Our mixed game has been running strong for awhile now. We have a full table every week and usually end up with a couple players on the wait list or having a second table. I am looking for a few new players to potentially help us run two tables consistently and also keep our player pool strong.

We play the Mixed Game on Monday nights, and the game is played round’n’round’n’round of NLHE – PLO8 – Other. When it is time for the “other” round we randomly draw from the following list of games:

PLO
Big Mitt
Stud
Stud Hi-Lo
Razz
Razzdugi
Badugi

The NL and PL games (Hold Em, Omaha8, Omaha, Big Mitt) are played with .25/.50 blinds. The stud games (Stud, Stud Hi-Lo, Razz, Razzdugi) are played with .25 antes, a $1 bring in and a $1-$5 spread on 3rd – 6th streets with a $1-$10 spread on 7th. Badugi is played with .25/.50 blinds and a $1-$5 spread on the first three rounds of betting and a $1-$10 spread on the last round of betting.

Average initial buy in ranges from $60-$100 and people are not hesitant to rebuy or add on to their stack. This lets the NL and PL games play fairly deep (for a .25/.50) making for a fun dynamic of play and most pots have a $1 straddle.

There is NO house rake or fees that go to the house at all. We have a dedicated dealer and everyone pays a $5 fee at their initial buy in that goes 100% to the dealer. Any subsequent rebuys/addons are not charged the same fee. He also takes .25 per pot for the dealer fund, but that is it. We do not consider this a rake, just a small fee for the dealer’s time and effort as he is very efficient and manages a game well.

Also, several of us are interested in starting a limit Omaha Hi-Lo game. Looking at running this game on Thursday evenings and are still deciding the limits. Right now, considering $3-$6, $4-$8, $3-$6 with a full kill, or $4-$8 with a half kill. This will pretty much depend on the players interest. We have a core group to get the game started but could use a few more players. Right now, we are shooting for the first game to be on Thursday, December 1st.

If you are interested in joining us for either or both games, please shoot me a PM or you can send me an email at avaholicpoker@yahoo.com

This is one of those borderline situations which could arguably be listed either here or in Non-Trad. I'm letting it stand here, and to dissuade any "why can't I list my raked game too" arguments, here's why:

1. The rake is very small (10BB per player + 1 SB per pot).
2. 100% of that rake goes toward the cost of having a dedicated dealer, which can be considered a player benefit. The host is not making a profit from the rake.
3. This post gives complete transparency into how much rake is collected and what it is being used for, so potential players can decide in advance whether or not they have a problem with it.
4. Avaholic is a regular contributor to the HP forum.

If you want to discuss further with me, please do so via PM. I don't want to clutter up avaholic's thread with off-topic chatter.

Thanks Schmendr1ck. I guess the dealer fee could technically be considered rake. We instituted this for several different reasons:

1) We play on a big table, making a "pass the deal" game that is often traditional at a lot of home games difficult.
2) Some of the players are uncomfortable dealing anyways, and when you combine a mix of games it only added to that feeling.
3) In a lower stakes game, having a dealer work strictly for tips was not very feasible both in the amount of tips that he would receive and the proportion of money that could potentially be coming off the table.

So, we tried this fee format and it has seemed to be working well. In fact, most of the players have commented that it is well worth the small expense while allowing them to not have to deal and we are fortunate to have a guy that is willing to deal and does a great job. He is worth way more than he actually makes. As the host, I also pay the fee and my girlfriend pays the fee as well if she plays. Not only do I not profit at all from these fees from hosting, but I also pay them myself.

I used to deal the game myself with the player behind the button shuffling the next deck. I found that this became more work than it was worth as I was mostly focused on dealing and no longer really enjoyed playing the game. If I am going to host a game every week, I want to enjoy the playing aspect as well especially since there is no house rake or profit from running the game so this is the balance that we found.

Thanks for letting it stand here.

As a player that frequents OP’s Monday night mixed-game, I figured that I should jump in and give a little feedback and an unbiased view of the game for others that might be interested!

