Antonio Esfandiari
Encyclopedia
Antonio Esfandiari is a professional poker
player, known for his elaborate chip tricks.
. He graduated from Del Mar High School
in 1997.
At the age of 19, he changed his name to Antonio, which was adopted from living in a Mexican American
community in San Jose, and became a professional magician. In the ESPN
coverage of the 2009 World Series of Poker, it was revealed that Esfandiari changed the last letter of his surname from the original because "it looks better." While he was performing magic, he was invited to a game of Texas Hold 'em
and started to play poker. He has a younger brother, Pasha, who also plays poker.
title at the L.A. Poker Classic. He won his first World Series of Poker
bracelet a few months later in pot-limit Texas Hold 'em.
Esfandiari appeared in the second and third seasons of the Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament
. After finishing last the previous year, Antonio was able to redeem himself with a second place finish the third season. He was also in each season of GSN
series High Stakes Poker
and each season of NBC
's Poker After Dark
.
On April 17, 2008, Esfandiari made the final table at the 2008 PokerStars.com EPT
Grand Final in Monte Carlo
finishing in eighth place, winning €168,000 ($266,004). On July 14, 2009, Esfandiari made his deepest finish to date in the World Series of Poker Main Event, finishing 24th on day 8 of the tournament, earning $352,832. In 2010 he won his second World Poker Tour title by winning the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World for over $870,000.
As of 2011, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,500,000.
and Jonathan Little
.
, on MOJO HD, with Phil Laak
. He is also the face of World Poker Tour's Poker-Made Millionaire. He was also seen in the season 7 opener of Entourage
.
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
player, known for his elaborate chip tricks.
Early life
When he was 9 years old his family moved to San Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. He graduated from Del Mar High School
Del Mar High School
Del Mar High School is a four-year, public secondary school established in 1959 in San Jose, California. It is part of the Campbell Union High School District, , the other schools in which are Branham, Leigh, Prospect, and Westmont. Most of Del Mar’s students come from the Campbell Union School...
in 1997.
At the age of 19, he changed his name to Antonio, which was adopted from living in a Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
community in San Jose, and became a professional magician. In the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
coverage of the 2009 World Series of Poker, it was revealed that Esfandiari changed the last letter of his surname from the original because "it looks better." While he was performing magic, he was invited to a game of Texas Hold 'em
Texas hold 'em
Texas Hold 'em is a variation of the standard card game of poker. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer—a series of three then two additional single cards , with...
and started to play poker. He has a younger brother, Pasha, who also plays poker.
Live poker
In 2004, he won close to $1.4 million and his first World Poker TourWorld Poker Tour
The World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting the final table of each tournament. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that...
title at the L.A. Poker Classic. He won his first World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
bracelet a few months later in pot-limit Texas Hold 'em.
Esfandiari appeared in the second and third seasons of the Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament
Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament
The Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament is a series of no limit Texas hold 'em poker tournaments. The first season is available on NTSC DVD. It airs on Fox Sports Net in the United States, Rogers Sportsnet in Canada and ftn in the United Kingdom.-Crew:...
. After finishing last the previous year, Antonio was able to redeem himself with a second place finish the third season. He was also in each season of GSN
Game Show Network
The Game Show Network is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite channel dedicated to game shows and casino game shows. The channel was launched on December 1, 1994. Its current slogan is "The World Needs More Winners"...
series High Stakes Poker
High Stakes Poker
High Stakes Poker is a cash game poker television program broadcast by the cable television network GSN in the United States. The poker variant played on the show is no limit Texas hold 'em. It premiered on January 16, 2006 and ended on December 17, 2007 and it returns back on March 1, 2009 and is...
and each season of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark
Poker After Dark was an hour-long poker television program on NBC. The show made its debut on January 1, 2007, and was cancelled as another victim of the "Black Friday" criminal case due to the show's sponsorship by Full Tilt Poker, one of that case's defendants. on September 23, 2011 For its first...
.
On April 17, 2008, Esfandiari made the final table at the 2008 PokerStars.com EPT
European Poker Tour
The Pokerstars European Poker Tour is a series of poker tournaments similar to those in the World Poker Tour , created by John Duthie, winner of the inaugural Poker Million tournament. It began in 2004 as part of the worldwide explosion in Texas Hold 'em popularity...
Grand Final in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
finishing in eighth place, winning €168,000 ($266,004). On July 14, 2009, Esfandiari made his deepest finish to date in the World Series of Poker Main Event, finishing 24th on day 8 of the tournament, earning $352,832. In 2010 he won his second World Poker Tour title by winning the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World for over $870,000.
As of 2011, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,500,000.
World Series of Poker Bracelet
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 2004 World Series of Poker The 2004 World Series of Poker was held at Binion's Horseshoe after Harrah's Entertainment purchased the casino and the rights to the tournament in January... |
$2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em | $184,860 |
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 World Poker Tour season 2 results - Grand Prix de Paris:* Casino: Aviation Club de France, Paris * Buy-in: €10,000* 4-Day Event: July 10, 2003 to July 13, 2003* Number of Entries: 96* Total Prize Pool: €894,400 * Number of Payouts: 9... |
$10,000 L.A. Poker Classic | $1,399,135 |
| 2010 World Poker Tour season 9 results Below are the results of season nine of the World Poker Tour - WPT Grand Prix de Paris:* Casino: Aviation Club de France, Paris, France* Buy-in: €10,000* 5-Day Event: May 8 – 15, 2010* Number of Entries: 247... |
$10,000 Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic | $870,124 |
Online poker
Esfandiari is currently affiliated with Victory Poker and is a Victory Poker Pro. Other Victory Poker Pros include Paul WasickaPaul Wasicka
Paul J. Wasicka is a professional poker player, based in Las Vegas, Nevada who was the runner-up at the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event and the winner of the 2007 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship....
and Jonathan Little
Jonathan Little
Jonathan Little is an American professional poker player who won both the World Poker Tour's Season VI Mirage Poker Showdown and Season VII Foxwoods World Poker Finals and won the WPT Season VI Player of the Year award.- Biography :Little was a student at the University of West Florida studying...
.
Other television appearances
Esfandiari co-starred in the TV show I Bet YouI Bet You
I Bet You is a show about the lives of best friends and professional poker players Phil "The Unabomber" Laak and Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari as they wandered the streets of America betting and daring each other on anything and everything that inspired them, using their own money.The series...
, on MOJO HD, with Phil Laak
Phil Laak
Philip "Phil" C. Laak is a professional poker player, now residing in Los Angeles, California. Laak holds a World Poker Tour title, a World Series of Poker bracelet and has appeared on numerous nationally-aired television shows.-Early life:...
. He is also the face of World Poker Tour's Poker-Made Millionaire. He was also seen in the season 7 opener of Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
.