Michael Mizrachi is a champion once again. This time, he took first place in a $570 buy-in event at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida on April 13. The tournament was part of the current World Poker Tour (WPT) series which culminates with a $10,000 finale on Sunday, April 17. Mizrachi outlasted 311 other players, winning $32,899.
For The Grinder, that kind of money may not be a big deal, but a win is always nice to a poker player, no matter the amount. Mizrachi has nearly $15 million in lifetime live tournament earnings to his name.
Finishing in the top three were Steve Karp (2nd) and Jay Romano (3rd), both earning more than $14,000. This was a two-day event.
Mizrachi entered the final table of seven players with a commanding chip lead. His 1,744,000 chips were nearly three times his closest competitor. And he had no problem holding onto that chip lead on his way to another victory. The Grinder finished off Karp after flopping two-pair on an all-in bet.
Incredible Results
Michael Mizrachi has been one of the most consistent and successful poker players over the past dozen years. His tournament resume includes three World Series of Poker bracelets and a pair of World Poker Tour Main Event championships. He is eligible to compete in the WPT Tournament of Champions next week as a result of being a Champions Club member, although he will have to pay his way in with the hefty $15,000 entry fee.
The $14,651,243 The Grinder has won in lifetime live poker tournaments isn’t tops on Florida’s all-time money list, by the way. Jason Mercier, a current member of the New York Rounders of the Global Poker League, holds that title. He has surpassed $16 million for lifetime intake.
Mizrachi’s recent victory was his biggest win since taking home $45,000 in a WPT High Roller tournament in Nottingham in the UK five months ago. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment ever wasn’t even a first-place finish. At the 2010 WSOP Main Event, he finished 5th out of 7,319 entrants, earning $2,332,992. Jonathan Duhamel, another skilled pro, won the bracelet that year.
The Grinder has an incredible five seven-figure paydays since 2005. The most recent came in 2012 in the WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship. He took home $1,451,527 and a gold bracelet for that event.
Currently, Mizrachi is 15th in the world on the all-time live tournament earnings list. Daniel Negreanu tops the chart, of course, followed by prop bet aficionado Antonio Esfandiari and then Erik Seidel. Mizrachi is less than $400,000 short of Steve O’Dwyer for 14th place.
Big One Just Days Away
The WPT Tournament of Champions, a season-ending championship event, will take place April 22 at the same casino in Florida, the Seminole Hard Rock, where Mizrachi just won. He is eligible for this event due to being a former WPT champion.
Other participants include Season 14 winners (that’s the current season). There is one spot in the TOC still up for grabs. It will be settled next week in the final WPT Main Event of the year at Seminole Hard Rock.
