WSOP Event #50

The winner of Event #50, the $10,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha World Championship was 28-year-old professional player Robert Mizrachi, from Las Vegas, NV. Mizrachi is originally from Miami and this is his first victory at the World Series of Poker.

The Mizrachi name is well-known in tournament poker circles. Robert’s younger brother Michael "the Grinder" Mizrachi has been one poker’s most successful players over the past five years.

Mizrachi learned to play poker from his mother. He then taught his brothers how to play the game. Mizrachi credits much of his success to diversifying as a poker player. "There are so many great No-Limit Hold’em players," Mizrachi said. "But if you want to be rally considered a great (player) you have to master all forms of poker."

Diversification has certainly worked for Mizrachi. He already has five cashes at this year’s WSOP, including three final table appearances. A testament to his all-around talent as a player, Mizrachi made the two previous final tables in H.O.R.S.E. – finishing 5th and 6th respectively. With a 1st, 5th, 6th, 26th, and 40th place finishes, Mizrachi is now in the running for 2007 WSOP "Player of the Year," currently led by two-time winner Tom Schneider.

When play was three-handed, a rare thing happened. Patrik Antonius flopped a royal flush. He did not win many chips on the big hand, but the rarity of the spectacle brought the crowd to its feet.

Marco Traniello busted out in fifth place. Despite stellar results in the last few years, Traniello remains winless at the WSOP. This was Traniello’s third final table at this year’s World Series, which ties him with four other active players – Phil Hellmuth, Jr., Humberto Brenes, Tom Schneider – and winner . With 14 cashes since the start of the 2005 WSOP, Traniello now holds the distinction as the poker player with the most in-the-money finishes over the last three years.

On this day, all eyes were focused on Doyle Brunson who was making his first WSOP final table appearance in over two years. Brunson was aiming for his record-tying 11th WSOP championship gold bracelet in this event (to match Phil Hellmuth, Jr. as the all-time leader). Brunson lasted a few hours on the final day but was unable to generate the momentum necessary to carry him on to victory. Brunson, age 73, ended up going out in sixth place. Players, staff, and poker fans showed their reverence for the man and the occasion by giving the two-time world poker champion a lengthy standing ovation.

Final results:
1. Robert Mizrachi Miami, FL $768,889
2. René Mouritsen Århus, Denmark $464,877
3. Patrik Antonious Las Vegas, NV $311,394
4. Tommy Ly Duluth, GA $209,564
5. Marco Traniello Las Vegas, NV $156,435
6. Doyle Brunson Las Vegas, NV $123,967
7. Stephen Ladowsky Toronto, ON $92,975
8. Jonas Flug-Entin Los Angeles, CA $69,363
9. Steve Sung Torrance, CA $50,177