Key Moments from the First Dealer’s Choice WSOP
When Robert Mizrachi captured the inaugural WSOP Dealer’s Choice bracelet in 2014, he launched what would become poker’s ultimate test of versatility – a format where mastery of 20 different poker variants meets the psychological warfare of strategic game selection. Over the past eleven years, this unique tournament has evolved from experimental curiosity to prestigious championship, producing legendary performances and fundamentally changing how the poker world values mixed-game expertise.
The Birth of Tournament Dealer’s Choice
The Dealer’s Choice format represents poker’s most demanding challenge. Unlike traditional tournaments where players master a single variant, this event requires proficiency across Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, and Draw games while adding the metagame element of choosing which variant to play. Players on the button select the game for an entire orbit, transforming game choice itself into a strategic weapon.
Tournament director Jack Effel had championed the format “for a long time,” recognizing that dealer’s choice games were fundamental to poker’s home game roots. The 2014 introduction brought games never before played at the WSOP, including Badeucy (combining 2-7 Triple Draw and Badugi) and the return of Five-Card Draw High for the first time since 1982.
The format has grown from 16 available games in 2014 to a standardized 20-game menu, including exotic variants like Badacey and Badeucey that debuted at the WSOP through this event. Players initially worried about dealer competency with unfamiliar games, but these concerns quickly dissipated as the format proved both viable and wildly popular.
Robert Mizrachi’s Historic First Victory
Robert Mizrachi’s victory in Event #41 of the 2014 WSOP established the template for Dealer’s Choice excellence. The Miami professional overcame a field of 419 players to win $147,092, defeating Aaron Schaff in a heads-up battle that showcased the format’s strategic depth.
The Final Hand Strategy
Game Selected: A-5 Triple Draw Lowball
Situation: Mizrachi down 2:1 in chips
Strategy: Repeatedly selected triple draw games (Schaff’s weakness)
Result: Schaff drawing dead before the third draw
The inaugural final table read like a mixed-game hall of fame. Bill Chen finished fourth, Frank Kassela sixth, and Jennifer Harman tenth, establishing immediately that this format would attract poker’s most versatile players. Mizrachi’s strategic approach – targeting Schaff’s weaknesses in draw games while Schaff kept choosing Pot-Limit Omaha – became the blueprint for future champions.
Format Evolution and Championship Status
The success of the inaugural $1,500 buy-in event prompted WSOP officials to add a $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship in 2015, creating a two-tier structure that continues today. Quinn Do captured that first championship for $319,792, establishing the high-roller event as a prestigious mixed-game test.
| Year | $1,500 Entries | $10,000 Entries | Combined Prize Pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 419 | — | $566,655 |
| 2015 | 357 | 128 | $1,714,450 |
| 2021 | 307 | 91 | $1,275,600 |
| 2023 | 421 | 109 | $1,605,075 |
| 2025 | 597 | 149 | $2,296,905 |
The standardization to 20 games by 2017 created consistency that allowed strategic development while maintaining variety. The current roster spans all major poker families: three Hold’em variants, five Omaha games including Big O, four Stud variants from Razz to Hi-Lo Regular, two single-draw games, and six triple-draw variants.
Adam Friedman’s Unprecedented Three-peat
Adam Friedman’s three consecutive championships from 2018 to 2021 represents one of the WSOP’s most remarkable achievements – no player had ever won the same event three years running. His strategic philosophy revolutionized Dealer’s Choice approach, focusing on identifying opponent weaknesses rather than selecting personal strengths.
Friedman’s 2021 victory came against Phil Hellmuth heads-up, denying the Poker Brat a 17th bracelet while cementing Friedman’s legacy as the format’s first true master. The three-time champion emphasizes that success requires not just knowing all 20 games, but understanding “how your stack and those of your opponents can play a crucial role in choosing the right poker games.”
His strategic approach – using early Stud Hi-Lo Regular to assess opponent skill levels before exploiting weaknesses – has become the template for serious competitors. Friedman insists players must know at least 15 of the 20 games competently before entering, though true success requires mastery across all variants.
The Art of Strategic Game Selection
The metagame of Dealer’s Choice centers on game selection strategy, with successful players developing sophisticated frameworks for maximizing edges. The most commonly selected games include Pot-Limit Omaha variants and Seven Card Stud, familiar territory for most players, while the highest edges come from complex split-pot games like Badeucy and Stud Hi-Lo Regular where recreational players make fundamental errors.
Game Selection Philosophy
Robert Mizrachi: “You can control the pot against a weaker player… you can really control things post-flop” (prefers pot-limit games)
Chad Eveslage: Became “the greatest Badeucey player in the world” by playing that variant almost exclusively
Adam Friedman: “Pick opponents’ weaknesses, not your strengths”
Professional players have developed distinct selection philosophies. Games like No-Limit Hold’em are rarely selected despite their popularity, as the field’s familiarity reduces edges for skilled players. Meanwhile, games like Five-Card Draw High, despite its nostalgic appeal, sees minimal action due to small pot sizes.
