Before 2010, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi was known as one of the leading figures of the "best without a bracelet" club, having amassed over $7 million in tourney winnings since 2004.
Then came the $50,000 Players Championship Event, the 8-game mixed event that drew 116 of the world's toughest players. Mizrachi broke through there and won his first bracelet, earning a huge $1,559,046 payday.
Mizrachi followed that with three more cashes, including two final tables, both in $10,000 "Championship" events. He took sixth in the $10K Seven-Card Stud event, then finished eighth in the $10K Limit Hold'em event.
Today Mizrachi started in second place, and after a little over hour of play remains in second just behind Theo Jorgensen. In addition to the ongoing story of the Grinder's WSOP annus mirabilis, his deep run keeps alive a couple of other interesting side stories, too.
One is the remarkable performance of the four Mizrachi brothers in the Main Event, all of whom cashed -- Eric in 718th, Danny in 345th, and Robert in 116th.
The other is the WSOP Player of the Year race. By cashing in the Main Event, Frank Kassela locked up a share of the POY title, and only the Grinder has a shot at tying him -- but only by winning the Main Event. In fact, Mizrachi was at Kassela's table when he was eliminated on Day 4.
At the time of Kassela's elimination, Mizrachi was short-stacked himself and it didn't seem very likely that he'd have a real shot at possibly winning the ME. Much has changed in three days, however, and so the story of the WSOP POY remains alive.
The action folded round to Duy Le in the small blind and he made it 120,000 to go with Damien Luis defending his big blind.
The flop fell down and Le fired out 140,000 to prompt a fold from Luis as he collects the first pot that has reached a flop within the last two orbits.
Alexander Kostritsyn raised it up to 125,000 from under the gun and found himself three callers including John Armbrust, Gabe Costner and William Thorson.
They took a multi-way flop of and Thorson checked it to Kostritsyn who made a continuation bet of 250,000. It was enough to take it down as the three opponents all gave it up.
On the flop of , Michael Mizrachi fired 200,000. Michiel Sijpkens raised to 480,000 and Mizrachi called to see the fall on the turn.
Mizrachi checked and Sijpkens fired all in for 1.375 million. Mizrachi made the call with two pair and a straight draw holding the . He would need to hit that straight or a seven as Sijpkens held the .
The river completed the board with the and Mizrachi sent over the chips as Sijpkens doubled to 3.9 million. Mizrachi dropped to 6.3 million.
Rudy Miller opened the betting with a raise to 130,000 from early position with Alexander Kostritsyn making the call in the big blind.
They took a flop of and Kostritsyn led out for 175,000. Miller responded with a small raise to 375,000 but Kostritsyn came back over the top for 775,000 in total. The three-bet was enough to scare Miller away as Kostritsyn raked in another pot. He's now up to 4 million with Miller down to 1.79 million.
Richard Morgan raised under the gun, and Habib Khanis rereaised a few seats over. Khanis committed his last 650,000 to the pot, but it was going to get bigger still. In the cutoff seat, Eduardo Parras stuck in another raise, all in for 1.5 million total. Morgan came right along with the call, putting his own 1.3-million-chip stack on the line. Parras had both opponents covered as the hands were turned up:
Morgan:
Khanis:
Parras:
The flop was full of blanks, but the third-best hand picked up a bunch of outs with the turn. Khanis was drawing to hearts and tens for his survival, and he told the dealer that if he gave him the ten of diamonds he would win the Main Event.
Khanis will not be winning the Main Event. The river came the , and Parras' aces hold to notch the double elimination. Khanis will take the lower spot because of his shorter stack, but both he and Morgan have been eliminated with the same salary.
William Thorson raised it to 110,000 from the cutoff position with Rudy Miller making the call in the big blind to see a flop of .
Both players checked and the turn brought the . Miller led out for 150,000 and Thorson made the call as the fell on the river. Miller tossed out another 160,000 and Thorson looked him up.
Miller showed for two pair and Thorson's cards hit the muck. Miller is back to 2.3 million with Thorson taking a small hit to his empire. He's down to 6.4 million.
Jonathan Driscoll fired 600,000 into Johnny Lodden on the final board of . Lodden made the call with the to beat Driscoll's for a busted draw and moved up to 3.85 million. Driscoll dropped back to 5.6 million.
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and Le fired out 140,000 to prompt a fold from Luis as he collects the first pot that has reached a flop within the last two orbits.
and Thorson checked it to Kostritsyn who made a continuation bet of 250,000. It was enough to take it down as the three opponents all gave it up.
, Michael Mizrachi fired 200,000. Michiel Sijpkens raised to 480,000 and Mizrachi called to see the 
fall on the turn.
. He would need to hit that straight or a seven as Sijpkens held the 
.
and Mizrachi sent over the chips as Sijpkens doubled to 3.9 million. Mizrachi dropped to 6.3 million.
and Kostritsyn led out for 175,000. Miller responded with a small raise to 375,000 but Kostritsyn came back over the top for 775,000 in total. The three-bet was enough to scare Miller away as Kostritsyn raked in another pot. He's now up to 4 million with Miller down to 1.79 million.
flop was full of blanks, but the third-best hand picked up a bunch of outs with the 
fell on the river. Miller tossed out another 160,000 and Thorson looked him up.
for a busted draw and moved up to 3.85 million. Driscoll dropped back to 5.6 million.