Tuesday, November 8, 2011

..."The" Grinder...


   Grinder is a term used to describe a tight, rock-like poker player that approaches the game with an attitude and mentality of one that is fearless to any and all given aspects of the game. In poker there are those who will consider themselves grinders because of the long and tenacious hours and sessions that they have put there body and mind through, but there is only one who is known as "TheGrinder"! If you know anything about poker and the poker community you know who I am referring to... Michael "TheGrinder" Mizrachi.
    Mizrachi is one of my favorite players because of his attitude and approach to the game, but also because of his ruthless disregard to what/how most traditional poker players are going to engage themselves within the game itself to establish a dominant presence at any table.  You don't become a champion just because you have a cool nickname, you have that name BECAUSE you have proven yourself as a champion!
    Mizrachi has been grinding it out for quite some time now and has the battle scars to prove that he has what it takes, not only to crush the opposition on the felt but also, to withstand the many obstacles that are going to come your way in life in general as well. Granted, I don't know "TheGrinder", never spent any time with him personally and couldn't tell you what the real Mizrachi, outside of the persona he has established within the poker community is like... but I do know that the man is a proven champion.
    Mizrachi took the poker world by storm back in 2005 when he finished fifth at the World Poker Open in Tunica, captured his first WPT title at the LA Poker Classic AND cashed in seven events during the WSOP. In 2006 he continued his WPT dominance... again at the World Poker Open with a second place finish and then by taking down the Borgata Winter Open. He was also named CardPlayer's Player of the Year for 2006.
    These accomplishments established Mizrachi as one of the best players on the felt. But it wasn't enough to keep Mizrachi satisfied. He wanted to conquer the game, the opponents and the titles within the WSOP as he had done in the WPT. Although it didn't come as quickly for him as it did in the WPT events he continued to battle with the tenacious never give up attitude that eventually paid off in 2010. At the start of the 2010 WSOP Mizrachi took down his first WSOP Title by crushing the field of the $50k Players Championship Event, and final tabled three more events... finishing fifth out of seven thousand three hundred nineteen players in The Main Event. Most recently, Mizrachi has captured another title... the first ever WSOP Europe 10k Holdem Split Format.
    I will be playing in a charity event this weekend and hope to have the opportunity to meet "The Grinder"! He is one of many pro's who have committed and are scheduled to participate in the events. The U.C.A.R.E. Charity Poker Tour will be in Richmond, Virginia this weekend at the Holiday Inn I-64  West End. There will be four tournaments scheduled and there will be a live deepstack poker training session sponsored and held at the event by... Michael "TheGrinder" Mizrachi.
    For more info you can follow the link www.ucarecharitypokertour.com or just scroll down and read some of my previous posts that provide all the links to introduce you to the event, the founder, the host location and the sponsors!