Antonio Esfandiari is a professional poker player whose flourishing career has brought increasing fame; destined to be a top ranked in the coming years. His lucrative career has earned him more than $2.5 million in live poker tournaments thus far, including the acceptance of one WSOP Bracelet in 2004, and a 1st place victory at the LA Poker Classic a few months prior, worth nearly $1,400,000.

Antonio Esfandiari’s Early Days
Antonio was born December 8, 1978 in Tehran, Iran as Amir Esfandiari. His family moved to San Jose, California when Amir was only 9 years old. As a foreign boy in a new country, Amir was the subject of stereotypical bullying. For this reason he had his name changed to Anthony. Upon turning 19, he changed his name once again to Antonio to help out his chosen profession, a magician. It was this decision that resulted in Antonio’s eventual career as a highly successful poker player.

While performing his act, Esfandiari was invited to join in a game of Texas Hold’em. He was instantly hooked, and began playing small cash games regularly. Antonio did not enter his first real poker tournament accompanying a roommate to the Garden City Club in San Jose. Esfandiari went on to win that tournament, then decided it was time to learn more about the game of poker. He read poker books and various strategies to fine tune his natural talent for the game of poker.

By the age of 22, with a economical whirlwind lowering his profits as a magician, Esfandiari realized he was making more money at the poker tables than his magician act, or day-time job waiting tables, could provide. Antonio immediately ceased both jobs and began his road to victory as a professional poker player.

Antonio Esfandiari’s Poker Achievements - WSOP
Antonio Esfandiari earned his first World Series of Poker cash in April of 2003, finishing 5th in Event #5 NL Hold’em for an impressive $34,060 prize. The following year, in May of 2004, Esfandiari’s name earned great recognition for taking down WSOP Event #21 PL Hold’em, earning his first WSOP Bracelet and padding his wallet with $184,860.

The following years have been less rewarding for Antonio, but he did manage two cashes in early events of the 2005 WSOP, at 5th and 43rd positions for about $70,000 total. Esfandiari cashed twice again in the 2007 WSOP, taking a 39th and 62nd finish for just over $21,000.

Antonio Esfandiari’s Poker Achievements - WTP
Antonio has seen the largest amount of success paying in the World Poker Tour, from the start of his career to current, most of Esfandiari’s cashes have come from WPT events, including his largest single-tournament cash of near $1.4 million.

In November of 2002, Esfandiari earned $44,000 for finishing 3rd in the $500k Guaranteed Gold Rush tournament of WPT Season 1. By the time PT Season 2 rolled around, Antonio was psyched up and ready to roll, ousting the opposition one after another at the LA Poker Classic Main Event on February 24, 2004. For his skilled efforts, Antonio Esfandiari pocketed his largest single tournament cash prize to date, $1,399,135. For this victory, Antonio gained not only fame, but an exclusive invite to the WPT Invitational $200k Freeroll held the very next day. His 6th place finished earned Esfandiari an additional $8,000.

In its 3rd season, Antonio netted about $183,000 in WPT events by finishing in the money 4 times. The first was at the Aruba Poker Classic, finishing 34th, followed by a 4th place finish in the LA Poker Classic. The WPT Shooting Start Tournament Main Event saw Esfandiari sent to the rails in 14th position. Last but certainly not least was a 3rd place victory at the Five-Star World Poker Classic, making up more than $120k of the 3rd WPT season’s success for Antonio.

Since then, Esfandiari’s success with the WPT has noticeably slacked off, earning a single cash in the 4th season of the WPT, a 26th place finish in Event #7 NL Hold’em of the Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic for a mere $3,305. WPT Season 5 was even less profitable for Esfandiari, earning only $2,425 for finishing 13th in a NL Hold’em Shootout at the LA Poker Classic.

Antonio Esfandiari’s Other Poker Achievements
In 2005, Antonio Esfandiari whittled his way through the field to come in 3rd place at the NBC National Heads-Up poker Championship, worth $125,000. In January of 2006, Esfandiari found himself at the Crown Australia Poker Championship (Aussie Millions) where he placed 11th for $38,088.

Esfandiari’s most recent fortune came on April 17, 2008 on the European Poker Tour. Antonio was seated at the final table of the EPT Monte Carlo Grand Finals, where a 8th place knock-out earned him a respectable $220,184 prize.

March of 2006 saw the release of Antonio Esfandiari’s poker strategy book titled “World Poker Tour: In the Money”. Within the pages, readers will find in-depth strategies and insights as to winning Texas Hold’em cash games. Highlights of the poker book include starting hands and how these should vary by position, as well as the use of table image; how your opponents perceive you (tight, loose, unpredictable, etc). When purchased new, the book comes with a DVD that includes some of Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari’s famous chip tricks.

Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari - On and Off the Poker Tables
Antonio earned his nickname, “The Magician”, from his impeccable dexterity and previous job as a night-club magician. Esfandiari is known for his loose, aggressive playing style at the tables. He often takes on the attitude that it really doesn’t matter if he wins or loses, since he is rich anyway, resulting in frequent daring maneuvers.

Still very young in his career, Antonio Esfandiari loves to party with his friends and enjy the finer things in life. While some would call this “blowing his money”, Antonio does understand the difference between splurging and squandering. Antonio has separate cash allowances, one that he may use on whatever he feels drawn to at the time - typically party-related - and the other that must be spent wisely to further his career. This way of life hasn’t failed Esfandiari yet, and according to many analysts, Antonio is on a streaming path to becoming one of the world’s most successful and memorable poker pros.