The fifth and final stop of the 2025 PartyPoker Tour is just shy of a month away. The revival tour will conclude for this year at the very same place as it started, considering Genting Casino Stratford (formerly known as Aspers) will roll out the red carpet for the UK grassroots community between December 15-21.
It’s safe to say the tour has been a slam dunk so far, and there are no reasons to believe it won’t conclude with a bang in the English capital. Many key elements make the tour what it is. Those who’ve attended any of the events this year should be able to confirm that it’s much more than the standard live poker event; PartyPoker is all about giving back to the players. Online qualifiers starting from mere pennies, giveaways on-site courtesy of the PartyPoker spinning wheel of fortune, and exclusive players’ parties are just a few examples of PartyPoker going the extra mile to raise the bar for what a live poker event should be.
A diversified tournament schedule is, of course, also something essential, and the tour has improved on this with every stop. Not only has the integration with the PLO Masters been an appreciated move by all players, but we, poker.pro, have also been blessed with the opportunity to host some Mixed Games of our own during the various stops. About a month ago, we hosted three poker.pro-branded Mixed Games during the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Birmingham, and we have big plans for the upcoming London stop. Let’s look back at the events we held in Birmingham, but also take a glance into the future and see what shenanigans players can expect in London.
Georgiev, Owens, and Henderson Claim Birmingham Mixed Games Titles
While JJ Hazan’s PLO Masters satisfies all PLO needs for the PartyPoker Tour players, poker.pro is responsible for filling the Mixed Games gap, something that we’re more than happy to do. During the recent Birmingham stop, we offered three different Mixed Games, one of which was a first-ever, seeing as our beloved CEO Jason Glatzer founded the discipline himself.
- Read more: PartyPoker Reveals London as Final Stop of 2025 Tour
- Read more: JJ Hazan and the PLO Masters
First out of the whole trinity was the £60 PL Sviten Special. Being a Swede, this reporter was beyond excited to see this Scandinavian-originated game make its debut at Resorts World Birmingham. I wasn’t shocked to see that the event was appreciated by all players; no other poker discipline can offer the same action that the five-card draw/PLO hybrid game, Sviten Special, can.
The tournament attracted 24 entries, resulting in a £1,200 prize pool. Considering the Mixed Games scene in Birmingham is more or less non-existent, these numbers are indeed satisfying. As is always the case with Sviten Special, the tournament brought out the smiles, the laughs, and the friendly banter amongst all players. It was a thrilling conclusion to the tournament, as PartyPoker Tour Ambassador Alexander Georgiev emerged victorious, claiming the £510 first-place prize. He beat Rebecca Hardisty heads-up; “Ms. Staples” was disappointed missing out on the win by the finest of margins, but a few days later, she got her sweet revenge as she claimed her first-ever live poker trophy (by winning £85 PLO side event).
£60 poker.pro PL Sviten – Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Alexander Georgiev | Bulgaria | £510 |
| 2 |  Rebecca Hardisty | Great Britain | £340 |
| 3 | Ryan Johnstone | Great Britain | £220 |
| 4 | Grant Mason | Great Britain | £130 |
The next day, it was time for the £60 poker.pro PL H.O.R.S.E. While H.O.R.S.E. is one of the most popular Mixed Games formats worldwide, this was just the second-ever time it was played pot-limit (after debuting during the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Glasgow in August). Changing the betting format adds a unique twist to the game, and even the most experienced H.O.R.S.E. player must be able to adjust their betting strategy because of this edit.
Henry Owen navigated his way through a field of 22 entries. For his feat, he was awarded £550, the largest chunk of the £1,100 prize pool. Doing so, Owen joins Christopher Johnston (winner of the same event in Glasgow) in the H.O.R.S.E. pot-limit Hall of Fame. After the upcoming London event, they’ll both be accompanied by a third winner, but more on that later.
£60 poker.pro PL H.O.R.S.E. – Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Owen | Great Britain | £550 |
| 2 | Matthew Sheils | England | £330 |
| 3 | Thomas Baggaley | England | £220 |
Last but absolutely not least, there was “The Frankenstein of Glatzer,” the £100 poker.pro R.O.S.E.T. Never ever before has there been an official poker tournament where the five games consisted of Razz, Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better, Sviten, Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better, and Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw. It’s safe to say Glatzer came up with something brilliant here; the vibe around the tables was impeccable, and it appeared to be a perfect mix of five action-packed poker disciplines.
Thanks to the 22 entries, the prize pool reached an impressive £1,870. Up top, there was a £705 prize waiting for the winner, which eventually became Lewis Henderson. Henderson is a living proof that there is organic regrowth in the Mixed Games community; being just 22 years old, his understanding of the various games was nothing other than admirable. This live reporter was lucky enough to have a small chat with Henderson after his win, who told me about his tournament life:
“It was quite the smooth ride, to be fair. I built up a decent stack early on, much of which was because of a three-way scoop during an orbit of Sviten Special. The field appeared to be the most inexperienced in Sviten Special out of the five games, and I was really trying to use that edge. I used to play a lot of Sviten Special with my friends. I wish there were more Mixed Games running in the UK; there are some in London, but up North where I’m from, it’s mostly Texas.”
Henderson had tough competition at the later stages of the tournament. Except for him, the two other players who came in the money were WSOP Circuit Ring winner Blaise Bourgeois and Mixed Games specialist Georgina “GJ Reggie” James. Not only did he beat them both to claim the first-ever R.O.S.E.T. title, but his Birmingham visit became even better a few days later, when he also won the £150 PLO Masters Big O for an additional £1,980.
£100 poker.pro R.O.S.E.T. – Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Henderson | United Kingdom | £705 |
| 2 |  Blaise Bourgeois | United States of America | £630 |
| 3 |  Georgina James | Wales | £535 |
London Next Stop for the Mixed Games Train
PartyPoker and poker.pro will make sure Henderson’s wishes for more Mixed Games in the UK come true. At the upcoming 2025 PartyPoker Tour London Winter Edition, there will once again be three poker.pro-branded Mixed Games events. Both the £60 poker.pro PL H.O.R.S.E. and the £60 poker.pro Sviten Special will make its return, thanks to the roaring success the two tournaments proved to be in Birmingham. Even though the R.O.S.E.T. concept was also top-notch, the poker.pro team is never afraid to try new things. That’s why it’s replaced on the London schedule with the £60 poker.pro Sunday Party Madness Crazy Pineapple Bounty.
The Mixed Games community is a fantastic one; it’s often a more relaxed atmosphere than your average Texas NLH tournament, and for some, Mixed Games might be more enjoyable than the Cadillac of poker, thanks to the unavoidable table banter and the uncontrollable laughter. The whole team at poker.pro is very proud to be a part of the Mixed Games growth in the UK, and we’d like to once again extend our gratitude to PartyPoker for allowing us to host our self-branded tournaments during their tour events. While the end of 2025 will soon be here, this is only the start of the poker.pro Mixed Games saga.
