If anyone doubts the value of learning to play poker skillfully online before entering live play, all one has to do is examine the poker profile of "The Grinder", Michael Mizrachi. Graduating from $5-10 Limit Hold 'em on Paradise Poker to $100-200 Limit Hold 'em on Pokerstars, Michael developed the skills necessary for success in the world of live tournament play. Still a youngster, (born January 5, 1981 along with fraternal twin brother Eric), Michael, now graduated from online to face-to-face poker tourneys, made back-to-back final tables in World Poker Tour Events in 2005, and that same year was a winner in the LA Poker Classic.
But it was in 2004 that "the Grinder" (so-called because of his persistent playing style) scored his biggest win to date: winning first place in the Five Diamond World Poker Classic II at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. His take home prize money was $274,000 for the $2,000 buy-in No Limit Hold 'em Event.
Michael gives full credit to his online poker-playing experiences with helping to make the adjustments necessary to play live tournament poker with players of the highest skill levels. "The Grinder" knows that facing these toughest of opponents around the poker table has enabled him to formulate playing strategies against both passive and aggressive players.
Certainly, it was online poker that honed Michael's development as a player, but it was his older brother Robert who must be credited with peaking Michael's initial interest in the game. A successful player in his own right, Robert has finished in-the-money on several occasions in live tournament play.
Michael grew up in North Miami Beach with his three brothers, (he has a younger brother, Daniel), and the family later moved to Hollywood, Florida where Michael still resides with his wife Aidiliy, son Paul and daughter Julie. Twin brother Eric has followed in his brother's footsteps as a professional poker player, but brother Daniel broke the tradition when he became a professional magician.
Thus far, Michael - one of the youngest high-ranking players in professional poker ? has amassed the considerable sum of $5,247,299 in prize money which includes an impressive first place victory at the 2006 Borgata Winter Park Open No-Limit Hold 'em Event on February 1st, 2006, in which Mizrachi's prize money was $1,173,373.
In 2005, Michael showed such formidable players as Daniel Negreanu and Scotty Nguyen that he was a player to be reckoned with in that year's World Series of Poker Tournament, placing fifth and earning a reputation as one of the circuit's most outstanding poker professionals.
However, there is no denying his poker table skills. You don't win two World Series of Poker Bracelets through luck alone. In fact, he is considered by many to be the best Omaha player of all.
Mike started earning a living at poker as a Las Vegas casino dealer. After working hours he would go down to the poker room at Sam's Town and play all night. He soon realized that he had the ability to make a living at this game, and could do much better financially as a player than as a dealer.
Mike was born April 30, 1968, in Los Angeles, California, and currently resides in Henderson, Nevada. His interest in poker began in his early twenties when playing video poker at the Maxim Casino in Las Vegas. Shortly thereafter he met a veteran poker pro named Steve Samarath who taught Mike the game of Texas Hold 'em. Mike learned his lessons well, and after plunging into full-time play as a professional player began to win some fat prizes, revealing positive proof of his well-learned skill.
Strangely enough, it was as a sponsor and not as a player, that has earned Mike his second biggest payday. In 1998, Matusow was on of Scotty Nguyen's backers, contributing one third of the $10,000 buy-in required for a World Series of Poker Satellite Event. Nguyen won, and Mike's one-third share of Scotty's winnings was an impressive $333,333.
As a player, Mike won his first WSOP bracelet in 1999 in the $3500 No- Limit Texas Hold 'em Event, taking home $265,475 in prize money. Matusow's second WSOP bracelet was won in 2002, at the WSOP $5,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split Event, in which he won $148,520.
Playing in the World Poker Tour's UltimateBet Aruba Classic in October, 2004, Mike left the tourney richer by some $250,000, but finished second to Tony G in the World Poker Tour Bad Boys of Poker II.
All told, as of 2006, Matusow has earned well over four million dollars in live tournament poker competition. As mentioned, Mike is an emotional person who, to his credit, has overcome some serious personal problems in recent years. He takes medication to control what has been diagnosed as an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and takes medication to control it.
Mike has had to overcome some drug difficulties as well, which ran him afoul of the law, ending with a six month prison sentence which he served until April, 2005. Mike feels that his drug problems and his urge to "live the fast life" are lessons learned, and has profoundly changed his views on life. He now lives comfortably, and quietly, in a large home in Henderson, and drives a $90,000 BMW 645 CI which he purchased with the whopping $750,000 prize money won in an online poker tournament.
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