THE REAL ANTONIO
"I love the fact that I can mess with someone's head." - Antonio Esfandiari
Of course you have to be able to mess with people’s heads if you’re gonna do two things well: play poker and perform magic. But there’s more ways to mess with people’s heads than just dazzling them with bold bets or disappearing cards.
You can impress them with your style and sensibility.You can run up lavish tabs at top nightclubs -- And then gamble with your friends to see who pays.
For me “messing with people’s heads†isn’t a strategy -- it’s a way of life.
Professional Since: 2002
Started Playing Poker: Age 21
Favorite Poker Type: Poker tournaments
Favorite Poker Structure: No-limit
Favorite Poker Game: Texas Hold'em
ANTONIO'S TID BITS
* Born on December 8, 1978, same birthdate as Sammy Davis, Jr., Siñead O'Connor, Kim Basinger, and the immortal Jim Morrison.
* Birth name was Amir. It morphed into Anthony in high school and then Antonio, as befits the mysterio-magician persona.
* Born in Iran where, ironically, it's illegal to own playing cards.
* By the age of 11, was making $400 a week selling newspaper subscriptions by phone.
* Bailed on college at 21 to become a professional magician.
* NOT a morning person.
* Is the youngest player ever to win a million dollar prize in a poker tournament.
* And the youngest to win a televised WPT event.
Highest Tournament Placings
2007 WSOP, Event 35, No-Limit Hold'em 62nd $9,708
2007 WSOP, Event 8, No-Limit Hold'em w/Re-Buys 39th $11,905
2005 WSOP, Event 13, $5,000 No-limit Hold'em 43rd $6,570
2005 WSOP, Event 6, $2,500 Short-handed no-limit Hold'em 5th $63,020
WPT Season 2, WPT Invitational 6th $8,000
WPT Season 2, L.A. Poker Classic 1st $1,399,135
WPT Specials, WPT Bad Boys 5th n/a WPT Season 1, Gold Rush 3rd $44,000
Total Tournament Winnings To Date = $2,600,000+