An Orbit With Michael Mizrachi

Two-time $50,000 Poker Players' Championship winner Michael Mizrachi is here in the Main Event with a giant stack. With his loose-aggressive style of play, Mizrachi is often playing in many hands and stirring up the action at his table. With Vivek Rajkumar and Kristy Gazes also at his table, we thought it would be very interesting to see what it's like for an entire orbit at Mizrachi's table.

Mizrachi's Starting Chip Stack: 490,000

Hand #1: Mizrachi started the hand from under the gun plus one. He was standing up from the table talking to former November Niner Kelly Kim when the cards were dealt. Another player at the table put Mizrachi's ante in. Mizrachi sat down, looked at his cards, then folded. A player opened on the button to 4,200. Rajkumar called from the big blind. The flop came down and both players checked. The turn was the . Rajkumar led for 7,000 and took down the pot when his opponent folded.

Hand #2: Mizrachi folded his hand under the gun. A player opened from middle position and everyone else folded.

Hand #3: Jacob Nielsen opened to 4,200 from the cutoff. Mizrachi called from the big blind. On the flop of , Mizrachi checked to Nielsen who put out a bet of 3,200. Mizrachi check-raised to 7,000 and Nielsen called.

The turn was the , and Mizrachi checked again. Nielsen bet out 7,700 and, for the second time in a row, Mizrachi check-raised, this time to 18,000. Once again, Nielsen called.

The river was the , and Mizrachi checked again. While Nielsen was thinking about his decision Mizrachi tapped the table once, then twice, then four times to let Nielsen know he checked. Nielsen decided to bet anyway. He put out 23,700. Mizrachi grabbed a stack of orange T5,000 chips and counted out 80,000, then 60,000, then he asked how much the bet was. And though it looked like he might pull off a triple check-raise, he ended up folding, allowing Nielsen to take down the pot.

"That would've been so sick," Rajkumar said. "So funny. The trifecta!"

"Did you have a full house?" Mizrachi asked Nielsen, but he received no response.

Hand #4: The player in the hijack seat opened to 4,200. Everyone folded.

Hand #5: A player under the gun raised to 4,500 and everyone folded.

Hand #6: Nielsen opened from middle position to 4,200. Mizrachi called from the cutoff while everyone else folded.

The flop came down , and Nielsen checked to Mizrachi. He bet out 6,000 which drew a raise of 15,500 from Nielsen. Mizrachi called.

The turn was the , and Nielsen bet 22,000. Mizrachi folded.

Hand #7: Mizrachi opened to 4,300 from the hijack seat. He was called by the player on the button, and both blinds folded.

The flop came down , and Mizrachi led for 6,500. The player on the button called. The turn was the , and both players checked.

On the river Mizrachi led for 14,000. After a while in the tank the button player called, but mucked when Mizrachi showed for two pair.

Hand #8: Rajkumar opened for 5,100. Mizrachi called. The player in the cutoff moved all in and in the next seat over the player on the button moved all in over the top. Both Mizrachi and Rajkumar folded.

Cutoff:
Button:

The board ran out and Mizrachi burst out laughing, pulling his hat down over his face as the cutoff doubled through the button.

"I would've made two pair," Mizrachi laughed. "I had the seven-four off."

"You folded the seven-four?" someone at the table asked.

Hand #9: Rajkumar opened to 5,100 from under the gun. Only Mizrachi called.

The flop came down and Rajkumar led with a bet of 8,000. Mizrachi called. The turn was the and Rajkumar opted to check. Mizrachi put out a bet of 15,000, which Rajkumar called. On the river Rajkumar checked again, only to face another bet of 25,500 from Mizrachi.

Rajkumar called quickly. Mizrachi showed his for a pair of queens, but it was no good as Rajkumar showed .

"Nice hand," Mizrachi said. "Did you think about raising?" Rajkumar just shook his head.

Hand #10: A player opened under the gun for 4,200. In the next seat Mizrachi reraised to 9,000. Everyone else folded but the under-the-gun player called. The flop came down and the under-the-gun player checked to Mizrachi who led for 6,000. The under-the-gun player quickly made it 17,000, and Mizrachi called.