Mixed Game Festival XV Day 4

Day 4 of Mixed Game Festival XV at Bellagio was a quieter affair than the days before it, but the dealer's choice cash games kept running and the room still had its share of surprises. Three tables were in action for most of the day, with two spreading $4/$8 and one at $9/$18, giving players plenty of chances to put chips in play.

Eli Elezra Sits Down to Splash Around

The headline moment came when Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra appeared and took a seat in the low-stakes dealer's choice games. Elezra is widely regarded as one of the strongest mixed game players in the world and is a regular in the highest-stakes games in Las Vegas, so seeing him in a $4/$8 lineup is an unusual sight.

Even so, the Festival still had something to teach him. At one point during play, Elezra remarked that he had never played a poker variant with three boards before, a reminder that mixed games constantly introduce formats that even seasoned professionals rarely encounter.

Elezra has been a friend and supporter of the Festival since its inaugural event five years ago, and he found time in a busy schedule to join the action again. Players in the room were clearly pleased to have him there, asking questions, taking photos, and trying to win a pot or two off a legend. Beating a player of Elezra's caliber is the kind of story that travels back to a home game.

Eric "basebaldy" Baldwin also made an appearance, sitting down for his first Mixed Game Festival experience. Baldwin is a well-known tournament professional with two WSOP bracelets and roughly $10 million in live tournament earnings, which puts him firmly in the poker celebrity category.

Free Merch and Festival Giveaways

Beyond the star sightings, players were treated to a steady stream of free items from Festival friends and sponsors. Giveaways included swag, poker books, and high-quality poker decks, and most attendees walked away with something to take home. The $4/$8 mix players were among those who received Bellagio-branded merchandise, and Faded Spade cards went out to lucky winners during the day.

Pokercoaching.com Player of the Day: Andy Law

Day 4's Pokercoaching.com Player of the Day was Andy Law, who is attending his first Mixed Game Festival. Originally from Scotland, Law has lived in Houston, Texas, for 14 years and works in software for the oil and natural gas industry.

Like many players of his generation, Law picked up poker during the Moneymaker Boom. When he moved to Texas, official poker options were limited, so he relied on home games. As poker rooms began opening in the state, his options expanded, and he started making trips to Las Vegas in 2019. Over time he warmed to mixed games as his home game rotation added more variations.

Law saw an announcement for Mixed Game Festival XV on social media and decided to make the trip. After a couple of days at Bellagio, his experience has been largely positive, though he admits that some games players call out of nowhere can throw him off, forcing him to figure out the rules as he goes. In his experience, other players are usually understanding and happy to help.

His interest in mixed games has grown over the years, and he has worked on his game mainly by reading books on the subject. He credits Dylan Linde's Mastering Mixed Games as particularly helpful. The Festival has inspired him to introduce a few new variations to his home game, though he concedes some players may need convincing.

In general, Law believes mixed games are more fun and more exciting, and that beginners can start at low stakes without risking much money. Unlike Hold'em, where a single hand can cost a bundle, mixed games tend to be more relaxed, and a couple of hundred dollars can last a while. His overall goal is to keep improving year on year, and he notes that good results help maintain motivation. He is proud of cashing in his last couple of WSOP tournaments.

Away from the table, Law enjoys reading, watching movies, and above all spending time with his nine-year-old daughter, playing video games and going to the park.

RunGoodGear Dealer of the Day: Corey Silver

The RunGoodGear Dealer of the Day was Corey Silver, who has worked at Bellagio for the past four years and has about 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Garden City Casino in San Jose, California, then dealt for Live at the Bike. When that show moved to the Tropicana, Silver moved with it, which is how he ended up in Las Vegas. After the Tropicana closed, he found a new home at Bellagio, a job he describes as a dream come true.

Like many in the industry, Silver started as a player, logging plenty of online poker hours. The game came naturally to him, helped by childhood visits to his grandparents in Las Vegas that gave him an early love of cards. Playing for a living proved difficult, so he shifted to the industry side, which let him stay close to the game while avoiding the variance.

Silver currently works dual rate as both a dealer and a floor, picking up shifts as needed. He says he is happy in his current roles and enjoys the customer-facing side of the job.

One career moment stands out. He was dealing a $200/$400 game at Live at the Bike after a stream when a player told him that if he won the hand, he would give him half the pot as a tip. It was a double-board bomb pot, and players were sitting roughly $100,000 deep, so the potential tip was significant. The hand reached heads-up with a $1,000 flop bet, $3,000 on the turn, and another $5,000 on the river, building a $16,000 pot that ended in a chop. As Silver began moving $8,000 to the player who had promised the tip, the player waved it away and told him to keep it. Silver was thrilled and admits he genuinely wanted to get up and hug the player, but he kept his composure, thanked him, and dealt the rest of his down. It remains one of his favorite career moments, not only for the size of the tip but for the generosity behind it, especially since the player did not win any money on the hand.

Outside poker, Silver plays golf as much as possible and has developed a recent passion for sports cards, buying and selling them on eBay.

Looking Ahead to the Final Day

Mixed Game Festival XV is nearing the finish line, but a full day of action remains, with seats open from noon. If past events are any indication, at least one table is likely to play through the night. Seven-time WSOP bracelet winner Josh Arieh is set to make his first ever Mixed Game Festival appearance on the final day, giving players another chance for photos, stories, and the occasional pot against a big-name pro. Players who want to be in the action from the start can reserve a seat by calling (702) 693-7290.