Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi has done a lot in poker, from amassing more than $17.6 million in lifetime earnings according to The Hendon Mob to winning six World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelets – the latest an online bracelet from last summer – but one thing he’d never done was win a Charity Series of Poker (CSOP) Event.
That all changed last weekend when he took down the CSOP $300 All In for St. Jude Charity Event that took place at the Seminole Hard Rock as a part of the Lucky Hearts Poker Open (LHPO). The tournament drew 103 entries and awarded a $15,000 prize pool while raising for St. Jude, which was represented by Lizzette Dorado, the Executive Director for St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital in Florida and Puerto Rico.
Among those to participate in the charity event was Ken “Teach” Aldridge, film producer Randall Emmett, Esther “Etay” Taylor, Matt Waldron, Gabe Ramos, and Dan Stavila. Emmett was extra generous as whenever a player busted from his table he paid for their reentry. In addition to the tournament, there was a Player’s Party, a raffle, and a silent auction to help raise money for the cause. It is estimated that the vent raised $80K for the kids.
Not only did Mizrachi claim a $5,000 top prize, he was also the chip leader at the first break, a feat that came with a trophy and a $1,000 bonus. He had 158,500 (159 bb) at the time while the next closest stack was just 91,000.
It was a small event for Mizrachi, but another accolade on his Poker Hall of Fame-worthy career, which includes winning the prestigious WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship three times (2010, 2012, and 2018).
CSOP All In for St. Jude Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Mizrachi | $5,000 |
| 2 | Jessica Caden | $2,700 |
| 3 | N/A | $1,500 |
| 4 | Matt Stout | $1,200 |
| 5 | Timothy Pai | $1,000 |
| 6 | Angela Guzman-Gatica | $800 |
| 7 | Brett Butz | $700 |
| 8 | Glen McCrory | $600 |
| 9 | Terrence Doyle | $500 |
Upcoming CSOP Events
Poker players won’t have to wait long for the next CSOP event. The CSOP Event #78: Betting on Bright Futures will occur this Friday, January 24 at Southern Glazer’s Win, Spirits & Beer in Las Vegas. That $300 buy-in event will feature $5,000 cash and over $9,000 in donated prizes.
The event will benefit the Hospitality Charitable Foundation (HCF), which is made up of over 20 top hospitality executives committed to enriching the lives of local students who are passionate about pursuing careers in hospitality or culinary arts. Through scholarships and mentorship programs, HCF empowers talented but financially underprivileged students to achieve their dreams and become future leaders in the Las Vegas hospitality industry.
On February 12, Event #79: CSOP Awards Dinner & Tournament will take place at Via Brasil Steakhouse in Las Vegas. The annual event gives out several awards including Volunteer of the Year, Photo of the Year, and Charity Event of the Year, among many others.
A week later on February 19, Event #80: All In Dark will be held at The Space in Las Vegas to benefit Mondays Dark! Twice a month at The Space, Mark Shunock gathers an eclectic cast of musical guests, variety acts, and special guests for 90 minutes of entertainment, conversation, and a lot of laughs. The mission of Mondays Dark is to raise $10K in 90 minutes for different nonprofits across Southern Nevada. To date, Mondays Dark has partnered with over 200 local nonprofits raising over $2 million for the Vegas Valley.
*Images courtesy of LHPO & CSOP.
PR & Media Manager