Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi was stung by a jellyfish during a VPL stream in Las Vegas

On the Venetian Poker Live stream in Las Vegas, Michael Mizrachi faced an unexpected mishap—a jellyfish sting. Find out the details of this thrilling poker night.

On the night of Saturday, September 6 to Sunday, September 7, another thrilling session of no-limit hold’em cash game with $100/$100 blinds and a $10,000 minimum buy-in was streamed live from Las Vegas on Venetian Poker Live (VPL). This time, the lineup featured both regulars and new faces, including the mysterious player known as Jellyfish and Classic Mike. The arrival of Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi—current WSOP Main Event champion—drew particular attention, as he is set to travel to the Bahamas next month to compete in the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). Venetian Poker Live Game Format: Rules and Features The VPL table was set for no-limit hold’em with $100/$100 blinds. Despite the $10,000 minimum buy-in, actual stacks and bet sizes quickly escalated, which became apparent right from the first hand, where players got all their chips in and the pot was split. That evening, two new players joined the table—Classic Mike and Jellyfish. The lineup also included well-known names such as Michael Mizrachi (“The Grinder”), Tiger, Royski, Noam Lucas, Jon Isaac, and Brian Okin. Commentary was provided by Remko Rinkema and Tristan Wade, who broke down each hand in detail for the viewers. A highlight of the night was the Squid Game format—a twist on the popular “stand-up game” among pros, designed to ramp up the action and aggression at the table. In Squid Game, the player who wins a pot receives a special “squid” token. Anyone who hasn’t won a hand after a set number of hands (usually equal to the number of players at the table) must pay a penalty to the winners. This format encourages more active play and often leads to unconventional decisions and massive pots. Key Hands of the Night: The Highs and Lows for Jellyfish and The Grinder Jellyfish vs. Michael Mizrachi: The WSOP Champion’s Unlucky All-In One of the first major pots of the night developed between Jon Isaac, Michael Mizrachi, and Jellyfish. Isaac opened to $1,400 with 6♦5♣, Mizrachi called on the button with A♦J♥, and Jellyfish defended the big blind with 7♠5♠. On the 6♠9♣8♣ flop, Jellyfish flopped a straight but opted to check, as did both opponents. The turn brought the J♦. Jellyfish led out for $2,700. Isaac, with bottom pair, called, and Mizrachi, who had improved to top pair with top kicker, raised to $8,800. Jellyfish responded with a reraise to $20,000, prompting Isaac to fold. Mizrachi, left with $12,900, tanked before moving all-in for $21,700. Jellyfish snap-called, and the players agreed to run the river twice. However, Mizrachi was drawing dead—Jellyfish already had an unbeatable straight. The first river was the 10♥, the second the 9♦, and the $50,500 pot went to Jellyfish. Jellyfish Makes a Flush and Beats Royski and Noam Lucas Fifty minutes into the stream, Jellyfish was already sitting on a $65,700 stack. In one hand, he opened to $500 with 6♣2♣. Royski 3-bet to $1,500 with A♠J♥, and Noam Lucas called with K♥Q♥. Jellyfish, possibly aiming to win a Squid Game token, 4-bet to $7,500. Royski called, and Noam Lucas moved all-in for $11,300. Since this wasn’t enough to reopen the betting, both opponents just called. The flop came Q♣9♣10♣, giving Jellyfish a flush right away. Despite commentator Wade’s suggestion to check, Jellyfish bet $17,500. Royski, holding a straight draw and a $27,400 stack, decided to fold. Jellyfish and Noam Lucas agreed to run the board twice. The first turn was the Q♠, giving Lucas hope for a full house, but the river 4♦ didn’t help. On the second board, 7♦ and 8♦ changed nothing, and Jellyfish scooped the $34,200 pot. Biggest Pot of the Night: Tiger vs. Jellyfish The largest pot of the night was played between Tiger and Jellyfish. Tiger opened to $1,000 with A♦Q♠, Jellyfish called with Q♦J♥, Noam Lucas defended the big blind with Q♣2♣, and Isaac, who had posted a $200 straddle, also called with 7♣5♣. The flop came 2♥K♥J♣. Tiger made a $2,000 continuation bet, and Jellyfish, with middle pair, called. The other two players folded. The turn brought the 10♠, giving Tiger a Broadway straight, and he bet $13,000 into an $8,500 pot. Jellyfish, now with a straight draw, called. The river was the 9♠, giving Jellyfish a king-high straight, but Tiger already had the nuts—an ace-high straight. Tiger paused and checked, and Jellyfish bet $26,500. Tiger responded with a check-raise to $68,000. Jellyfish tanked for a long time but couldn’t find a fold and called. The $170,000 pot went to Tiger, leaving Jellyfish as one of the night’s biggest losers. Session Results: Who Won and Who Lost By the end of the night, Tiger posted the biggest profit, finishing the session up $43,200. Brian Okin also ended in the black with $36,300, and Jon Isaac wrapped up the night with a $17,600 win. Michael Mizrachi (“The Grinder”) finished down $9,200, but his losses were relatively modest compared to Jellyfish and Royski. Jellyfish dropped $35,000, while Royski was the night’s biggest loser, down $36,900. Tiger : +$43,200 Brian Okin : +$36,300 Jon Isaac : +$17,600 Michael Mizrachi : -$9,200 Jellyfish : -$35,000 Royski : -$36,900 Upcoming Events at the Venetian: PGT Venetian Las Vegas Classic Next week, the Venetian will host a stop on the PokerGO Tour—the PGT Venetian Las Vegas Classic, the tenth event of the PokerGO Tour season. The series runs from September 11 to 16 and will culminate in the Main Event with a $3,300 buy-in and a $1,000,000 guarantee. In the Main Event, players will start with 40,000 chips and 40-minute levels. After two starting flights, the tournament final will take place on September 14, where the winner of the largest share of the prize pool will be determined. In addition to the Main Event, the schedule features three high roller tournaments with a $5,300 buy-in. The first kicks off on September 14, with players receiving 125,000 chips and 30-minute levels. The final high roller—$5,300 NLH High Roller #3—will be held on September 16. Key Players and Their Results: A Recap Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, the reigning WSOP Main Event champion, is known for his disciplined yet aggressive style. While he typically avoided major mistakes on Venetian Poker Live streams, this time he couldn’t get away from Jellyfish’s nuts, costing him $21,700 in a single hand and leaving him down $9,200 for the night. Jellyfish, a newcomer to VPL, immediately became the center of attention with his aggressive approach and willingness to play for big pots. Despite some successful hands where he made both a straight and a flush, he ended the night with a hefty loss of $35,000. Tiger was the star of the session, winning the biggest pot against Jellyfish and finishing with the largest profit—$43,200. Brian Okin and Jon Isaac also booked winning sessions, while Royski was the night’s unluckiest player, losing $36,900. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this Venetian Poker Live session is a great example of how even experienced and decorated players can find themselves in tough spots and lose big pots. It’s a reminder that aggressive play and innovative formats like Squid Game can dramatically impact table dynamics, forcing players to make tough decisions under pressure. In PPPoker clubs, you can incorporate elements of these formats to boost player engagement and activity—such as adding extra challenges or bonuses for winning pots. This not only adds excitement but also helps players develop their skills under increased pressure. Finally, analyzing hands involving top professionals like Michael Mizrachi, Jellyfish, Tiger, and others allows PPPoker players to refine their strategy, learn from others’ mistakes and successes, and be prepared for any surprises at the table—whether playing online or in live games.