The final day of Mixed Game Festival XIV once again saw four full tables in action, with $4/8 and $6/12 (the latter at least for about half the day) dealer’s choice mixes running in the Bellagio poker room.
The main order of the day was, of course, the final $3,500 BetMGM Poker Championship seat giveaway. As explained in the Day 9 recap, to win the seat, players were tasked with a challenge of trying to guess the exact tournament chip value contained in a transparent box.
As you could imagine, this generated a rather jovial atmosphere in the room, with those in attendance attempting creative methodologies to figure it out.
In the end, it was Patrick Ang, our recent Player of the Day pick, who submitted the closest guess, securing a seat in the $4,000,000 guaranteed event. The others who came close, in a true festival fashion, picked up some consolation prizes.
Are You Good at Counting?
Basic math skills are mandatory for any poker player, so to conclude Mixed Game Festival XIV in style, those skills were put to the test. The task was simple enough (in theory): look at a transparent box containing a bunch of chips, figure out what the total is, and submit your best guess.
📣 It’s the FINAL DAY of @cardplayerlife‘s Mixed Game Festival XIV at @BellagioPoker and we’re giving away a @BetMGMPoker Championship Seat! 🥳
📽️ https://t.co/W28YFUIucy
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♠️♥️♣️♦️#PokerLifeMedia #MGFXIV #FindTheFountains #JoinTheFestival pic.twitter.com/W0JHq5cSs6— Cardplayer Lifestyle (@PokerLifeMedia) June 11, 2026
The prize for this “simple” match challenge was a hefty one, as the closest guess would bag a seat in the upcoming $3,500 BetMGM Poker Championship, a massive poker tournament with a $4,000,000 prize pool.
To be eligible, players had to be seated at one of the tables. At any point during the five-hour window, they could walk up to the box, use whatever strategy they thought best (without actually opening the box), and submit their guess. But there were no second shots – once you submit your number, it’s locked in.
📣👉 How well do you count? Come down to @BellagioPoker and join in the fun of @cardplayerlife‘s Mixed Game Festival XIV! Then put your arithmetic skills to good use as you could win a @BetMGMPoker Championship seat! 🧮🥳
♠️♥️♣️♦️#PokerLifeMedia #MGFXIV pic.twitter.com/GW41h4aoDh— Cardplayer Lifestyle (@PokerLifeMedia) June 11, 2026
The box was shaken, stirred, and took some abuse over the course of those few hours. Some players even attempted to utilize AI technology alongside photo imagery! Eventually, all players settled on their numbers. With that part of the competition out of the way, it was time for Robbie and Bellagio Poker Director Craig Larson to withdraw to a backroom, check all the guesses, and compare them to the actual number.
Even with AI tools, no player managed to correctly guesstimate the exact chip value contained in the box, which came out to 688,500. The closest guess, however, came from Patrick Ang of Ottawa, Canada. Patrick was over the moon to win the ticket, stating that, with that prize in the bag, “he was now even for the trip!”
Massive congrats to Pat Ang, winner of our final Grand Prize here at Mixed Game Festival XIV at @BellagioPoker!
He’s now got a $3500 seat to the 2026 @BetMGMPoker Championship! pic.twitter.com/rCtTnOhdHN
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) June 12, 2026
As mentioned, other close guesses received nice prizes in the form of poker books, clothing and card decks, courtesy of D&B Poker, RunGoodGear and Faded Spade. In a lighthearted moment, the player who made the worst guess (i.e., the one that was actually furthest away from the correct number) was also given a candy bar, to the amusement of the assembled mass of players.
PokerCoaching.com Player of the Day: Doug Murphy
Spending his time between Las Vegas and South and Central America is Doug Murphy, our final pick for the PokerCoaching.com Player of the Day.
After retiring from his job as a deputy sheriff in 2019, Doug discovered a really cheap and cool way to travel by house and pet sitting, and he’s been doing it since 2021. This gave him an opportunity to visit places like Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, and more.
His poker beginnings go much further back. Originally from Idaho, he started playing in Montana as soon as he turned 18. While he can’t recall exactly what attracted him to try the game, as this was before the poker boom, he stuck around because he enjoyed the company at the tables.
He tells us that being the youngest guy in the room, surrounded by players in their 60s and 70s, many of whom were veterans, was really interesting, and he got to hear some amazing stories.
In terms of preferences, mixed games, especially of the Omaha variety, are his go-to. He “missed” the first week of the Mixed Game Festival because he didn’t know about it, but when he heard the news from one of his fellow non-Hold’em poker aficionados, he rushed over to Bellagio.
As far as his experience over the course of the couple of days, Doug admits that not paying attention to the placard at the table can humble you very quickly, and that paying attention is very important in mixed games.
When he’s not in Vegas, he prefers to stay at places that offer good poker action, and he shared with us that Bogota, Colombia, has a great poker room that spreads NLHE and PLO! In addition to helping him quench his thirst for the game, he sees it as a great place and opportunity to practice his Spanish.
RunGood Gear Dealer of the Day: Stephanie Shen
We are concluding our RunGood Gear Dealer of the Day series of Mixed Game Festival XIV with Stephanie Shen. Unlike many we’ve talked to over the span of the Festival, she’s only been in Las Vegas since last year, having immigrated from Guangzhou, China.
Stephanie has waited a long time to move to the US, as she and her husband submitted the request 15 years ago. Her mother-in-law has been living in Las Vegas for 20 years, and she has now finally been reunited with her only son.
Stephanie has kids of her own, two 16-year-old twin boys, and she feels very fortunate with all the opportunities this city has to offer. She tells us she ended up working in a casino, as many people in her circle work in this industry, so it felt like a natural path to take.
She started by dealing table games, but now Stephanie is getting her bearings as a poker dealer, too. Poker is her preference, especially mixed games, with all the different styles and dynamics, and she wants to gain more experience in order to move from being part-time to full-time at Bellagio. We’re certain that her positive attitude will, no doubt, help a lot in achieving that goal!
When not working, Stephanie enjoys traveling and seeing new places. Although she’s only been in the US for a short time, she’s already had a chance to visit Los Angeles, and San Francisco is next on her list.
Until Next Time…
All things considered, Mixed Game Festival XIV was an unabashed success! Once again, the event accomplished its primary mission, which is to bring together true fans of the game in a chill and relaxed environment.
From generous giveaways to big-name appearances that included past Main Event winners, Poker Hall of Famers, and beloved broadcasters, to not two pizza parties to non-stop action at Bellagio, it was certainly an event to remember.
As games at the last couple of tables petered out and this Mixed Game Festival drawing to its conclusion, the question on everyone’s mind is when the next one will come around.
We don’t have any solid dates or venues to share as of yet, but we’ll be targeting sometime in the fall in Las Vegas.
The best way to make sure you get the information about the next event as soon as it is officially available is by signing up for the Cardplayer Lifestyle newsletter. It’s completely free, and, as a bonus, you’ll get a monthly roundup of some cool and unique poker stories, interviews, tips, and reviews that you won’t find anywhere else.
Until next time, keep that love for mixed games burning bright!
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