Upon moving to Austin just over a year ago, I began looking for home games in Austin and the surrounding areas that I could begin playing in. I saw a post of Avaholic talking about a game that he was currently hosting with a lineup of Watermelon, Seedless Watermelon, Pineapple, Crazy Pineapple, Circle Holdem, Double Flop Holdem, Super Holdem, and a few other insane games. A cardplayer since birth, growing from primarily Gin and Spades in my younger years and transitioning to competitive poker in the forms NLHE and mixed-games (primarily Omaha8 and razz), I never found a card game that I wouldn’t at least give a shot and so I was eager to play in this game as well! The first time I played this lineup I had literally no idea of strategy (in circle holdem you bet the “flop” with absolutely nothing, the “turn” with a draw or pair if you are lucky, then spend a few minutes when the 5th and 6th cards are dealt to figure out wtf kind of hand you have) and was THAT player that had to be reminded of the rules each time a new game came up (“okay in this one I discard 1 when?”). This game was most definitely fun, but some of the games had questionable strategy, if any at that. While it was fun to play, I play poker for more than just fun, or I would sit at home and play on Yahoo… I want to make money!!

We played this mix for a few weeks before adjusting into a random draw mix of Holdem, PLO, PLO8, Razz, Stud, Stud8, NL 2-7 SD, Badugi, and maybe one or two that I cannot remember. This game was fun as well, but there are still players that would simply rather stick to strictly NLHE and wouldn’t show up without us playing seemingly at least 50% NLHE.

About 3 or 4 months ago, Avaholic made a small change that has been to a game that everyone has seemed to greatly enjoy! The game that has been running, and continues to run solidly every Monday is: Round of NLHE (.25/.50), Round of PLO8 (.25/.50), and then a random game (either NL, PLO, PLO8, Razz, Stud, Stud8, Badugi, or 2-7), and then back to NLHE, PLO8, draw, and so on. I have personally found this to be an awesome setup as it provides a little something for everyone in the form of at least 1 or 2 games that they really enjoy each round! I feel like this is one the best games I could have ever found, and definitely enjoy myself each time I get to play in it!

Now that I’ve given an idea of the evolution of the game, I figure I will give a few highlights about the interesting stuff that everyone wants to know about come game time, Hosts, Setting, and Competition:

Host(s): Avaholic is undoubtedly one of the nicest and smartest guys I have met in the poker world. His girlfriend joins in the game about 27% of the time and is very friendly as well (for ex: has been making cakeballs the past few weeks for everyone). A longtime player, OP is versed on the ins and outs of rules of the different games and I can assure you that he will always do what is right regarding any potential discrepancies that could ever arise. I can guarantee that you will not find one past guest that has played at the game that will tell you anything otherwise. Avaholic is also an extremely good poker player (look at his online graphs ffs or his feedback in past posts) and it is nice to have someone that you can bounce hands off of and discuss poker with!

Setting and Setup: Avaholic hosts the game at his house. There is a large, professional, table that Avaholic built with his own two hands boasting the colors and logos of none other than the Denver Broncos (OP is definitely the biggest broncos fan in the United States outside of Tim Tebow’s family) sat in the middle of the living room with all other furniture removed. 10 players fit comfortably around the table. There is almost always a game on the flatscreen television and some tunes playing on the surround sound through Pandora (I would give you a better idea but it might be the widest variety music collection you have ever come across… Billy Currington, to Metalica, to DMX, etc.). Cards are premium decks and chips were custom ordered (you guessed it, orange, white, and blue).

Competition Level: When you think .25/.50, I promise you will not think of the players to be found at this game. Yes, the limits are low enough to invite newbies and beginners, but there are also most definitely really good, very advanced players. Many of the players have at one point or another played much, much bigger either online or live, and experienced success doing so. From my perspective, there is a nice mix of guys at each different skill level which makes almost each hand interesting and fun. There have been players in the game that have had 6 digit scores in tournaments, multiple players that have had 4 digit nights on the cash tables, guys that have played with great players, but there are plenty of others that are new poker players just getting started, and there are beginners that have no idea what Badugi is or if they need an 8-low to qualify in certain games. If you are intimidated by playing against good players, I will depict a few other hands that I have also experienced playing at this game (keep in mind I probably have the most aggressive image in the house):

NLHE
SB: 0.25
BB: 0.50
Hero: Straddle $1
UTG: Raise to $4
MP: Call $4
Button: Call $4
Hero: Raises All In $100
UTG: Calls $30 and is All In
MP: Folds
Button: Calls $100
Hero had Aces, UTG had AKo, and Button had 35o

