Rematch

Last year, Roger Hairabedian (foreground) came up just shy of the final round of the first-ever WSOPE Mix-Max event. The accomplished Frenchman advanced to the semi-final round of the €10,000 event, but failed to make it to the finals. The man who denied Hairabedian that spot in the finals? Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi (background). The Grinder defeated Hairabedian in the semis, then bested Shawn Buchanan in the finals to claim his second gold bracelet. At today's PLO final table, Hairabedian will be looking for revenge while Mizrachi will be looking for a fourth gold bracelet.

Passer Le Sucre?

The last WSOP Main Event Champion to follow up their World Championship victory with another gold bracelet was Carlos Mortensen. The Matador won the Main Event in 2001, then earned a bracelet again in 2003. 2005 Champ Joe Hachem came close to a second bracelet in 2006 when he made two final tables, taking fourth and second place. Now Hachem is back at a WSOP final table for the first time in seven years in the €5,000 PLO event hoping he can pass the sugar (or le sucre if you will) again and claim a second bracelet.

PLO Takes the Spotlight

It is a busy day for the livestream on Wednesday with two final tables playing out before the cameras. The day begins with the stacked €5,000 Pot Limit Omaha final table, then the €3,000 No Limit Hold'em Shootout event takes the stage later this evening. The multi-camera stream with French and English commentary can be found on WSOP.com and will be archived on YouTube in case you miss it playing out live.

Bon Nuit

A statue in the garden of the Cathedral Notre-Dame de L'esperance looks down on the city of Cannes as evening sets in. The Croisette Casino glows as players play into the night vying for a spot at one of the two final tables running at Majestic Barriere on Wednesday.

Countryman to Countryman

WSOP gold bracelet winner Antonin Teisseire shakes hands with fellow Frenchman Remy Bollengier after Teisseire busts in third place in the €1,000 No Limit Hold'em Event #2. These two were the final Frenchmen standing in the event, and while they boasted third and second place finishes in the tournament, neither were able to break France's WSOPE bracelet drought.

Make Yourself Comfortable

If you ever wonder why it is Antonio Esfandiari always looks so relaxed at the table, just glance down and you'll see he literally takes a load off when he plays. Esfandiari is unafraid to make himself at home at the table, frequently playing in slippers or barefoot as seen here.

Meet Your New POY Leader

If you thought Antonio Esfandiari used up his one time at One Drop, think again. The Magician's run good followed him across the pond as he is down to heads-up play in Event 2, the €1,000 No Limit Hold'em event. Once play got down to the final four, Esfandiari was guaranteed the lead over October Niner Greg Merson in the WSOP Player of the Year race. With that taken care of for now, Esfandiari can now focus on trying to collect his third career WSOP gold bracelet.

Where the Magic Happens

It is quiet now, but in a couple of hours the Majestic Barriere's tournament area (pictured here) will be bustling again as players take their seats for the €3,000 No Limit Hold'em Shootout. This room is the main area for tournament play at Hotel Majestic, but there are two other tournament rooms for Day 1 play as well as the final table area on the other side of the hotel.

La Vie Nocturne

The night life in Cannes (or la vie nocturne for you French speakers out there) is filled with options. There are plenty of round the clock restaurants as well as nightclubs like the Croisette Casino's Les Marches. And, of course, there is always the late night cash game in the poker room.

Making Magic Happen

Antonio Esfandiari is focused on a third career gold bracelet. He is certainly not far off from another WSOP victory, as he is leading the pack as Day 2 of the €1,000 No Limit Hold'em Event 2 winds down. There are currently three tables left in the tournament, so there is still a ways to go before the next WSOPE bracelet is awarded. Even if Esfandiari doesn't grab the title, a fourth place finish or better will give him the lead over Greg Merson in the 2012 WSOP Player of the Year race. John Monnette is in a similar spot as well. He is alive in Event 2 and needs to finish fifth or better to pass Merson.