European Mixed Poker Championship 2026: Full Schedule, Buy-Ins & Why Mixed Games Are Booming

Last Updated on October 13, 2026 by Bala Kumar

Hold’em still fills most tournament schedules, but a growing number of players want something different. Stud, Razz, Badugi and Triple Draw are back in fashion, and in Estonia, OlyBet is building an entire festival around them.

The 2026 European Mixed Poker Championship (EMPC) takes over the Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn from October 26 to 31. Across six days, players can choose from 12 mixed-game tournaments with buy-ins from €200 up to €1,500, plus mixed cash games running around the clock.

For players who have spent years grinding only No-Limit Hold’em, it’s a chance to test themselves in new formats at a price that won’t break the bank. For mixed-game regulars, it’s a full week of their favourite games in one place. You can find the official schedule and updates on the EMPC 2026 festival page.

The Numbers Behind the Mixed-Game Revival

OlyBet’s timing reflects a wider trend. At the 2026 World Series of Poker this summer, the $10,000 mixed-game championships drew some of their strongest turnouts:

That’s more than 550 entries at $10,000 each across just three events. The 8-Game Championship beat its previous record of 195 entries from 2025. The demand is clearly there, and festivals like the EMPC let players join in for a fraction of the cost.

€800 8-Game Main Event Is the Headline Attraction

The festival builds to the €800 8-Game Main Event on Friday, October 30.

There are two starting flights: Day 1A at 11:30 a.m. and Day 1B at 6:30 p.m. These are two entry points into the same tournament, not two separate events. Each flight allows one re-entry, and survivors return on Saturday, October 31 to play down to a champion.

The Main Event rotates through eight games:

• No-Limit Hold’em
• Limit Hold’em
• Pot-Limit Omaha
• Omaha Hi-Lo
• Seven Card Stud
• Stud Hi-Lo
• Razz
• 2-7 Triple Draw

Practical insight: Players who are only comfortable in Hold’em and Omaha will struggle here. Every game comes around just as often, so a weak spot in Razz or Triple Draw can cost a lot of chips. A little study before the event goes a long way.

Want in for less? Two €185 H.E.T.R.O.S. satellites run on October 29 and 30, each awarding Main Event seats.

Low Buy-Ins for Beginners, High Rollers for the Specialists

The EMPC schedule is built to suit everyone, from curious newcomers to seasoned specialists.

For players new to mixed games, there are three €200 events:

• Big Bet Mix (October 26), which opens the festival with no-limit and pot-limit games
• S.O.R.B.E.T. (October 28)
• Omaha Dealer’s Choice (October 31), which closes the festival

The €300 6-Game Mystery Bounty on October 31 adds bounty prizes to the mix, and the €300 Senkel’s Paradise Pick’em lets the player on the button choose the game each hand.

For experienced players, there are two €1,500 High Rollers:

• S.O.R.B.E.T. High Roller (from October 29): Seven Card Stud, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Badugi, Stud Hi-Lo and 2-7 Triple Draw
• 6-Game High Roller (October 31)

In between are the €555 Lowball Draw Mix, the €700 20-Game Dealer’s Choice, the €800 T.O.E. Turbo and the unusual €300 Nordic Special Mix, which features rare Scandinavian variants like Østfold Razz and Sviten Special.

2026 EMPC Full Schedule

Buy-ins include a tournament fee. Full splits and structures are on the official EMPC 2026 page.

Cash Games and Community Events

The tournaments are only part of the week. Mixed cash games will run 24/7 at Olympic Park Casino, giving players a chance to keep playing between events or practise an unfamiliar game before trying it in a tournament.

The EMPC also has a social side. A free Welcome Dinner opens the festival on October 26, and a free Community Lunch follows on October 29. Mixed-game players are known as one of poker’s friendliest communities, and both events are a good chance to meet them.

A Busy Autumn for Mixed-Game Fans

The EMPC kicks off a strong run of mixed-game action. Days after it ends, the Borgata Fall Poker Open 2026 begins in Atlantic City with 11 mixed-game events. In December, WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas offers a $25,000 9-Game Mixed Championship. Full dates are in our upcoming WSOP schedule.

For more festival previews and results, visit our poker tournaments section.

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