NLHE
SB: 0.25
BB 0.50
UTG: Straddle $40 All In
Folds around
CO: All In $50
Straddle has Q9o, CO has QTo and wins with QT high

PLO8
SB: 0.25
BB: 0.50
UTG: Calls 0.50
Hero: Raises to $2.50
MP: Calls $2.50
BB: Calls $2.50
UTG: Calls $2.50
Flop: 69Jr
BB: Checks
UTG: Bets $4.00
Hero: Raises to $15 (with $5 behind)
Everyone Folds
Hero shows KKKQ, UTG folds AA27

BADUGI
SB: 0.25
BB: 0.50
UTG: straddle $1.00
Hero: Raises to $3.50
Button: Calls $3.50
Others fold.
Hero Draws 4
Button Draws 3
etc.

Other Positives:
Low Stakes: The stakes are set at an awesome level. You could legitimately buyin for $40 or $50 and win a few hundred bucks. I haven’t seen anyone buyin over $100, and almost everyone starts with at least $40. You can feel safe as you aren’t risking $300 or $500 to play in a game that you might not be all that familiar with. The small stakes keep the game and the players extremely friendly, the game extremely fun, and provides a low-risk high-reward opportunity for the players!

Good Players: As mentioned previously, there are numerous good players that frequent the game. I consider Avaholic an extremely sharp poker mind and I personally enjoy bouncing ideas off of him like “what would you have done here?”, “would you have raised this?”, “easy fold?”, etc. He is always happy to offer feedback from his perspective, and I enjoy trying to add a triple barrel or a river bluff raise to his arsenal  One of the best ways to improve your own game is to play with and discuss poker with others who are probably better than you, and I can assure you that you will find a player or two better than you at one game or another at Avaholic’s house!

Fun: If you have grinded NLHE live, you understand the monotony that comes along with doing so. The format employed at this game keeps things interesting and you can almost never get bored of one game before the game changes to something completely different!

Friendly: I have played at numerous poker tables across the States and I can assure you that I have never played at a table filled with genuinely nice people like I experience weekly at Avaholic’s game (and no, I don’t mean in the sense they keep me happy because I am the mark). The player-base is made up of mid-20 to mid-30 year old guys (with a few skewers here and there) that all have full-time jobs, do not depend on poker for a sole source of income, and are attending the game strictly to play some cards and have some fun with people they enjoy being around! This creates one of the friendliest atmospheres I have ever experienced at the poker table… Subsequently there are no verbal bashings or beratings, typically just smiles and plenty of jokes!

Always open for feedback and improvements: As mentioned prior, the game has molded and changed into what it is now. Avaholic often shoots out emails looking for suggestions and ideas to improve the game. If there is something that can be changed to make the game better, it is typically discussed amongst the players and implemented quickly!

Dedicated Dealer: One of the more recent changes to the structure was adding a dealer. Previously, Avaholic was both playing and dealing the entire time with a pass the shuffle. This was both difficult and distracting for Avaholic, and also slowed the game down a little bit. Everyone agreed that adding someone to deal the entire time (without playing) was a great option, and this has worked out ideally ever since.

No all around specialists: You might be good at NLHE and PLO and okay at the other games, someone else might be good at Stud and Stud8, but not so good at NL. Another player might be great at PLO8 but terrible at other games. I can assure you that there isn’t one single player there that is unbeatable at every single game. For example, I lick my chops waiting to exploit the guys when playing some NLHE, PLO8, PLO, or Razz, but you can often find me on the other side of the table donating heaps when Badugi or Stud is played A few weeks ago we mixed it up with a round of Razzdugi in which I feel that the entire table was extremely confused strategy wise on each and every street, which definitely made for some interesting pots!! :/

No BS strategy talk at the table and no wasted time: One of the things that tilts me most about live poker is strategy talk at the table. Often times, players start talking about pot odds and position, and polarization while triple range merging with no idea what they are talking about and to me that is one of the more tilting aspects of live poker. You do not have to worry about any of that at this game. There is also little wasted time. It is very frustrating sitting at a game with people distracted on their phones, forgetting to ante up, having to be reminded that action is on them, etc. The dedicated dealer and mature level of players keeps things moving and minimized distractions!

