The 2010 World Series of Poker $50,000 Players Championship had a good turnout of 116 players competing. The tournament was exciting and surprisingly it lasted just 235 hands. In the end it was Michael Mizrachi who would outlast the field to take the first place win.
Final table play began with eight players and the first to be eliminated was Mikael Thuritz. Mizrachi and Thuritz would go head to head and Mizrachi would have the cards to eliminate Thuritz in eighth place. Next to go would be Daniel Alaei who went all in and was called by Vladimir Schmelev. Alaei held A-6 suited while Schmelev held A-K. The board fell A-8-3-Q-4 and Alaei was out in seventh place.
Next to go would be David Baker who would go all in against Mizrachi. Mizrachi held A-K while Baker held A-J. The board fell K-10-8-6-4 and Baker would be out in sixth place. Mizrachi would be on a roll and it would definitely continue.
Next Mizrachi would find himself all in against his brother Robert. Michael would raise 200,000 and Robert would go all in for 465,000. Michael would call and the cards would be shown. Robert held A-10 while Michael held Q-J. The board came 8-3-2-J-2 and Michael would take the hand leaving Robert in fifth place.
Schmelev would eliminate John Juanda in fourth place and then Mizrachi would be back on the prowl as he eliminated David Oppenheim in third place. This would leave Mizrachi to face Schmelev in heads up play.
Mizrachi would have a huge lead when heads up play began, 14 million to 3.4 million. Mizrachi would put the pressure on and eventually Schmelev would get down to just over 500,000 in chips before the final hand would take place.
Schmelev would go all in with Q-8 and Mizrachi would call with Q-5. The flop was no help to either player but a five on the turn was just enough for Mizrachi to win the hand and the championship title. For the win Mizrachi would take home a first place prize of $1,559,046 as well as his first gold bracelet. But that was not all; the poker pro would also earn the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy. After the win Mizrachi was congratulated by his family who rushed the poker pro in celebration.
Final results:
1: Michael Mizrachi — $1,559,043
2. Vladimir Schmelev — $963,375
3. David Oppenheim — $603,348
4. John Juanda — $436,865
5. Robert Mizrachi — $341,430
6. David Baker — $272,275
7. Daniel Alaei — $221,105
8. Mikael Thuritz — $182,463