The action started with Qushqar Morad, who limped from the cutoff, and Andrew Brown opted to make it 2,700 from the button. Ali Eslami called from the big blind, and Morad called as well.
The flop came down and both Eslami and Morad checked. Brown fired out 4,300 and only Morad made the call.
The turn was the and both players checked. The river was the and Morad fired out 9,000. Brown raised it up for 32,700 and his opponent called. Brown showed , and mucked the rest of his hand when Morad showed for a flopped full house.
Morad is sitting with a big stack, and is probably one of the lesser known players in today's field. His name might not be very well known, but he does have a bracelet in the 2002 $5,000 Seven Card Stud event. Morad has two cashes at the WSOP, his second being a runner-up finish in the 2007 $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event behind Alan Smurfit. Brown also has a WSOP bracelet, he won the $2,000 Omaha hi/lo event for $226,483.
Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi after winning the Poker Player's Championship in 2010.
The 2010 World Series of Poker was the first year the Poker Player's Championship was changed to an 8-game mix, which added No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha and 2-7 Triple Draw to the rotation. In addition, ESPN was back filming the tournament, which no doubt contributed to an increase in attendance from 95 players in 2009 to 116.
One of the big stories to come from that tournament was that of the Mizrachi Brothers, Michael and Robert, who both made the final table. Not only did Michael outlast his brother, he conquered the entire field and walked away with the $1,559,046 first-place prize.
Up until this tournament is over, and he doesn't defend his title, we can call Brian Rast the Poker Players Champion. He just lost a pot to Charles Pacheco in Razz but is still in good shape.
Brian Rast
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Charles Pacheco
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Rast raised it up to 1,200 on third street and Pacheco was his only caller. On fourth street the betting lead changed and Pacheco bet 1,200, Rast called. Fifth street gave Rast the best hand again, and he bet 2,400, Pacheco called. On sixth it was on Pacheco again who check-called 2,400.
Seventh street was dealt down and both players checked. Pacheco showed and took down the pot.
Joe Cassidy was under the gun and opened with a raise, which cleared the field all the way around to Viktor "Isildur1" Blom on the button. Ever the aggressor, he put in a three-bet, Jon Turner called from the big blind, and Cassidy called the additional bet.
Each player proceeded to draw two, and Cassidy put out a bet after Turner had checked. Two calls were made and Cassidy stood pat while Blom and Turner drew one and two respectively. Cassidy bet for a second time after Turner checked, inspiring Blom to get out of the hand. Turner made the call, drew one after Cassidy stood pat, and then folded to a bet.
No-Limit Hold'em
Not long after in a hand of no-limit hold'em, Blom raised from early position and were called by Cassidy and Allen Bari in the blinds. The flop saw it go check-check to Blom, and he bet 4,200. After Cassidy called and Bari folded, both players checked down the turn and river.
Cassidy flipped over for nines and five, which was good enough to win the pot.
With 6,600 in the pot on a flop of , Jared Bleznick bet 4,000 and received a call from Lee Goldman. Bleznick proceeded to check-call bets of 9,000 and 16,000 on the turn and river, tabling for trip aces. Unfortunately for Goldman, his was no good as his opponent hit a bigger set on the river.
On a flop of , Bryn Kenney checked and Phil Ivey put out a bet. The former then woke up with a check-raise, the latter called, and the appeared on the turn. Kenney took the initiative and bet, Ivey called, and the action was repeated on the river.
Kenney rolled over at the showdown for top pair, which proved enough to win as Ivey mucked his hand.
Phil Hellmuth, who entered this event late and is wearing his 1989 World Series of Poker Main Event bracelet, just took down a nice pot. And he only had aces full on sixth street.
Michael Mizrachi
/ - Fold
Barry Greenstein
/ - Fold
Phil Hellmuth
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On fourth street Hellmuth bet, Michael Mizrachi folded and Barry Greenstein called. On fifth street Hellmuth bet again, and Greenstein called. Sixth street paired Hellmuth's ace and he bet once more. Greenstein folded and the 12-time bracelet winner showed his hole cards, , for a full house.
BrettRichey Brett RicheyDown to 90k. Plo I call DNs mid pos raise from sb w qq44ds flop kk4ssc I c/r his 1600 to 5000 turn 6d I bet 10k riv ad I c/f to 25k #howdidoJune 24 2012
David Grey completed with the and then called a raise from Patrik Antonius, who was showing the . The latter proceeded to bet the turn, Grey called, and then both players checked fifth.
The Fin then check-called a bet on sixth before both players returned to checking on the river.
Grey: /
Antonius: / /
Antonius wasn't in a hurry to show his cards, essentially saying he didn't have a hand, so Grey showed his pair of kings. It was good as Antonius scooped up his cards and gently tossed them to the dealer.
and both Eslami and Morad checked. Brown fired out 4,300 and only Morad made the call.
and both players checked. The river was the 
and Morad fired out 9,000. Brown raised it up for 32,700 and his opponent called. Brown showed 
, and mucked the rest of his hand when Morad showed 
for a flopped full house.
/ 
/ 
and took down the pot.
river.
turn and 
for trip aces. Unfortunately for Goldman, his 
at the showdown for top pair, which proved enough to win as Ivey mucked his hand.
- Fold
, for a full house.
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