Michael MizrachiWhen it comes to poker, like many games, some people will be quick to say that it is the taking part that counts. There is an element of the truth in this as many people enjoy the camaraderie and competition that goes along with poker events and tournaments.

For many players though, poker is a game that has to be won and when it comes to professional players there is a big desire to finish in the money spots. Winning the tournament or event outright is a big factor in why people play poker but only one person can be a winner so grabbing a place in the money finishes is quite often a cause for celebration. There are some players who have developed a reputation for finishing in these positions but perhaps none as much as Michael Mizrachi.

Michael Mizrachi was born in the United States on the 5th of January 1981 and has a number of major poker triumphs to his name.

The Mizrachi fingers can work magic

Mizrachi hails from a poker playing family as he is the younger brother of Robert Mizrachi, with Robert having a number of WPT and WSOP finishes under his belt as well. In addition to this, Michael has a twin brother Eric, who is also a poker player. Aside from this, the younger sibling in the Mizrachi family, Donnie Mizrachi is a professional magician. There is clearly magic in the fingertips of the Mizrachi family and all four of the boys have made their mark in their own profession.

Mizrachi has been nicknamed ‘The Grinder’, which is said to symbolise the way he plays in that he grinds down opponents with a consistent style of play. Observers may prefer to see poker players taking risks but that is not always the key to long-term or prolonged success and the consistency shown by Mizrachi indicates he is doing something right. It is important for each poker player to find a style that suits them and in playing out to grind victories. Mizrachi has performed admirably over the years.

Season 3 saw Mizrachi make his mark

Mizrachi made a big splash in season 3 of the WPT with three money finishes. The first came at the World Poker Open where a fifth-placed finish saw him walk away with $288,241. This was promptly followed by winning the L.A. Poker Classic which allowed Mizrachi to bank $1,859,909 at the end of the event and an 11th placed finish at the WPT World Championship boosted his bank account by $94,355. Finishing the season with over $2.2m indicated the consistency of Mizrachi but also showed that a good level of winnings can be picked up by finishing in the money spots.

Mizrachi managed another big win in season 4 of the WPT with a triumph in the Borgata Poker Classic, which saw him earn $1,173,373. This came after a second-placed finish in the World Poker Open which was worth over half a million dollars. This was the last (as of March 2011) tournament that Mizrachi managed to win but a number of money finishes has seen his career takings from the WPT rise to over $4.2m.

35 money finishes in big events says it all

In major poker events, Mizrachi has managed to clock up 35 money finishes and this is why he managed to win over $11m in total throughout his career. Mizrachi may not be feted in the same way as some of the major tournament winners in poker history but with WPT titles and a whole host of successful tournaments, it would be fair to say that Mizrachi deserves to be acknowledged amongst the best in the business.

One of the nice things about Mizrachi was that after his first flush of success, he splashed out on a motor home to ensure that his family could be close to him when he was on the road. Many poker players are drawn by the glitz and the glamour that their skills can afford them so it is always good to see players with their feet on the ground.

When it comes to winning poker games, it is hard to argue against the fact that Michael Mizrachi is one of the best in the business.