Mizrachi Making His Case For Immediate Induction Into Poker Hall of Fame When He Is Eligible
Published on June 20th, 2018 10:46 pm EST
At the 2021 World Series of Poker, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi could find himself entering the Poker Hall of Fame. With Mizrachi's most recent bracelet victory, the debate has turned to whether or not Mizrachi has done enough to earn himself a spot in the Poker Hall of Fame once he becomes eligible (he is currently 37 years of age - there is a minimum age of 40 in order to be eligible for induction into the Poker Hall of Fame).
Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi accomplished the improbable earlier this week when he won the $50,000 Poker Player's Championship for the third time. Mizrachi won the event in 2018 for $1,239,126, in 2012 for $1,451,527 and in 2010 for $1,559,046.
This is a stunning accomplishment given the depth of talent in this event. Sure, the field sizes aren't massive in the $50k PPC, though every player is great, ranging from the likes of Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey to Brian Rast and John Hennigan. There are no weak players in this tournament, as people need to have a mastery of a number of different poker variants in order to compete.
This makes Mizrachi's domination in this tournament even more unbelievable - to win the tournament three times in eight years is an astonishing accomplishment.
In total, Mizrachi has four World Series of Poker bracelets and nearly $17 million in total lifetime tournament cashes. Mizrachi has won a number of big tournaments and has made the final table of the World Series of Poker main event.
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There is no doubt that Mizrachi is one of the top players in the game, and he has shown that he can adapt to a changing poker landscape.
The question becomes: is Mizrachi a first ballot Poker Hall of Famer in 2021? Should he join the likes of Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth and Phil Ivey in the Poker Hall of Fame?
In my opinion, Mizrachi's three wins in the $50,000 Poker Player's Championship would be enough to secure him entry into the Poker Hall of Fame, regardless of everything else that he has accomplished in the game. There is no downplaying this feat - it clearly shows that Mizrachi is a very well-rounded poker player who has a mastery of a number of different poker variants.
It will be interesting to see if the living members of the Poker Hall of Fame, as well as the "blue ribbon" media panel, agree with me in 2021.
