Mizrachi Grinds Out Third WSOP $50K PPC Title, Hennigan Moves into POY Lead

Michael Mizrachi became the first three-time champion in the $50,000 buy-in WSOP Poker Players Championship on Tuesday, an accomplishment three-time WPT winner Chino Rheem called “one of the most impressive things done in tournament poker history.”

“The Grinder” grinded his way through a final table that included the new WSOP Player of the Year leader, John Hennigan (runner-up) and Dan Smith (3^rd place) who will have to wait for another opportunity to finally win his first career bracelet.

Poker Players Championship Final Table Results

1 Michael Mizrachi (USA) $1,239,126
2 John Hennigan (USA) $765,837
3 Dan Smith (USA) $521,782
4 Mike Leah (Canada) $364,197
5 Benny Glaser (United Kingdom) $260,578
6 Aaron Katz (USA) $191,234

Triple Threat

For the third time since 2010, Mizrachi came out victorious in arguably the most difficult mixed-game tournament in the world. Rheem, who knows a thing or two about winning major poker tournaments, was quite impressed.

In my opinion it’s up there with one of the most impressive things done in tournament poker history especially in this day and age.. just strong. #yup

— David Rheem (@ChinoRheem) June 20, 2018

What might be even more impressive than scooping a difficult event for the third time in nine years is how the Grinder has racked up almost $17 million in lifetime tournament earnings without grinding the high roller circuit.

On Tuesday, he won $1.2 million, his sixth career seven-figure score, none of which were in six-figure buy-in events, making it all the more improbable he’s had so many massive paydays.

Compare that to Justin Bonomo, the hottest player in the game right now, who has five career seven-figure wins, but only one in a large-field tournament.

Millions vs. Millions

Comparing Seven-Figure Paydays

Michael Mizrachi

• 2005 WPT LA Poker Classic (538 entries) $1,859,909 (1^st place)
• 2006 WPT Borgata Winter Open (381 entries) $1,173,373 (1^st place)
• 2010 WSOP Poker Players Championship (116 entries) $1,559,046 (1^st place)
• 2010 WSOP Main Event (7,319 entries) $2,332,992 (5^th place)
• 2012 WSOP Poker Players Championship (108 entries) $1,451,527 (1^st place)
• 2018 WSOP Poker Players Championship (87 entries) $1,239,126 (1^st place)

Justin Bonomo

• 2012 EPT Super High Roller (37 entries) $2,165,217 (1^st place)
• 2013 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (2,384 entries) $1,163,500 (2^nd place)
• 2018 PokerStars PCA (48 entries) $1,077,800 (2^nd place)
• 2018 Super High Roller Bowl China (75 entries) $4,823,077 (1^st place)
• 2018 Super High Roller Bowl Las Vegas (48 entries) $5,000,000 (1^st place)

This isn’t a knock on Bonomo, who might be the best no-limit hold’em player in the world and competes against top competition daily. But it just goes to show that you don’t have to play super high roller tournaments to rack up $17 million in lifetime winnings. You just have to be as good as Michael Mizrachi. Good luck with that.

Johnny World Overtakes POY Race

With 657 points earned for his 2nd place finish in the PPC, John Hennigan becomes the new leader in the 2018 WSOP Player of the Year race, surpassing Elio Fox.

Hennigan, who won his fifth career bracelet last week in $10,000 HORSE, wasn’t among the pre-series favorites to win POY. Names such as Daniel Negreanu, Chris Ferguson, John Racener, Joe McKeehen, and Paul Volpe floated around as those most likely to win the prestigious award.

But, at the midway point in the series, 48-year-old Hennigan leads the way, proving yet again that some of the old-school pros still have game.

The young Germans haven’t overtaken poker completely … yet.