Meet the 9 players at the WSOP Main Event final table

Throughout Day 8 of the World Series of Poker Main Event, Michael Mizrachi’s rail chanted “hall of fame” whenever he raked in chips.

It will be tough to keep “The Grinder” out of the Poker Hall of Fame following his latest deep run.

Mizrachi reached the final table of the $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold’em World Championship and will be second in chips when action resumes at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Horseshoe Las Vegas.

John Wasnock of North Bend, Washington, has the overall chip lead at the star-studded final table that includes Spain’s Leo Margets, the first woman in 30 years to reach the Main Event final table. Professional poker player Adam Hendrix, a Las Vegas resident, is seventh in chips.

First prize in the Main Event is $10 million, and the remaining nine players are guaranteed $1 million apiece.

“It makes me work harder if I’m not in,” Mizrachi said. “I’m assuming next year I’ll be in the hall of fame. After the (Poker Players Championship) win, there was a really good chance I was getting in. But after this, it’s probably 100 percent.”

Mizrachi is one of 16 players in history with seven or more WSOP bracelets, which are awarded for tournament victories. Last month, the 44-year-old Las Vegas resident won the prestigious $50,000 buy-in PPC for a record fourth time and has more than $19 million in career live tournament earnings, according to the Hendon Mob Poker Database.

This is Mizrachi’s second appearance at the Main Event final table after he finished fifth in 2010. Mizrachi also has two World Poker Tour titles.

Mizrachi was down to three big blinds early on Day 8 but survived multiple all-in situations and rebuilt his stack. He knocked out Anthony Gregg in 11th place and finished with 93 million in chips, good for 58 big blinds.

“I just never gave up. That’s why they call me ‘The Grinder,’ ” Mizrachi said. “I know how this game goes. If you still have chips, you’re still in the game.”

Here is a look at the other eight players at the final table:

Leo Margets (Seat 1)

Chip count: 53.4 million

Age: 41

Resides: Barcelona

Occupation: Professional poker player

Career earnings (not including Main Event): $2,086,276

Notes: She joins Barbara Enright, who finished fifth in 1995, as the only women to reach the Main Event final table. Margets won “The Closer” No-limit Hold’em event in 2021 for her first career WSOP bracelet and would be the first Spanish-born player to take down the Main Event.

Kenny Hallaert (Seat 2)

Chip count: 80.5 million

Age: 43

Resides: London

Occupation: Professional poker player/tournament director

Career earnings: $5,925,456

Notes: Originally from Belgium, Hallaert has a number of results across Europe and online. He is making his second appearance at the Main Event final table after finishing sixth in 2016 but is still looking for his first career WSOP bracelet. Hallaert finished Day 6 as the chip leader.

Braxton Dunaway (Seat 3)

Chip count: 91.9 million

Age: 42

Resides: Midland, Texas

Occupation: Oil and gas industry

Career earnings: $1,549,398

Notes: An accomplished recreational player, Dunaway won the “Monster Stack” No-limit Hold’em event in 2023 for more than $1.1 million and his lone WSOP bracelet. He finished in 142nd place in the 2022 WSOP Main Event. Dunaway has been in the top 10 in chips since Day 5.

John Wasnock (Seat 4)

Chip count: 108.1 million

Age: 50

Resides: North Bend, Washington

Occupation: Investment consultant

Career earnings: $143,463

Notes: The majority of Wasnock’s results have come in low-stakes buy-ins, and he is one of the most inexperienced players remaining in the field. The father of four and University of Washington graduate knocked out Joey Padron in 10th place to take the chip lead into the final table.

Michael Mizrachi (Seat 5)

Daehyung Lee (Seat 6)

Chip count: 34.9 million

Age: 46

Resides: Seoul, South Korea

Occupation: Software engineer

Career earnings: $148,109

Notes: The amateur started playing poker in 2021 and is appearing at his first major tournament final table. Lee, who cashed in one other WSOP event this summer, started slowly in the Main Event, but moved into the top 100 at the end of Day 3 and avoided any serious danger until Day 8.

Luka Bojovic (Seat 7)

Chip count: 51 million

Age: 37

Resides: Vienna

Occupation: Doctor/professional poker player

Career earnings: $702,303

Notes: Originally from Serbia, Bojovic is supported by a lively rail. He has several notable results, including a WSOP International Circuit ring from his 2024 win at an event in Marrakesh, Morocco. Bojovic finished eighth at the WSOP Europe Main Event in October.

Adam Hendrix (Seat 8)

Chip count: 48 million

Age: 32

Resides: Las Vegas

Occupation: Professional poker player

Career earnings: $8,227,003

Notes: A native of Alaska, the “Iceman” has been slightly overshadowed by other stars in the Main Event despite owning two WSOP Circuit rings, six PokerGo Tour victories and a World Poker Tour title. Hendrix, a Virginia Tech graduate, is 33rd in the Global Poker Index rankings.

Jarod Minghini (Seat 9)

Chip count: 23.6 million

Age: 37

Resides: Lake Tahoe

Occupation: Professional poker player

Career earnings: $981,676

Notes: The outdoor enthusiast and seasoned tournament grinder owns five WSOP Circuit rings and finished third in the WSOP Circuit North Carolina Main Event in 2023. Minghini is inspired by the memory of his brother, a former professional snowboarder who died in 2022.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.