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One half of CBS's The Amazing Race poker pair, Maria Ho, was among the top 10 leaders in Day 1 of the World Series of Poker Main Event kickoff. Michael Mizrachi, who's been in the news a lot of late for his going into foreclosure, was also among the top chip leaders.
At press time, Ho was in 4th place and ranked highest among the females. Mizrachi followed closely in 5th.
These were the two biggest name players atop the leaderboard on Monday night.
Gambling911.com's own intrepid reporter, Jenny Woo, caught up with Ho following her stint on The Amazing Race.
Because airing took place during last year's World Series of Poker main event, Ho and her cohort Michelle could not participate in the world's biggest card game.
"Once we heard it," Ho said in regard to having to sit out last year's WSOP, "Tiffany and I pretty much looked at each other and we were like, ‘Oh yeah, we're still going to do it. There was just no second thought in our head that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the Main Event at the World Series of Poker is going to be there every year.
"The good thing that Tiffany and I are so blessed and grateful for is that we've already had a highlight from the past Main Events that we've played. We already have a nice punctuation mark with us being the back to back "last woman standing". It was a lot easier - I would say - to leave that arena to go and compete in a different arena when you already feel you've done something that you've had some success doing what you've been trying to do in the Main Event. We wanted to take that success and have it translate and transferred into a completely different environment and hopefully make a mark there too."
Ho is off to a great start so far, perhaps making up for last year's absence.
Mizrachi may have gone into foreclosure just a few months ago but since that time has been on quite a roll.
He cashed out in four 2010 WSOP events and won $1,559,046, coming in first place, at the WSOP Players Championship (event #2).
If Mizrachi can maintain his current run, perhaps he will buy the bank that foreclosed on his Hollywood, Florida home.
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Patrick Flanagan, Gambling911.com
