One to Watch: Vlad Mezheritsky Reflects on Poker, Travel, and Move to South Florida

By Sean Chaffin

Five years ago Vlad Mezheritsky was one of the WPT/Bluff magazine “Ones to Watch.” The segment aired during each broadcast and featured a player showing some ability and expected to make some waves. The segment is no longer a part of the show, but Mezheritsky was selected among the player crop in Season XIII.

As Day 2 of the WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open plays out, he’s still one to watch as he’s been among the chip leaders for much of the afternoon.

“It always feels good,” he said of having a nice chip stack. “This is one of the better tournaments and one of the better casinos to play in. They always break the guarantees and it’s always nice since it’s just 15 minutes from my house.”

He’s a regular player in a local high-stakes Pot Limit Omaha game.

“I play mostly cash,” he says. “But I play these tournaments once in a while if there’s a good value, but I don’t really travel the circuit as much like a bunch of these guys do. I play cash five days a week.”

Mezheritsky has about $750,000 in live tournament winnings and his biggest score came in 2014, when he finished fifth in the $3,500 WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open for $213,650. Here at the Hard Rock, he took seventh in a $5,250 Championship Freezeout event in 2015 for $125,000.

Now living in South Florida, Mezheritsky spent much of his life growing up in Brooklyn, New York. Born in Russia, his family emigrated to the U.S. when he was only 7 years old. His parents fled when the country was still under communism. Life was hard and it turned out well for the Mezheritsky family in the U.S. His mother works as a doctor and runs her own medical office.

“We started at the bottom and now we’re here,” he says laughing.

When not playing poker Mezheritsky can be found enjoying eating a nice meal and sushi is one of his frequent orders. There’s a good chance the Seminole Hard Rock’s Kuro contemporary Japanese restaurant will be on his menu while playing this week – he says it’s one of his favorites.

Travel is also a major interest especially locations with plenty of sun and beaches. In South Florida, he recommends any beach and notes that most have brilliant turquoise water. A visitor would be happy at almost any of the areas sandy shores, Mezheritsky says.

Beyond the Sunshine State, he’s been to several other tropical islands and just returned from playing a partypoker LIVE event in the Bahamas.

“I busted Day 2 after losing a coin flip,” he says. “After that, I was on the beach hanging out.”

Another favorite includes Jamaica, where he’s been several times. This summer he visited Ukraine three times (his girlfriend lives there) as well as Ibiza and Germany.

Plenty of sunshine, great beaches, and a nice poker scene – South Florida has been good to this the 37-year-old player.

“I lived in New York for over 25 years and I hated the cold, so I came here,” he says. “It was the best move of my life.”

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and his work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions.