Cash Game Hosting dealers choice mixed games for the first time! Need advice. (3 Viewers)

Jackypoo

Two Pair
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This week's cash game is tonight and it's a slightly smaller crowd than usual. I thought I would float the idea of playing some different games while also lowering the stakes and buy in to a humble $10. To my surprise everyone was for it! So everyone is comfortable with regular NLH but only 3 of the 7 have any familiarity with mixed games. My question is what games should we prioritize to ease them in and maximize fun? Also I'll admit my library of games I know well isn't the biggest either.
Games of the top of my head:
NLH
PLO
PLO hi/lo
5 card PLO
5 card PLO hi/lo
Double board PLO
SOHE
Super hold em
Scrotum (I don't remember the game just the name lol)
Badugi (again pretty sure I've played this I just don't remember)
SHESHE (?) I don't remember at all
What's the one where there is 3 flops, 2 turns, and 1 river??
Stampler (pretty sure this is the one where the king of clubs is an important card)
Triple hold em (6 cards dealt, split into 3 hands then discard a hand after flop and turn)
Drawmaha (is draw2maha different or the same game?)

I know there is a pdf of all the mixed games which I will take a look at before tonight to fill in the gaps
 
Personally, I'd recommend a limited set of games to cycle through, since most of your folks are learning the game. I'd probably avoid the more esoteric games, like Stampler, but certainly your choice.

In answer to your question, Draw2maha limits the draw to 2 cards maximum. Drawmaha has no limit to the # of cards drawn.
 
SOHE:

6 card game. Pre Flop, you separate your hand into a two card hold'em hand and a 4 card Omaha Hi hand. Split pot game. Best hand on each side wins half the pot.

Big O:

5 card PLO8

Draw2maha:

5 card game. Split pot between your best 5 card hand and your best Omaha Hi hand (using two of your five). The kicker is, you can re draw up to two cards in your hand after the betting round on the flop. After the re draw we go straight to the turn card.

This is one of my favorite games.

Double Board PLO

Simple, There are two full boards. A high winner on each board. Split pot game. Can be played with 4 or 5 cards.

2-7 Single No Limit Single Draw

Aces are always high. The best hand is 2, 3, 4, 5, 7. Straights, flushes, pairs all count against you. There is no low qualifier. There is only two betting rounds. There isn't any limping in the first round. We usually do a min $2.00 bring in.

SHESHE

5 card game. You split your hand into a three card superholdem hand and a two card hold'em hand. In the three card superholdem hand you can use all three cards. You do the split pre flop.

Above is the most common games called.

Some of the other games that will probably see an orbit or two are

Stampler

Its played like 5 card PLO8. The catch is, if there is no qualifying low, then the high spade in the hole wins half the pot. Ace of spades is high in this situation.

I don't care for the game. I'll play it if someone calls it.

3-2-1

4 or 5 card PLO8. three boards, two turns, and one river. The top board can only play the top turn. Bottom board bottom turn. Middle board can play either.

Don't like it. I nit up when its called, but I will play it.

Scrotum 8

5 card game. You discard whatever cards that you don't want. Then you must play all that you keep. if you keep 4 cards, you must play all four of them and only one from the board.

Stakes are .25/.50, 100 max buy in. Re buys are 100, or half the deep stack.
 
Personally, I'd recommend a limited set of games to cycle through, since most of your folks are learning the game. I'd probably avoid the more esoteric games, like Stampler, but certainly your choice.

In answer to your question, Draw2maha limits the draw to 2 cards maximum. Drawmaha has no limit to the # of cards drawn.
Yeah stampler is a bit advanced. It's just one of the ones I remembered. We'll probably stick to the simpler ones. Thanks for the drawmaha answer!
 
SOHE:

6 card game. Pre Flop, you separate your hand into a two card hold'em hand and a 4 card Omaha Hi hand. Split pot game. Best hand on each side wins half the pot.

Big O:

5 card PLO8

Draw2maha:

5 card game. Split pot between your best 5 card hand and your best Omaha Hi hand (using two of your five). The kicker is, you can re draw up to two cards in your hand after the betting round on the flop. After the re draw we go straight to the turn card.

This is one of my favorite games.

Double Board PLO

Simple, There are two full boards. A high winner on each board. Split pot game. Can be played with 4 or 5 cards.

2-7 Single No Limit Single Draw

Aces are always high. The best hand is 2, 3, 4, 5, 7. Straights, flushes, pairs all count against you. There is no low qualifier. There is only two betting rounds. There isn't any limping in the first round. We usually do a min $2.00 bring in.

SHESHE

5 card game. You split your hand into a three card superholdem hand and a two card hold'em hand. In the three card superholdem hand you can use all three cards. You do the split pre flop.

Above is the most common games called.

Some of the other games that will probably see an orbit or two are

Stampler

Its played like 5 card PLO8. The catch is, if there is no qualifying low, then the high spade in the hole wins half the pot. Ace of spades is high in this situation.

I don't care for the game. I'll play it if someone calls it.

3-2-1

4 or 5 card PLO8. three boards, two turns, and one river. The top board can only play the top turn. Bottom board bottom turn. Middle board can play either.

Don't like it. I nit up when its called, but I will play it.

Scrotum 8

5 card game. You discard whatever cards that you don't want. Then you must play all that you keep. if you keep 4 cards, you must play all four of them and only one from the board.

Stakes are .25/.50, 100 max buy in. Re buys are 100, or half the deep stack.
Thanks for the write up and your opinions on the games as well Bill. For Scrotum is it a normal 5 card community board? What if you keep a K? Then you are only playing the high board since you won't have a playable low?
 
I'd go with 0.05/0.10 pot limit or 0.10/0.20 fixed limit if your field of players is unfamiliar with mixed games. I'd also stick to high hand only or games that otherwise don't require a split pot. Too much at once and some players may get frustrated and confused.

Omaha and pineapple variants, Scrotum HI only, SOHE, Super Hold em, and three Hand Hold Em are great places to start.
 
I'd go with 0.05/0.10 pot limit or 0.10/0.20 fixed limit if your field of players is unfamiliar with mixed games. I'd also stick to high hand only or games that otherwise don't require a split pot. Too much at once and some players may get frustrated and confused.

Omaha and pineapple variants, Scrotum HI only, SOHE, Super Hold em, and three Hand Hold Em are great places to start.
.05/.10 pot limit was the plan. I think we'll hopefully try Omaha hi/lo at some point but I think you're right we should stick almost exclusively to Hi board only games.
 
.05/.10 pot limit was the plan. I think we'll hopefully try Omaha hi/lo at some point but I think you're right we should stick almost exclusively to Hi board only games.
Yeah, I would see how the table does with the high hand only variations before introducing hi/lo and split pot games. Introduce one thing at a time and keep adding. I was in the same boat with my local group this time last year and now they can't get enough of the mixed games.

I will warn that even at pot limit, stacks can evaporate in an instant. 100 big blinds is the absolute minimum I'd let someone buy in for. I recommend starting at 200 big blinds and playing on the deeper end of things because it increases quality of play. Mixed games with shallow stacks turns into nit or above fests rather quickly.
 
Thanks for the write up and your opinions on the games as well Bill. For Scrotum is it a normal 5 card community board? What if you keep a K? Then you are only playing the high board since you won't have a playable low?

Yep, 5 cards are dealt out. When action is on you pre flop you discard what you don't want. Then you must play all the cards in your hand. If you keep three cards then you only get to use two cards from the community board (five cards). If any of the cards that you keep is a 9 or higher then you can't qualify for the low.
 
Unless your players are proficient at PLO8, then I don't think I would introduce this game to them just yet. It can be kind of a mind fuck.
 
Yep, 5 cards are dealt out. When action is on you pre flop you discard what you don't want. Then you must play all the cards in your hand. If you keep three cards then you only get to use two cards from the community board (five cards). If any of the cards that you keep is a 9 or higher then you can't qualify for the low.
As a corolary to this, Scrotum with mixed game novices is an absolute blood bath. Overvaluing of hands galore. Last time we played that, we had a three way all in on the second hand of the night on a dry board but with two spades on it.

