Most players begin their poker journey in No-Limit Hold’em. It’s familiar, accessible, and the format you see in most tournaments around the world. But at some point, many women reach a place where they want more — more confidence, more clarity, and more strategic understanding without feeling overwhelmed.

One of the most effective ways to elevate your Hold’em game is by learning mixed games.

Mixed games aren’t just for specialists or high-stakes regulars. They’re a powerful training tool that strengthens decision-making, improves adaptability, and sharpens the mental muscles you rely on in Hold’em. As discussed on The Real Poker Girls of Las Vegas Podcast, women who step into Omaha, Triple Draw, and rotation formats often return to Hold’em feeling more in control.

Mixed Games Make Hold’em Feel Slower and Clearer

During the podcast, Rebbecca described how moving in and out of Omaha changed the pace of her Hold’em game entirely:

“When I go back to Hold’em after playing Omaha… it feels like it’s in slow motion.”

That’s one of the biggest advantages of learning mixed games: they speed up your poker brain.

Mixed games require you to:

  • Track evolving hand values

  • Navigate different betting structures

  • Process more information per decision

  • Think ahead across multiple draw streets or rotations

  • Adjust your strategy every time the game changes

If you play a rotation like H.O.R.S.E., you have to completely shift your thought process with every new game — one orbit you’re playing Limit Hold’em, the next you’re in Omaha Hi-Lo, then Razz, then Stud, then Stud Eight-or-Better. Each variant demands a different mindset, different math, and different strategic priorities.

After training your brain to handle that kind of constant adjustment, returning to Hold’em feels calmer, clearer, and far less stressful. The pace slows down. Your reads sharpen. Decision-making becomes more deliberate.

Mixed Games Build Confidence

Many women talk about wanting to feel more confident in bigger Hold’em tournaments. Mixed games help build that confidence by training adaptability. When you learn different formats, you become more comfortable handling unfamiliar situations and unusual decisions.

That’s why the Women’s Poker Association — led by Women Poker Hall Famers Lupe Soto, Linda Johnson, and Jan Fisher, all legends in the mixed-game community — is hosting Women’s Wednesday during the Mixed Game Festival XII at Resorts World Las Vegas. This special event takes place on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, where women will learn the mechanics of 2-7 Triple Draw and A-5 Triple Draw.

The Women’s Wednesday schedule:

  • 10:00 a.m. — Game Overview & Instruction

  • 11:00 a.m. — Breakout Tables

  • 12:00 p.m. — Micro Cash Game Practice

This is an ideal, low-pressure opportunity to understand how Triple Draw works and then use those new skills immediately during the festival itself.

Mixed-Game Opportunities Beyond Las Vegas

If you can’t make it to Las Vegas for the Mixed Games Festival, you won’t miss your chance to learn. Lupe Soto is developing her own mixed-game learning opportunities specifically for women, with an initial focus on teaching the mechanics of Omaha and Stud — two core formats that give players a strong foundation for expanding into mixed games.

Lupe is also looking for women who have knowledge of Omaha or Stud and are interested in teaching these games. You don’t need prior teaching experience — just a solid understanding of the formats and a willingness to help other women learn them with confidence.

Women interested in teaching Omaha or Stud can access the full job description and connect via the contact form on the Mixed Game Players Site.

In the Meantime: A Great Place to Start Learning

While Lupe continues building a team of mixed-game instructors, players who want to get a head start can **begin by getting a copy of Getting Started With H.O.R.S.E. ** The book was co-authored by Tatiana Fox, Chris Wallace, Rob Mizrachi, and Michael Mizrachi. Tatiana spent countless hours compiling strategic insights directly from the Mizrachi brothers, and Chris Wallace shaped that material into a clear, structured guide.

Together, the Mizrachi brothers have a combined thirteen WSOP bracelets, and with Michael winning the 2025 WSOP Main Event, the strategic foundation behind this book comes straight from one of the most accomplished families in poker.

The book is available on Amazon.