Lucky Hearts (poker): She was second last year, he wins this year

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Susan Laufer Mizrachi, who goes by the online screen name MommaGrinder plays in The Grinder Classic at Studz Poker Club at Calder Casino & Race Course in Miami Gardens. Her son, Michael, made the final table at the World Series of Poker.
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Michael ¿The Grinder¿ Mizrachi, of Miramar, is among the five winningest poker pros ever. Mizrachi, 32, finished fifth at the WSOP in 2010, earning $2.3 million. He started off as a dealer at Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood.
Taimy Alvarez / Sun Sentinel
Mizrachi Dealer Academy President Robert Mizrachi, (sitting) vice President Michael Mizrachi, Chief of Operations (background) Stacy Matuson, and Office Manager Aidiliy Mizrachi stand in the new poker dealer school in Hollywood. Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi started off as a dealer at Seminole Hollywood Classic, and so did his wife, Lily.
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Poker player Ebony Kenney also moonlights as a model who is well-known in South Florida poker circles.Click here to see more photos of Ebony Kenney
Mike Stocker / Sun Sentinel
Twin brothers (L to R) Eric and Michael ¿the Grinder¿ Mizrachi with their mother mother, who goes by the name ¿Mama Grinder,¿ Susan Laufer Mizrachi. Her four sons all made money at the World Series of Poker. They all grew up in South Florida, and four brothers made history by cashing in the World Series Main event.

PUBLISHED: February 12, 2014 at 1:52 p.m. | UPDATED: December 24, 2018 at 2:24 a.m.

The Lucky Hearts Poker Open is proving to be just that for two poker-playing lovers. Last year, Lily Kiletto finished second in the event, and this year her boyfriend, James Calderaro, took home the top prize of $271,103 Tuesday night at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.

Calderaro, 48, is an investor originally from New York. The couple spends time playing in South Florida, while also traveling to all the World Poker Tour events. (Kiletto was one of six women featured in a recent made-for-TV women’s WPT tournament.)

The $3,500 main event drew 415 entries, generating a prize pool of $1,348,750.

Kiletto, who posted photos on Facebook praising “my Blue Berry Love Muffin Chubbers for Fingers,” finished 19th in the event, earning $12,139.

The tournament series was held in Seminole Casino Coconut Creek’s STAX Poker Lounge and Pavilion and featured the largest buy-ins and guarantees ever offered by the property. Main event buy-ins ranged from $150 to $3,500.

Calderaro entered the head-to-head match-up with a 2-to-1 deficit in chips. He continued to win small pots, though, even though WPT livestream announcer Tony Dunst and others criticized his play, saying he wasn’t collecting enough chips for the powerful hands he kept getting. The key hand came with him and Shannon Storr nearly even. Storr was dealt A-A vs. Calderaro’s 10-7. But a 10 and a 7 came out on the flop, giving him two pair and when Storr pushed all-in, Calderaro called and all but ended the tournament right there.

“It feels awesome,” said Calderaro, who listed his hometown as Venice, Fla.. He had been a runner-up twice, including at a WPT final table. “I thought I might be jinxed with second-place, so getting over the hump is incredible.”

Complete coverage of the tournament can be found at http://www.seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com/casino/south-florida-poker/poker-blog/.

Final Table Results

1^st– James Calderaro (Venice) $271,103

2^nd– Shannon Shorr (Birmingham, AL) $190,039

3^rd– Keven Stammen (Coldwater, OH) $122,197

4^th– Dimas Martinez (Atlanta, GA) $90,366

5^th– Tim Kegel (Hollywood) $67,842

6^th– Evan Dollinger (Sunrise) $54,355

7^th– Justin Zaki (Tierra Verde) $45,318

8^th– Mukul Pahuja (Coconut Creek) $36,147

9^th– Doug Hartwick (Willowdale, ON) $27,110

10^th– Corrie Wunstel (Baton Rouge, LA) $19,827