The psychological warfare element cannot be overstated. Players like Allen Kessler track opponents’ game selections on iPads, building profiles to exploit weaknesses. The act of choosing a game reveals information about a player’s confidence and knowledge, creating a metagame where game selection becomes a form of table image management.
Most Dramatic Moments in Dealer’s Choice History
Chad Eveslage’s 2023 straight flush in Big O to win the $10,000 championship stands as perhaps the format’s most spectacular finish. Facing Dutch Boyd heads-up, Eveslage flopped a flush draw and backdoored into a straight flush, ending the tournament in style while cementing his nickname as “The Dealer’s Chosen One.”
Matthew Schreiber’s epic survival against Benny Glaser in the 2025 $1,500 event showcased the format’s volatility. Down to just 45,000 chips when blinds were 120,000, Schreiber survived “ten or eleven” all-ins according to Glaser, mounting one of the most improbable comebacks in Dealer’s Choice history.
Carol Fuchs made history in 2015 as the first female winner, capturing the bracelet and becoming just the 21st woman in WSOP history to win an open event. The Hollywood screenwriter’s victory over a field including defending champion Mizrachi proved that deep game knowledge could overcome professional pedigree.
Champions and Specialists Who Define Excellence
Several players have established themselves as Dealer’s Choice specialists through consistent deep runs and multiple victories:
- Adam Friedman: Four championships (2018, 2019, 2021 $10K events), format’s winningest player by prize money
- Chad Eveslage: 2023 sweep of both events within four days, one of poker’s great individual performances
- Robert Mizrachi: Won both the inaugural 2014 event and 2024 $10K championship, exactly a decade apart
- Benny Glaser: Eight career bracelets including 2025 $1,500 Dealer’s Choice
Only Eveslage and Robert Mizrachi have won both the $1,500 and $10,000 events, though Mizrachi’s victories came a decade apart. These specialists share common traits: deep theoretical knowledge, excellent game selection instincts, and the ability to quickly identify and exploit opponent weaknesses across multiple variants.
Master Mixed Game Strategy
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The Future of Dealer’s Choice
The post-pandemic recovery has been remarkable. Field sizes grew from 307 entries in the 2021 $1,500 event to a record 597 in 2025, representing 94% growth in just four years. Prize pools have similarly exploded, with the 2025 $10,000 championship generating $1,415,760, the largest in the event’s history.
International participation has slowly increased, though Americans still dominate. Canada’s Jaswinder Lally’s 2021 victory and Benny Glaser’s 2025 win represent just two non-American victories across 24 events, but growing international fields suggest this will change.
The format’s influence extends beyond the WSOP, inspiring similar events at other major tours and in high-stakes cash games. Home games increasingly adopt Dealer’s Choice formats, while online poker sites struggle to implement the complexity algorithmically. The educational value cannot be overstated – players report that Dealer’s Choice tournaments accelerated their mixed-game learning more than years of specialized study.
Frequently Asked Questions
Looking Ahead: Poker’s Ultimate Test Continues
Dealer’s Choice events have fundamentally altered how the poker community values skill. Where once tournament success meant Hold’em mastery, elite status increasingly requires mixed-game proficiency. The atmosphere at Dealer’s Choice final tables – described as “much more laid back” than high-stakes Hold’em events – reflects a culture that values game knowledge over pure aggression.
Professional recognition of Dealer’s Choice achievements continues growing. Players like Glaser note that mixed-game bracelets “will be helpful” for Poker Hall of Fame consideration, while victories are viewed as career-defining achievements. The format has created a new category of poker celebrity – the mixed-game specialist – with players like Friedman and Eveslage achieving fame specifically through Dealer’s Choice dominance.
As the format enters its second decade, Dealer’s Choice remains poker’s most complete test of skill. From Robert Mizrachi’s inaugural victory to Chad Eveslage’s spectacular finishes, from Adam Friedman’s unprecedented dominance to the format’s continuous growth, Dealer’s Choice has proven that poker’s future lies not in specialization but in versatility. For those willing to master its complexities, from understanding A-5 Triple Draw to perfecting Badeucy strategy, the rewards include not just prize money but membership in poker’s most exclusive club – those who have conquered its ultimate challenge.
Key Takeaways: Dealer’s Choice WSOP Legacy
- 2014: Robert Mizrachi wins inaugural event, establishing strategic template
- 2015: Carol Fuchs becomes first female winner; $10K Championship debuts
- 2018-2021: Adam Friedman achieves unprecedented three consecutive championships
- 2023: Chad Eveslage sweeps both events in four days
- 2024: Robert Mizrachi completes decade-spanning double
- 2025: Record 597 entries in $1,500 event shows format’s growing popularity
About the Author
Mixed Game Masters Editorial
Published: July 4, 2026 | Categories: Tournaments & Events, Mixed Games
Mixed Game Masters is the premier resource for non-Hold’em poker strategy, tournament coverage, and mixed game education. Our editorial team consists of experienced players and poker historians dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of poker’s most challenging variants.
We provide comprehensive coverage of stud games, lowball variants, and mixed game formats, helping players of all levels improve their skills beyond traditional No-Limit Hold’em.
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