There’s something particularly satisfying about seeing mixed game poker grow organically, especially when that growth comes from players who take the initiative to make it happen themselves. As someone who has spent years working to promote mixed games through this platform and our Mixed Game Festival series, I know firsthand that building a community around these games takes time, effort, and, above all, people who are willing to step up and make things happen. That’s why I’m especially pleased to see what Brian Dowd is doing in South Florida.
Brian has attended nearly half a dozen of our Mixed Game Festivals, and he’s clearly developed a passion for the games and love for the community that surrounds them. Now, he’s harnessing that enthusiasm and putting it to good use by organizing a new monthly $4/8 Limit TORSE cash game at Harrah’s Pompano Beach, near where he resides in St. Augustine. The inaugural game is scheduled for Saturday, November 21, 2026, at noon, marking what is being billed as Florida’s first regularly scheduled game of its kind.
Taking the Initiative to Grow Mixed Games
One of the things I’ve come to appreciate through organizing the Mixed Game Festival is that there are plenty of players out there who enjoy non-Texas Hold’em and non-PLO poker variants, or would enjoy them if they had more opportunities to try them. The challenge is most often “getting everything to align just so”: gathering enough players in the same place simultaneously, finding a venue willing and able to host, and establishing a game that people can count on being there when they show up.
That last part is particularly important. A one-off mixed game is great, but a regularly scheduled game gives players something to look forward to. It allows people to plan around it, build relationships with fellow players, and gradually develop a local mixed game community.
That’s precisely what Brian is hoping to accomplish in South Florida.
The new game will feature a $4/8 fixed-limit rotation of 2-7 Triple Draw, Omaha 8-or-Better, Razz, Seven Card Stud, and Stud 8-or-Better. It will run seven-handed as a cash game once a month in the Harrah’s Pompano Beach poker room.
For players who already enjoy mixed games, it’s another opportunity to get in some hands and enjoy the variety that these games offer. For those who primarily play No-Limit Hold’em but have been curious about other poker variants, the low stakes and welcoming atmosphere should make for a comfortable introduction.
And that’s an important point. Growing mixed games isn’t just about finding more places for experienced players to play. It’s also about creating opportunities for new players to discover just how much fun these games can be.
A Player Who Is Helping Make It Happen
I want to give Brian credit for taking the initiative here.
It’s one thing to say that there should be more mixed games in your area. It’s another thing entirely to do something about it. I knew there was something special about this past Mixed Game Festival Player of the Day! 🙂
Organizing a regular game requires effort. You have to gauge local interest, get players on board, coordinate with the poker room, and help establish the game as something people can rely on. It means being willing to take responsibility for getting the ball rolling rather than simply waiting for someone else to do it.
Brian has taken that step, and I think that’s worth celebrating.
It’s important to also acknowledge the team at Harrah’s Pompano Beach for helping bring this game to life, including Poker Manager Paul Ciaramitaro and Tournament Manager Leon Wheeler. Having a receptive venue and poker room management and willing to support a player-organized mixed game is a critical part of the equation.
Ultimately, initiatives like this work best when players and poker rooms work together. Players bring the enthusiasm and help generate interest, while the poker room provides the environment in which the game can flourish.
It’s a partnership that can benefit everyone involved.
How Do We Get More Mixed Games on the Map?
I’ve long believed that one of the biggest obstacles to mixed game poker growth isn’t necessarily a lack of interest. It’s a lack of opportunities. Case in point: imagine if you were able to walk into any poker room in the world and just KNOW that a low-stakes mixed game was running (just like you KNOW a low-stakes Hold’em table will almost always be running). Surely you’d at the very least wander over to take a gander at what games were being played. At some point you’d likely also consider observing the game for a bit and maybe even putting your name on the list to give it a try.
There are poker players all over the world who might enjoy playing Omaha 8-or-Better, Stud, Razz, or a rotation of several games. But if their local poker room only spreads No-Limit Hold’em or Pot Limit Omaha, they may never get the chance to explore those alternatives.
And even when there are enough interested players in a particular area, somebody has to take the first step.
That’s where I hope Brian’s initiative can serve as an example to others, and why I’ve decided to help amplify the initiative through this poker media platform.
If you’re a mixed game enthusiast living somewhere that doesn’t have a regular mixed cash game, consider whether you might be able to help change that. Start by talking to other players in your area. Find out who might be interested. Reach out to the poker room manager and see whether there’s an appetite for trying something new. You might be surprised by how much interest there is once someone actually starts asking the questions.
You don’t necessarily need to launch a large, ambitious game, either. Starting small, keeping the stakes approachable, and establishing a consistent schedule can go a long way toward building momentum.
Will every attempt succeed? Of course not. There are logistical challenges, and not every market will have enough players to support a regular mixed game. But if nobody makes the effort, there’s virtually no chance of anything changing.
Mixed games aren’t going to spread simply because we all agree that they should. Because there are so many mixed game poker rules to learn (relative to Hold’em or PLO) they won’t even spread “naturally” when platformed for viewing on PokerGO (although that, too, is important). The bottom line is that mixed games spread when people put in the work to make them happen.
The Future of Mixed Games Starts With Us
One of the most rewarding aspects of running the Mixed Game Festival has been watching players come together, share their enthusiasm for the games, and form friendships that extend beyond the poker table. I’ve always hoped that the positive experiences people have at our festivals will inspire them to bring some of that enthusiasm back to their own communities.
Seeing Brian do exactly that makes me proud.
His hosting a new monthly $4/8 TORSE game at Harrah’s Pompano Beach might seem like a relatively small development in the grand scheme of the poker world, but I believe it’s precisely these sorts of grassroots efforts that can make a meaningful difference over time. One regular game becomes a local community. That community introduces new players to mixed games. Some of those players may eventually take the initiative to organize games of their own.
And before long, the mixed game landscape starts looking a little different.
So, if you’re reading this and wondering how you can help grow mixed game poker where you live, take Brian’s lead. Round up the local players, start a conversation with your poker room, and see what you can build together.
You don’t need to wait for a major poker tour, a big sponsor, or someone else to come along and do it for you. Sometimes, all it takes is one enthusiastic player who decides to take the first step.
Congratulations to Brian for doing just that. I wish him and everyone involved with the new South Florida TORSE game the very best of luck, and I hope this is just the beginning of many more mixed game success stories to come.
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