The 2021 World Series of Poker is in full flow and this year sees the return of both Dealer’s Choice events. Event #7: $1,500 Dealer’s Choice 6-Handed gets underway today with Event #36: $10,000 Dealers Choice 6-Handed Championship starting on October 18.
Mixed poker games like 8-Game mix or H.O.R.S.E have a predetermined order of games whereas in Dealer’s Choice, the games that are played are picked by whoever is on the button, you could be No Limit hold’em one hand and then playing Big O the next. This gives dealer’s choice games it’s unique selling point and how it sets itself out from the crowd. The game dynamics swing greatly which makes for some great viewing as well as playing in.
How to Pick Your Game in a Dealer’s Choice Tournament
Adam Friedman won back to back bracelets in the $10,000 Dealers Choice 6-Handed events in 2018 and 2019 for a combined earnings of $605,692. The mixed-game specialist also has another piece of WSOP hardware after topping the field in 2012 winning Event #15: $5,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better for $269,037. So it’s safe to say Friedman knows his stuff when it comes to making deep runs and even triumphing in these tournaments.
Fresh off his 2018 win, the Ohioan spoke to Sasha Salinger on how to choose the games to play in a dealer’s choice event. Make sure to watch the video as this will tell you how your stack (and those of your opponents) can play a crucial role in choosing the right poker games in a Dealer’s Choice event.
Dealer’s Choice Games
There are a total of twenty poker variants to choice from when playing dealer’s choice and these can split into five general categories.
- Hold’em Variants
- Omaha Variants
- Stud Variants
- Single Draw Variants
- Triple Draw Variants
For those unfamiliar with some of the games in the table below, there’s no need to fret as you can get up to speed with this Dealer’s Choice Game Breakdown. This encyclopedic article has everything you need to know, including how each game plays as well as a host of really useful suggested readings that will really sharpen up your game.
| Hold’em Games | Omaha Games | Stud Variants | Single Draw Games | Triple Draw Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No-Limit Hold’em | Pot-Limit Omaha (High) | Razz | No-Limit Five-Card Draw (High) | 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw |
| Pot-Limit Hold’em | Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Eight-or-Better | Seven Card Stud | No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw | A-5 Lowball Triple Draw |
| Limit Hold’em | Limit Omaha (High) | Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 | Badugi | |
| Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Eight-or-Better | Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Regular | Badeucy | ||
| Big “O” | Badacey | |||
| Pot-Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw |
Mixed Game Festival: October 4th-7th at Westgate Las Vegas
If you’re looking to dabble in some mixed action and get your feet wet at an affordable price point, the Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort from Oct. 4-7 might be just up your alley. The event is hosted by industry veteran Robbie Strazynski, who recently joined Chad Holloway on the PokerNews Podcast to talk about the upcoming festival.
Rest assured that every poker variant under the sun, from Double-Board Omaha to Archie, will be spread during these days. On October 7th, a PokerStars Platinum Pass valued at $30,000 will be added to a $200 H.O.R.S.E. tournament, adding a massive first-place prize on top of the regular prize pool.
For more information, visit the Cardplayer Lifestyle website.