He came to Las Vegas specifically for the Mixed Game Festival, and this isn’t his first time not by a longshot!
He’s been coming regularly and was actually there for the very first Mixed Game Festival at Westgate!
Patrick keeps coming back because he feels “this is the greatest home game in Vegas.” The main thing he loves about poker is that it helps keep him sharp.
Ever since he started playing poker, mixed games have fascinated him because there is an intellectual aspect to it, looking for a strategic aspect for every different variation, while keeping in mind that it’s still poker. On the social side of things, he loves the atmosphere and the fact that everyone is so happy and relaxed.
On top of all that, the Festival “provides unique opportunities to pick the brains of some of the great players like Eli Elezra and Dylan Linde.”
This time around, Patrick got an opportunity to sit next to Huck Seed and asked him his opinion on how the Main Event field has changed since the time he won the tournament back in 1996. Huck shared his thoughts, saying that “30 years ago, players had a much better feel for the game, while these days, they are much more analytical, but they have less of a feel.”
1996 WSOP Main Event Champion and Poker Hall of Famer Huck Seed paid us a surprise visit today at Mixed Game Festival XIV.
Splashing around at all four of our $4/8 and $6/12 tables at @BellagioPoker, taking selfies with our players, and more.
A true champ of the game. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/IrMJja75vX
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) June 10, 2026
When not playing poker, Patrick is busy with his day job as an online educator and developer for an online private school. His message to everyone out there thinking about expanding their horizons beyond Hold’em is simple (but true) – mixed game players have more fun!
RunGoodGear Dealer of the Day: Jason Gabriel
Not all the dealers we come across share the same passion for mixed games. Some simply focus on doing a good job dealing cards and pushing pots, while others take a much deeper interest and look for ways to improve things. Jason Gabriel, our pick for Day 8’s RunGoodGear Dealer of the Day, is certainly in the latter category.
Jason moved to Las Vegas from Fresno, California, back in 1998. He was working a completely unrelated job but took an interest in poker, playing at The Orleans during evenings. His interest led him to learn how to deal poker all on his own, and later pass the audition at the Orleans to pick up a part-time role.
When his company asked him to move to LA, he decided he’d rather stay right here, leaving his physically demanding job and taking on a full-time dealer position. In 2000, he landed a job with the Bellagio, and he’s been here ever since.
There were many reasons behind his decision. He fell in love with poker, especially mixed games, where analytical thinking, math, and strategy all came together. Plus, working as a dealer, he got to enjoy a much more flexible schedule that allowed him to also play.
But it’s not just his passion that makes Jason stand out. You can’t miss a rather unique tool that he uses to handle the action. It’s a rake-like tool that can deal with chips and cards, and makes things go smoother.
This tool is actually his own invention. Jason came up with the idea when one of his fellow dealers was pregnant and struggling to reach chips. He says there was no real product out there to help with the struggle, so he took it upon himself to make one.
Although you might not be able to tell at a glance, the tool has a unique shape and special features, allowing it to manipulate chips and cards, keeping stacks neat and tidy, and pushing puts more efficiently.
While he makes these tools for friends, he also does it as a business, where people can buy custom rakes (14 different colors, custom text) on his website snaprake.com.
Jason is currently working on another idea, looking to make mixed game plaques easier to handle and also more helpful for the dealers.
While he is aware that these ideas won’t make him rich, Jason tells us he has “an innate ability to analyze situations and make things better, and he is determined to use that ability to make things better for the industry.”
With all these extracurricular activities and working two jobs, Jason doesn’t have much free time. He used to play golf but gave up on that, and he is now mostly focused on poker and taking care of his family – his wife Marcela and his three daughters.
More Hall of Famers in the Pipeline
After another exciting day at Mixed Game Festival XIV, the action is winding down with two tables going into the night. Those who were in attendance will certainly take some interesting stories home.
If you missed today’s action, the good news is that there is another Hall of Famer lined up for Day 9, as Eli Elezra will be joining us. A long-time friend of the Festival and an absolute mixed game wizard, Eli is a very welcome guest. So, call in at (702) 693-7291 and put your name on the list, as we could have another packed day.
📣 Day Nine of @cardplayerlife‘s Mixed Game Festival XIV, sponsored by @BetMGMPoker, includes a visit from @elielezra1 at @BellagioPoker! 🥳
📽️ https://t.co/kZITXkdCuS
🔗 https://t.co/K0u0CjbrMX
♠️♥️♣️♦️#PokerLifeMedia #MGFXIV #FindTheFountains #JoinTheFestival pic.twitter.com/B34VIoeQIu— Cardplayer Lifestyle (@PokerLifeMedia) June 10, 2026
Thursday, June 11, will be the final day of MGF XIV, and it’s when we’ll give away our final seat to the $3,500 BetMGM Poker Championship, so just a gentle reminder that, even though the time is running out, there are still some exciting things to look forward to. How will we give it away? Check out the video below 🙂
🤔👉 Here’s a flash back to last summer and the chip count @BetMGMPoker Giveaway! We will be doing the same contest on Thursday at @BellagioPoker! 👍🥳
🔗 https://t.co/K0u0CjaTXp
♠️♥️♣️♦️#PokerLifeMedia #MGFXIV #FindTheFountains #JoinTheFestival pic.twitter.com/KSBeNwEFmA— Cardplayer Lifestyle (@PokerLifeMedia) June 10, 2026
