The first tournament to start today is the Sviten Special. If you’re not entirely sure how to play this modern poker variant, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Sviten Special is a mix between Omaha and Five-Card Draw. Players start with five cards and a round of betting takes place. Another round of betting takes place after a three-card flop is dealt. Those still in the hand have the option to draw as many cards as they desire or can opt to stand pat with what they have.
Those that draw cards in either Sviten Special or Drawmaha will receive them face down in most circumstances to add to their hand without the opponents knowing any of the cards. There is a small twist when playing Sviten Special as opposed to Drawmaha when drawing one card. In this case, the dealer exchanges the burnt card with one face up for the entire table to see. The player can choose whether to add it to their hand or to ask for a new card, which would be face down.
A third round of betting takes place after a turn is dealt and a final round of betting after the river is dealt. Half the pot goes to the best five-card draw hand and the other half goes to the best five-card Omaha hand.
Don’t worry if this sounds confusing as it is easier to visualize. Check out the video to learn more about Sviten Special by a close friend of The Festival Series and expert Sviten Special player Peter La Terra.
The Sviten Special here in Bratislava will start at 4 pm. Last year George Sandford won this event. This year you will find him when watching our stream. As in Tallinn, he will be sitting behind the microphone providing professional insights into the game.
Our live stream today starts at 8:30 pm. You can find the entire stream schedule on our general schedule.