Initial shover had the open ended straight, I reshoved having flopped the nut flush holding three spades in my hand including the Ace, and the third called off and scooped after the board paired and his three eights he called with in his hand took it down with a full house.
 
As a corolary to this, Scrotum with mixed game novices is an absolute blood bath. Overvaluing of hands galore. Last time we played that, we had a three way all in on the second hand of the night on a dry board but with two spades on it.

Initial shover had the open ended straight, I reshoved having flopped the nut flush holding three spades in my hand including the Ace, and the third called off and scooped after the board paired and his three eights he called with in his hand took it down with a full house.
Hell yeah you're only making me want to play this even more. How much damage can we do with just 10c blinds?
 
We will crawl, walk, and then maybe down the road we can run. Honestly PLO is going to be a big step for most :LOL: :laugh:

One of the big problems in Scrotum is players will tend to misread their hands. I'm not a novice at this game and I still do it from time to time.
 
Scarney for the final orbit of the night.

Absolutely! I think scarney is easier to learn than some of the other games. They'll mostly hate the first 3 to 14 times that they play it. Sooner or later you end up loving it lol.
 
I'd play the game one time with no betting and no folding. Let people get a feel for the mechanics of the game (because it's sorta confusing when explained bit super simple when played) and see what a good hand is.

Then run it for an orbit.
 
I'd play the game one time with no betting and no folding. Let people get a feel for the mechanics of the game (because it's sorta confusing when explained bit super simple when played) and see what a good hand is.

Then run it for an orbit.

I agree with this. Great suggestion @Jackypoo
 
I'd play the game one time with no betting and no folding. Let people get a feel for the mechanics of the game (because it's sorta confusing when explained bit super simple when played) and see what a good hand is.

Then run it for an orbit.
Is this the one where you discard any cards you pair on the bottom board?
 
Is this the one where you discard any cards you pair on the bottom board?
Yes.

Split pot between best 5-card poker hand (using any amount of hole cards) and lowest total remaining in your hand.

Also, don't forget to declare in advance what happens if you are out of hole cards:
  1. hand is dead
  2. low total is zero; you can check/call but you can't bet/raise (and, obv, you're playing the board for the high)
 
Yes.

Split pot between best 5-card poker hand (using any amount of hole cards) and lowest total remaining in your hand.

Also, don't forget to declare in advance what happens if you are out of hole cards:
1. hand is dead
2. Low total is zero; you can check/call but you can't bet/raise (and, obv, you're playing the board for the high)
It's all coming back yes. Isn't there 6 total community cards instead of 5 or am I thinking of a different game?
 
Play an orbit per game, plus one hand. This is the way.

Dealer calls the game, and also deals a second time which is the last hand of that game. After the last deal of a game, new dealer selects a game and rinse/repeat. 6 players = 7 hands of a game, 7 = 8 hands and so on.
 
One of the big problems in Scrotum is players will tend to misread their hands. I'm not a novice at this game and I still do it from time to time.
Definitely possible, I would say though that the first couple of orbits the biggest problem is overvaluing marginal hands for the game. That turned straight is already likely drawing dead to a well concealed flush if someone is holding three or four cards.
 
I'm guessing 5 hole cards dealt inscarey?
I've played 6 cards. Basically, you need 12 cards for the board (or 15 with burns). That leaves 40 (or 37) cards for hole cards.

For 6 players, you can do 6 each (with or without burns). For 7 players, you can do 5 each (with or without burns). For 8 players, you get 4 cards each (or five without burns).

I think 5 works best.
 
Y

I've played 6 cards. Basically, you need 12 cards for the board (or 15 with burns). That leaves 40 (or 37) cards for hole cards.

For 6 players, you can do 6 each. For 7 players, you can do 5 each. For 8 players, you get 4 cards each (or five without burns).

I think 5 works best.
Gotcha, okay last scarney question. Do aces count as 10 or 1?
 
Play an orbit per game, plus one hand. This is the way.

Dealer calls the game, and also deals a second time which is the last hand of that game. After the last deal of a game, new dealer selects a game and rinse/repeat. 6 players = 7 hands of a game, 7 = 8 hands and so on.
Most people would have no idea what to call though. I will likely suggest games to play unless whoevers turn it is to call already has something in mind
 

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