Michael Mizrachi Puts on a Clinic to Take a Massive Lead With Four Left in the WSOP Main Event

Going into last night’s action, we were promised one of the most exciting final tables we’ve seen in a long time, and players certainly delivered. The 2025 WSOP Main Event final table was one of the most dynamic and action-packed affairs, starting from the very first hand!

Despite massive pay jumps, it took only about four hours in total to go from nine down to four, with players showing a willingness to go for it in marginal spots. But it was one player in particular who came ready to conquer, showing zero fear, and that determination paid off.

Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi put on a show last night, assuming the position of a table captain after a massive pot that saw him sweat all the way to the river. Had the river not delivered, this article would not have his name in the title.

But poker gods came through once more for “The Grinder,” delivering one of his outs, leading to a performance that ended up with him having three times as many chips as the other three players combined!

2025 WSOP Main Event Final Table Payouts

From Nine to Seven in Less Than One Round

Usually, the first few hands at any final table — let alone a WSOP Main Event final table — are tame, with players testing the waters. This wasn’t the case last night, as the very first hand resulted in an elimination.

Daehyung Lee, who started the day with just over 20 big blinds, picked up AQ in an early position. Everyone folded except John Wasnock in the big blind. Wasnock, the chip leader, decided to see the flop with pocket fives.

The flop came QJ5 with a flush draw, and, long story short, all the chips went in the middle, with Lee drawing very slim. The turn card brought some hope, but there was no miracle river to save the South Korean amateur, and he became the first casualty, pocketing $1,000,000.

Not long after, it was time for Jarod Minghini, the official short stack to start the day, to try his luck with AQ. Minghini opened the button off of a 15 big blind stack, Kenny Hallaert in the big blind moved all in with pocket fours, and Minghini made the call.

The board ran out with no aces or queens, so Kenny picked up some chips to add to his stack, while Jarod Minghini was sent to the rail in eighth, earning $1,250,000.

No Breaks for Leo Margets

While chips were flying left and right, Leo Margets, the only woman at the final table, couldn’t get much going. She simply wasn’t picking up any strong hands, and a few steal attempts she made were met with some heavy resistance.

Eventually, though, she got herself in a decent spot to double up. Margets picked up AT suited in the small blind, and after the action folded to her, she decided to just complete, starting the hand with 20 big blinds.

Kenny Hallaert in the big blind looked down at pocket sixes and put Leo to the test, moving all in for her tournament life. Margets did what had to be done and made the call for the biggest flip of her career.

After a clean flop, an ace hit on the turn, and Leo’s rail went berserk. However, that ace also brought a third spade, giving Kenny a flush draw. The river delivered another spade, completing Hallaert’s flush and ending Margets’ Main Event run.

She picked up $1,500,000 for her efforts and put on an impressive performance throughout the tournament, but the poker world will have to wait at least another year to see a woman pick up the Main Event bracelet.

The Michael Mizrachi Show

The Grinder started the day a bit slow, losing a few pots and having to give up some chips early on. But he had no intentions to let that be his Main Event story. If he was going to go out, he was going to do so swinging!

A few hands before Leo’s exit, Mizrachi got involved in a massive pot against the chip leader John Wasnock. All the chips went in before the flop, with Michael holding the big slick and needing some help against Wasnock’s pocket kings.

It was a huge sweat, and The Grinder was, once more, down to the river card to determine if he would become the new chip leader or hit the rail, with his Main Event dreams postponed once again. And then, an ace hit on the river, Mizrachi’s rail went wild, and he dragged in the pot of over 150 million chips.

Sitting with a huge stack, it didn’t take Mizrachi long to start putting those chips to work, reminding everyone why he’s not someone you want at your table. The Grinder was applying pressure left and right, taking advantage of the fact that there were a couple of short stacks in the mix, creating some complicated ICM implications.

It was The Grinder who took care of one of those short stacks, once again picking up AK against pocket Jacks of Adam Hendrix. Chips went in before the flop, Mizrachi found his king on the turn, and Hendrix was eliminated in sixth, pocketing $1.9 million. At the same time, Michael further extended his chip lead.

The Runaway Train

Some players would be happy to sit on a huge stack and let others battle it out among themselves. Mizrachi isn’t one of those players. Having a massive chip advantage, he kept putting on the pressure, whether he had it or not, making life very difficult for his opponents.

The result? By the night’s end, Michael Mizrachi was sitting on a stack of over 400 million chips! It was around that time that Luka Bojovic, the man who laddered up several spots having barely played any hands, finally picked up AK and moved all in for his last eight big blinds.

Bojovic found himself in a good spot to double up against Hallaert’s AJ, but a Jack on the turn sealed his fate, and his Main Event run was done, but he gets $2.4 million for his efforts.

The remaining four players continued for a few more hands, and it was time to bag for the night. Today, they’ll come back to play down to the winner, and Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi is returning to a massive stack of almost 440 million! That’s three times more than the other three combined.

Will things get complicated, or will it be another short affair? Tune in tonight and watch the action live on YouTube or PokerGO!.

Final Four Players Chip Counts