Mixed Game Festival Organizer Robbie Strazynski
As mixed games are typically less common then hold’em or Omaha, I appreciate anything which helps proliferate it and gives new players an opportunity to enjoy different variants of poker. Because of this, I try to participate and give action whenever there is an event aimed at growing the mixed game community.
Resorts World in Las Vegas recently hosted the Mixed Game Festival XII, which ran multiple tables of $4-$8 and $8-$16 mix and provided a welcoming friendly environment for players from all over to try new games at comfortable limits. Which brings me to a hand I played in Super Razzdeucey.
The Rules
Super Razzdeucey is a split-pot, lowball-stud game where half the pot is awarded to the best 2-7 low (7-5-4-3-2 is the nuts), and half to the best badugi (5-4-3-2 rainbow is the other nuts.) Like any split-pot game, the objective is to play hands that can scoop the whole pot.
The fact that it is super means each player receives an additional down card at the beginning of the hand. Then, each player must discard one of their hole cards before proceeding to fourth street. The game finishes with a normal stud structure until each player has seven cards.
The Hand
In the hand in question, seven players anted $1, and I was dealt a (Q♣4♠2♣)7♦. I discarded the queen, giving me a very formidable 7-4-2 with three suits. I needed a non-pairing heart for my badugi and already had three cards to a wheel.
The high card king brought in $1, the 5♦ limped, the 6♠ raised, the 8♣ called, and two jacks folded. I saw no hearts amongst the low cards, which was a positive, but the 5, 6, and 8 were all helpful cards to me, so I elected to just call rather than raise. The pot was $24 headed to fourth street.
Fourth Street
The 3♦ didn’t help my badugi, but it did improve my lowball hand. The 5♦ added a king, the 6♠ added the 7♥, and the 8♣ added the 6♣. With my board being low, I had first action and elected to lead $4. All three opponents called, making the pot $40.
Fifth Street
On fifth street the hand got interesting as the boards read 5♦K♥8♦, 6♠7♥9♥, and 8♣6♣9♠. I smashed the 3♥, which completed my badugi while pairing my board. Also noteworthy here, my 7-4-3-2 badugi was the best possible given everyone’s boards. I bet $8 and everyone called, growing the pot to $72.
Sixth Street
Sixth street set up an unusual scenario, as 5-K-8 added a 7, 6-7-9 paired his 6, and 8-6-9 paired his 9. My card was somehow yet another three, but my 7-4 badugi was still a board lock to be best. If I could hit a 5,6, or 8 on the river, I’d have a great chance to scoop.
As played, 5-K-8-7 checked, 6-7-9-6 bet, and 8-6-9-9 raised! Before his chips hit the felt I announced “three bets.” Everyone called, and the pot had suddenly swelled to $168.
Seventh Street
On the river, all three opponents checked and I kept my card face down to the side as I fired dark. They all called, bringing the total pot to $200 even (not bad for a $4-$8 game) and I announced, “7 smooth badugi, and this last card is…”
I flipped over a 10, which of course did not win. I ended up splitting the pot with the player who had a board of 6-7-9-6 and made a 9-7 low.
While it would have been nice to get the whole pot, I’ll take my $100 half. Hands like this speak to the fun and exciting situations that mixed games can offer!
Mark Mazmanian has been a mixed-game specialist for more than two decades playing in games all over the country. The Las Vegas resident can be reached on Instagram @maztastic1 or by email at markmaz17@hotmail.com.