Guaranteed Games: You will never drive to Avaholic’s house without knowing that there is definitely a full table game going to be played that day. There are no guessing games. OP is extremely good about requesting and gathering 100% commitments before finalizing the announcement that a game will take place. If there are too many “maybes” “well see’s” etc, there simply will not be a game! People know when the game starts, and everyone shows up right on time ready to play!

I want to assure you I am not working on a cost-per-acquisition basis for writing this, but I definitely feel obligated to express my positive experiences that I have found playing in this game! If you have any questions that you want answered from a player’s perspective I will be happy to follow up!!

Howdy!

I just got back from avaholic's new Thursday night Omaha8 game. It was great fun!

It was 3/6 Fixed Limit Omaha Hi/Lo with Half Kill. The host (avaholic) dealt and played from the box. No rake and no fee.

It's a nice large table, good chips, and fun players. Nice set up with a large television playing sports (sound muted) and some music courtesy of Pandora.

The players are a good mix, some quiet and some loud, but they were all friendly and enjoyed the game.

We had nine players at one point and near the end we played five handed for a bit. But it was solid with eight players for over five hours.

Excellent home game.

Thanks for the nice trip reports guys.

We have made a small change to the Monday night game based on a suggestion by one of the players that the group seemed to really like. We now play 4 rounds instead of 3 and have broken up the last two rounds into two categories. Stud, and Flop/Draw. So, the groups are broken down like this:

Stud Group:
Stud Hi
Stud Hi/Lo
Razz
Razzdugi

Flop/Draw Group:
PLO
Big Mitt (5 card omaha hi/lo)
Badugi
NL 2-7 single draw

So, the game is now played round'n'round'n'round'n'round of NLHE - PLO8 - Stud - Flop/Draw and we still draw the game at random for the last two rounds for each respective group.

This format was a great success on Monday night, we had 13 players and played two tables of 7 and 6 for most of the night. Would love to have a few more players join us so we can run two full tables consistently.

Bump. Always looking for a few fresh faces.

Bump.

Bump!

I drifted through Austin and sat in on Mixed Game Monday, and two thumbs up or 5 stars wouldn't do it justice.

I came to the game as a complete stranger, and Ava and the rest of the players made me feel completely comfortable and at home. I've yet to come across a more welcoming group. The atmosphere was just awesome. To be able to say that I felt like I'd been playing the game for years after just a couple hours.. that's a credit to the guys at this game.

And the game itself - what a blast! Razzdugi, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.. The mixed format is wonderful, the table sat 10 with ease, beautiful chips and cards, great action, and the game ran as smooth as I've ever seen a home game run. Everyone knows what they're doing, and it was a real pleasure having a dedicated dealer.

If you're looking for a game in Austin, do not hesitate to drop Avaholic a line. You'll be made to feel right at home, and you'll have a wonderful time. Just remember the rule about $7 bets!

straddle, double straddle, triple straddle bit mitt?... no problem


9TQ running em down in razz?... no problem

those chips make my eyes bleed.

but i still want invite to the game.

someone pm me or i prefer text for the details 512-605-7660

i have emailed you.... i want in this game....

Id like to know if this game is still going on? I need to play some mixed games instead of just holdem.

+1. I'll be moving to Fort Hood next year and I am looking for a home game to play in. And yes, those chips make me barf also. I would definitely be willing to bring my new 1000 chip ASM set once they arrive the next month or so...

Yes, this game is still running. It has moved to Tuesday nights though. If you are interested and want details, send me a PM.

Ahh...but are they Broncos Orange, White, and Blue?

Man, I might go to Austin for one day just to play this game, sounds like loads of fun.

Could I get a pm for this game? I'll be in the area starting next march.

dont know about straight omaha hi/lo but i know a place that runs big mitt(which i dont play but is basically 5 card omaha hi/lo if im correct) a few days a week. if you want to be referred to it just shoot me a pm. they also run holdem. i think they run mon,tues,thurs and sat

Bump. Always looking for some fresh faces. If you'd like info, just send me a PM.

Come and join us whenever you're in town.

Sent

Very interested, if you could send a pm that would be appreciated.

Just wanted to mention that I played in avaholic's game for the first time two weeks ago. It was extremely well run with a lively group of players. Avaholic covered down on the dealing for the night and dealt in a professional, well orchestrated manner. A definite game to play in for those looking. Can't wait until I'm settled in TX so that I can play in the game regularly.