Top Poker Pros Gather for $50,000 Mixed Games Championship

The $50,000 buy-in mixed games championship attracted 74 players this year, continuing a tradition of drawing top poker talent. The tournament, known for its high stakes and diverse game formats, has seen a decline in popularity over the years. David Baker suggested that the myth about players being scared off by games like Badugi and NL 2-7 should be dispelled, as these games were only included once in 2015. Allen Kessler relayed Mike Matuosov's idea that the 6-max format is the main reason for the tournament's declining popularity.

Notable players like Jason Mercier ended his extended vacation to attend the championship, while Scott Seiver wore a shirt with Gus Hansen's image. Gus Hansen changed his hairstyle for the tournament but reverted to his usual style the next day. Phil Galfond has been playing more tournaments this year due to a lack of interesting cash games. He mentioned that he has been focusing more on tournaments because the cash games he is interested in are not forming.

Phil Galfond and Brian Rast had a memorable bet involving a PLO tournament with 100% VPIP. Mike Gorodinsky was the first player to be eliminated from the championship this year. Phil Ivey became the chip leader by the end of the second day with 38 players remaining.