Weekly Mixed Games Cash Game - Perfect for Beginners
Portomaso Casino, Malta About to Launch Low Risk Entry to Mixed Games for Players
On 15 February 2024 a new weekly mixed games cash game at Portomaso Casino, Malta will run for the first time. The game has been set up to make it welcoming to newcomers as well as enjoyable for mixed games enthusiasts. Some of the features are:
A set mix of games, focusing, particularly in the early part of the rotation, on the more well known games in the mix
Loss per hand capped at 100 big blinds in the Pot Limit (and 50 Big Blinds in No Limit 2-7 Single Draw) games (see below for explanation)
Time rake rather than hand rake (see below)
Most weeks the stakes will be very low - 1/1 PL and 1/2 NL, bets 4 and 8 euros in the Fixed Limit Games. One week per month - usually the last Thursday in each month - the stakes will be around double these amounts
The Games
These games will be played in the first few weeks of the lower stakes game - with some other games to be added later in the year:
Fixed Limit (FL) Seven Card Stud Hilo 8-or-Better
No Limit 2-7 Single Draw Lowball
PL Courchevel Hilo 8-or-Better
I have written a little about each of these games to help people who might want to try the game out. Click on each game name to have a read!
Why Cap the Betting on PL & NL Games?
As mentioned above, the total amount each player can bet during one hand is to be capped at 100 big bets - 100 euros in the game that will run most often. For example, if there is a raise to 5 and a reraise to 15 preflop, then a bet of 32 on the flop, the total amount bet so far is 15 + 32 = 47, so a bet of 53 on the turn will be considered all in even if the players have much more money in their stacks.
This is a common practice where cash games combine fixed limit games with big bet games. It protects the player from making a big loss in one hand that they cannot hope to recuperate any time soon because the game changes. Imagine for example if you and another player have both built up your stacks and have 750 euros each. In the last hand of Pot Limit Sviten Special you are dealt a huge hand - lets say, a straight in your hand and you also flop a straight - and get all in against the other player with a deep stack. You lose the pot because that person had a flush in their hand, two pairs on the flop and they hit a full house on the turn. The game then changes to fixed limit 7 Card Stud and you can only win back a fraction of the 750 euros you just lost! By capping the amount you can lose at 100 euros you are always going to be able to get your money back regardless of any change of games.
Why Time Rake?
Many of the games in a mixed games rotation are split pot games - hilo games and Sviten Special are perfect examples - and if rake is taken from the pot then what often happens is two people play a big pot that they ultimately split and both players make a small loss because of the rake. By taking a set amount from each player every 30 minutes this problem is avoided.
This also encourages players to act quickly and play more hands!
The Bigger Game
Roughly once per month, and hopefully during international festivals, the game will run with slightly bigger stakes. Stakes will be:
2/2 euros blinds for Pot Limit Games
2/4 euros blinds for No Limit Single Draw
Cap for Pot Limit and No Limit games 200 euros per person
Fixed Limit Games: ante 2 euro / bring in 4 euro / small blind 5 euros / big blind and small bet 10 euro, big bet 20 euro