Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi has won the World Series of Poker $50K Poker Players Championship Event two times. The only other player to do so is Brian Rast. Yesterday, we caught up with Mizrachi to ask him how he was playing and how he plans on taking down this tournament for a THIRD time.
Stud Hi-Lo
Michael Mizrachi completed with the 
and called a raise from John Hennigan with the 
. Hennigan continued betting after catching the 
on fourth and then a 
on fifth but Mizrachi fired out on sixth after pairing aces.
Mizrachi: 
/
Hennigan: /
Hennigan had paired as well and called. Both players checked the river and Mizrachi opened 
for aces up, which was a winner.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
7,800,000
645,000
|
645,000 |
|
||
|
2,800,000
-660,000
|
-660,000 |
|
||
Brazilian poker professional Felipe Ramos chats with [Removed:139] about the World Series of Poker...and the World Cup.
Stud Hi-Lo
Mike Leah completed with his and John Hennigan called with the . Mizrachi made it two bets with the and Leah took his time before releasing his hand. Hennigan called and the two went heads-up.
Michael Mizrachi: /
John Hennigan: /
— Folded on fifth
Mizrachi bet on fourth street after Hennigan checked and Hennigan called. On fifth street, Hennigan folded quickly before Mizrachi even got his bet out.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,600,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,300,000
-500,000
|
-500,000 |
|
|
||
|
660,000
-110,000
|
-110,000 |
|
||
2-7 Triple Draw
Mike Leah raised and Michael Mizrachi reraised in the small blind. Leah called and turned out to be ahead in the draw taking one against two. Mizrachi bet anyway and Leah raised. Mizrachi called and drew one, while Leah was pat. Mizrachi check-called and draws repeated. Mizrachi checked and folded to an all-in bet of 80,000.
"Drawing dead," Leah declared.
"He definitely wasn't drawing dead, I saw his hand," Aaron Katz said.
"He could chop."
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,900,000
-700,000
|
-700,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,300,000
640,000
|
640,000 |
|
|
||
2-7 Triple Draw
Aaron Katz opened from the hijack seat and Mike Leah called from the big blind.
Both players took one on the first draw and Leah checked. Katz put out a bet and Leah check-raised, making it two bets. Katz called.
Leah stood pat for the second draw while Katz took one. Leah then bet and Katz called.
Leah stood pat again on the final draw and Katz took one more. Leah then bet and Katz quickly mucked his hand, making a comment about not hitting his draw.
"You were drawing dead," Leah said flashing a seven-low behind him.
"Yeah buddy," Katz responded. "Everyone is drawing dead against you, you just run too good."
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,700,000
-600,000
|
-600,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,800,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
||
2-7 Triple Draw
Benny Glaser raised on the button and Mike Leah called in the small blind. Both players drew two and Leah check-called. Both drew one and Leah check-called. Both players patted and Leah check-called with a shrug.
Glaser opened 
and Leah showed his 
for an inferior eight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,700,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,200,000
-600,000
|
-600,000 |
|
|
||
The Poker Players Championship is one of the most prestigious events around the world, and some of the best players have made their mark in this event.
Michael Mizrachi and Brian Rast are the only two players to have won this event twice, and consequently they sit first and second on the all time list for Poker Players Championship earnings. Freddy Deeb sits third on the back of winning the Poker Players Championship with the biggest first prize.
The only two players in the top ten that haven't won a Poker Players Championship is Andy Bloch and John Hanson. Bloch took second back in 2005 to David "Chip" Reese while also adding a further three cashes and one final table. Hanson sits ninth overall on the back of two final tables and two cashes.
WSOP All Time Poker Players Championship Results by Player
| Rank | Player | Country | Wins | Final Tables | Cashes | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Michael Mizrachi | United States | 2 | 3 | 3 | $3,391,515 |
| 2nd | Brian Rast | United States | 2 | 2 | 2 | $3,016,425 |
| 3rd | Freddy Deeb | Lebanon | 1 | 1 | 2 | $2,360,462 |
| 4th | John Hennigan | United States | 1 | 2 | 3 | $2,325,329 |
| 5th | Matthew Ashton | United Kingdom | 1 | 1 | 3 | $2,025,385 |
| 6th | Scotty Nguyen | United States | 1 | 1 | 1 | $1,989,120 |
| 7th | Andy Bloch | United States | -- | 2 | 4 | $1,813,988 |
| 8th | David "Chip" Reese | United States | 1 | 1 | 1 | $1,784,640 |
| 9th | John Hanson | United States | -- | 2 | 2 | $1,641,679 |
| 10th | Mike Gorodinsky | United States | 1 | 1 | 3 | $1,519,715 |
2-7 Triple Draw
Benny Glaser raised from the cutoff and was called by John Hennigan in the small blind. Dan Smith then made it three bets from the big blind. Glaser and Hennigan both called.
Hennigan took two cards while Smith stood pat. Glaser then took three. Action checked to Smith who bet and both opponents called.
On the second draw, Hennigan took two, Smith stood pat and Glaser took two. Action checked to Smith who bet again and this time only Glaser called.
Smith stood pat on the final draw while Glaser took one.
"Still pat?" Glaser asked with a smile. Smith confirmed.
Both players checked on the final draw and Smith showed his and it was good enough to earn him the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,700,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,200,000
-500,000
|
-500,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,000,000
-300,000
|
-300,000 |
|
|
||
No-Limit Hold'em
Greg Mueller opened for 125,000 under the gun and Michael Mizrachi defended big blind. They both checked the flop of 
. Mizrachi checked and called 155,000 on the 
turn. On the 
river, Mizrachi tossed in 600,000, enough to set Mueller in.
"Ah, my God," Mueller sighed, leaning back in his seat. "I guess I'm out of the tournament."
Mizrachi only raised an eyebrow in response.
Moments later, Mueller verbalized a call and Mizrachi showed 
for a backdoor straight. Mueller mucked his 
face up, having turned a set.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
||
