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Welcome back to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and the 2017 World Series of Poker (WSOP) for Day 1 of Event #11: $1,500 Dealers Choice 6-Handed!
The popularity of mixed games have been on the rise over the past few years all across Las Vegas and around the world in both cash games and tournament formats. From low buy-ins to high buy-ins, mixed games are definitely one of poker's growth areas, and here at the WSOP it is no exception!
The WSOP has always featured tournaments with multiple games such as H.O.R.S.E. and 8-Game, but three years ago saw the inaugural Dealers Choice tournament take place, and with it saw Robert Mizrachi earning his second of four career WSOP bracelets when he defeated a 419-player field to capture the $147,092 first prize after overcoming a final table table featuring Bill Chen (fourth), Daniel Idema (fifth) and Frank Kassela (sixth).
In 2015, 357 players would take to the felt and it would be Carol Fuchs emerging victorious for the $127,735 first prize after defeating a final table that included defending champion Mizrachi (third), Chris Klodnicki (fourth) and Yuval Bronshtein (fifth). Last year another strong turnout of 389 players would see Lawrence Berg earn his first WSOP bracelet and $125,466 first prize after overcoming a final table that included Yueqi Zhu (second), Andrew Brown (third) and Paul Volpe (fourth).
$1,500 Dealers Choice 6-Handed Past Results
Year
Winner
Country
Players
Prize Pool
First Prize
2014
Robert Mizrachi
USA
419
$565,650
$147,092
2015
Carol Fuchs
USA
357
$481,950
$127,735
2016
Lawrence Berg
USA
389
$525,150
$125,466
Although this tournament only carries with it a $1,500 buy-in and isn't viewed to be as prestigious as it's $10,000 buy-in counterpart (running June 8-10), just a look at some of the names who have been able to navigate their way into the money and then to the final table proves that this game format really sets apart some of the world's best.
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand to provide continuous live updates of every wheel, scoop and outdraw live from Event #11: $1,500 Dealers Choice 6-Handed. Action is underway from 3:00 pm (PDT), so stay tuned right here to PokerNews.com for all your live reporting needs.
One of the most dangerous all-around poker players in the world and 2014 $1,500 Dealer's Choice Champion — the first-ever Dealer's Choice event — has taken a seat.
Robert Mizrachi holds four WSOP gold bracelets, three of which have come in each of the last three years. Last year, Mizrachi captured the $10K 7-card Stud Championship for $246,662, in 2015 he won the $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo for $251,022 and the aforementioned 2014 Dealer's Choice for $147,092.
Maybe even more impressive, Mizrachi almost went back-to-back in this event in 2015, falling in third place.
In total, Mizrachi has racked up 48 World Series cashes, earning $2,867,073 in the process. The former South Miami casino dealer is coming off his best year yet with nine cashes in 2016. Mizrachi was a hot commodity in WSOP drafts across the community before the series got underway.
Lawrence Berg, who captured the gold bracelet in this event last year, has just sat down to defend his title. Berg was awarded $125,466 for topping the 389 player field in 2016.
The win was just Berg's fourth-ever WSOP cash, but the local player did pick up a fifth prize two weeks after his win, finishing 28th in the $1,500 2-7 Triple Draw event for $3,204.
From middle position, Faith Klimczak raised to 400 and only the small blind came along.
Both players drew two and then checked. The small blind drew two again while Klimczak drew one and bet all in for her last 350 following a big blind check.
The big blind called and both players drew one.
Klimczak peeled a and announced a king-low while her opponent revealed a four to go along with his to put Klimczak on the rail as the first elimination of the tournament.
Bruno Fitoussi opened to 300 in the cutoff and Ben Ludlow called in the big blind as the big blind called also. Each player drew one and Fitoussi bet out 950 as both players called.
The big blind drew one as Fitoussi and Ludlow both stood pat. The big blind checked, as did Fitoussi, and Ludlow announced a pot bet of 3,800.
The big blind folded and Fitoussi called all in for roughly 2,675 and both players stood pat.
Ludlow revealed a wheel with and Fitoussi mucked and exited the tournament.
Marco Johnson opened to 400 and was met with callers on the button and in the big blind.
The flop fell , and the action checked to the button, who bet 1,100. Both the big blind and Johnson called as the turn landed the , and the button bet 4,000. The big blind folded, but after roughly two minutes deliberating, Johnson called, and the river landed the . Johnson bet out 8,000 to effectively put his opponent all in, and after about a minute, the button called all in for his last 5,900.
Johnson tabled his for the nut low and a straight as the button tabled his inferior before exiting the tournament area.
Catching the action on fourth street, Ron Ware bet out 300, and Shaun Deeb called as two players folded. On fifth, Deeb bet, and Ware called all-in for his last 550. Each player's boards ran out as follows:
Ware: / /
Deeb: / /
With Deeb making both a straight to the eight, and an eight low, he eliminated Ware and his queen low and aces up.
Four players committed 600 preflop, and the flop landed .
Reigning champion Lawrence Berg bet out 300 and was raised to 600 before Roland Israelashvili check-raised from the small blind to 900 and the big blind folded.
Berg called, and the player in the middle made it 1,200. Israelashvili capped it at 1,500, and both players came along as the turn landed the .
Israelashvili checked, Berg bet 600 and the next player called all in for 75. Israelashvili moved all in for his last 650, and Berg called.
Berg:
Israelashvili:
Opponent:
The river landed the , and the side pot was scooped by Israelashvili, while he and the other player chopped the main pot. Berg was scooped and dropped down to 13,500 in chips.
Sorel Mizzi open-jammed his last 2,750 in from middle position before Konstantin Bucherl pushed forward a stack of big-denomination chips to signify a three-bet. With the action on Dylan Linde in the big blind, he moved all in, and Bucherl called all in for roughly 7,750 total.
Mizzi:
Bucherl:
Linde:
The board ran out , and Linde eliminated both Bucherl and Mizzi to rocket up to roughly 25,000 in chips.
and announced a king-low while her opponent revealed a four to go along with his 
to put Klimczak on the rail as the first elimination of the tournament.
, and the action checked to the button, who bet 1,100. Both the big blind and Johnson called as the turn landed the 
, and the button bet 4,000. The big blind folded, but after roughly two minutes deliberating, Johnson called, and the river landed the 
. Johnson bet out 8,000 to effectively put his opponent all in, and after about a minute, the button called all in for his last 5,900.
for the nut low and a straight as the button tabled his inferior 
before exiting the tournament area.
/ 
/ 
.
, and the side pot was scooped by Israelashvili, while he and the other player chopped the main pot. Berg was scooped and dropped down to 13,500 in chips.
, and Linde eliminated both Bucherl and Mizzi to rocket up to roughly 25,000 in chips.
