At the 2005 WSOP, he monied in seven events - one below the record.
Some poker players play the game because they love winning money. Then there are pros like Michael Mizrachi who win money so they can keep playing the game they love.
Mizrachi was born in North Miami Beach, Florida in 1981. He grew up in a close-knit family who saw no inconsistency between being devoutly religious and having fun. And as far as having fun goes, Mizrachi's mother was usually the chief instigator. She organized games for the whole family. If one of her kids was too young to play, she'd have them on her knee to watch. For her, it was important they did everything together. In her eyes, friends come and go, but family is forever.
When Michael's older brother started playing poker, it wasn't a big surprise that Michael followed in his footsteps. Michael played exclusively online. An action junkie, Michael played just about every hand he was dealt, and if he didn't win, he'd spend hours examining his mistakes. Gradually, the time he spent dissecting errors paid off and he amassed a hefty bankroll. He was making a reputation for himself online, and that's when he gave himself his nickname - the Grinder.
In poker, a "Grinder" is a pro who plays without taking big risks. He wins but only slightly more than he loses. Over the years, Mizrachi has redefined the word. In his eye, a grinder is like a pit bull, and Mizrachi relentlessly attacks his opponents, chewing up their confidence and mowing down their chip stacks. When Mizrachi took his bankroll into the real world, he found that he had to re-teach himself the game. Starting back at the lower limits, Mizrachi developed an uncanny ability to read players. He now felt he had the talent to compete at the highest level, and with the WPT rolling into Tunica, Mississippi, he figured it was time to put himself to the test.
At the 2005 World Poker Open Mizrachi finished fifth. Rather than be satisfied that he won $288K, Mizrachi was disappointed he didn't come in first. He methodically reassessed his play and forced himself to dig deeper the next time around. A few months later at the LA Poker Classic, Mizrachi beat out pros like Erick Lindgren and Ted Forest to take home the victory. Less than a year later, he won his second WPT title at the Borgata Winter Open and was awarded Card Player's Player of the Year.
Poker is still a family activity for the Mizrachis. His brothers Robert and Eric are both pros. They travel together, and bring the rest of the family for support whenever when they need that extra push to win a tournament. For Mizrachi, it was something he learned at an early age: victories are only sweet when shared.
