There is something very special about these Norwegian vikings and their love for mixed games. Norway does boast the current World Champion in No Limit Holdem, Espen Uhlen Jørstad, however there is no doubt that the Norwegians are most feared when it comes to the more niche games in the world of poker. This year, leading up to the Norwegian Championship and Poker North Masters, there will be a Mixed Poker European Championship giving everyone a chance to test their skills against the Norwegians.

The Championship will run from March 21st to 24th and host a schedule that every mixed player dreams of. The highlight will be the 550€ 8-game Main Event; it’s a 2-day event that starts on the 22nd.

“The mixed games tournaments were showing really good numbers in 2022, and I believe there is an ever growing market for these kinds of tournaments. This Mixed Festival will be a must play for me and anyone who loves the variety of poker games. I’m dreaming about reaching 200 entries.” says Tobias Leknes; also known as Senkel92 online.

Other tournaments on the schedule include the 100€ Welcomer Big Bet Mix, 250€ Hi-Lo Mix, 250€ Lowball Draw Mix, 350€ Dealers Choice, and a 250€ Sviten Special. It’s a compact schedule with the aim to enable everyone to take part in as much as possible. The Hi-Low Mix and Draw Mix will start early, and finish in time to let everyone jump into the main attractions starting in the evening.

The Welcomer Big Bet Mix will kick off what is likely to be the most social and fun event of the year. It’s going to be a fast paced structure with a 62,5bb starting stack, 20 min levels and unlimited reentries. Players will need to figure out how to manoeuvre their way through NLO8, 5 Card Draw, 2-7 Single Draw, NLH and PLO to find their way to the first final table of the championship.

The obvious choice for a Main Event in a series like this is an 8-game. Players need to excel in eight of the most common variants in poker. A well structured two day event with 40 min blinds will be the perfect way to crown a winner in the most prestigious event of the series. Another highlight of the series will be the Dealer’s Choice Event where players will get to choose their favourite game, or attack what they believe are the weaknesses of their tablemates.

Mason Pye, known as the leader of the Mixed Games Movement, will of course be in attendance for the duration of the festival. As anyone would guess, he is looking forward to showing his skills in Bratislava: “I’m really excited for the festival. I’ve only played a handful of live Mixed Games tournaments so to have a festival that is exclusively for Mixed Games is really special. An 8-Game Main Event is really what dreams are made of.”

Pye also had a word to say about the importance of having a festival like this in Europe:
“The festival will certainly help grow the Mixed Games community because of its accessibility. Most Mixed Games tournaments are in Las Vegas with either too small or too large buy-ins. This festival hits the sweet spot with many tournaments covering many games in such a short period of time. It will bring many players out who will hopefully spread the word for future iterations.”

Pokerstars ambassador and twitch streamer Georgina James, most know her as GJ (GJReggie is her stream name) has also booked her flight to Bratislava. GJ is most of all looking forward to meeting up with the community she knows and loves. “The best thing about poker events is always the people. I love getting the chance to catch up with friends, meet new people and hang out whilst playing a game we all know and love. Last year I had the chance to travel a lot with poker and managed to befriend a Norwegian or 2 along the way. They’re some of my favourite people that I’ve gotten to know; friendly, welcoming and always a lot of fun. I really feel like I’ve been adopted into their circle.”

With only weeks to go, what is GJ’s advice for anyone considering testing out their mixed skills? “I can’t wait for the festival! I know it’s going to be a great time. If you’re a fan of mixed games or just enjoy socialising with the community, you’ll be in great company!”

The series commences shortly before the Poker North Masters and the Norwegian Championship of Poker. The event boasts an extensive tournament schedule of over 50 tournaments, with some exclusively reserved for Norwegians, indicated by a red header.