What is the possibility of becoming a professional poker player for a person who was born in the country where – not even gambling – holding cards is prohibited by the law? The possibility is a tiny one. It is like becoming a famous atomic bomb collector in the United States. However, Antonio Esfandiari managed to overcome all the obstacles and now is a real poker pro.
A Magic Biography He was born in a small town… Started playing poker with his parents at early age…Then became a dealer at a casino… Then… What’s that? It is a traditional biography of a poker player. Does it have anything to do with Antonio Esfandiari? No. Antonio was born… No, not like this. Amir Esfandiari was born in Iran. This country has very strict customs and possessing playing cards is regarded as a crime there. But his parents moved to the United States when he was nine and he liked the country very much. At age 11 he was making about $400 a week just selling newspaper subscriptions by phone. The guy went to high school where everybody called him Anthony because the first letter was the same as in his real name. :) After school he made a pretty trivial act and enrolled to a college. But once he saw a bartender doing a magic trick at a restaurant. Anthony liked it so much that he went to a store that particular day and bought everything necessary for practicing magic tricks. He was learning magic many hours every day for about two years. By the time he was 19 he could call himself a professional magician. He appeared with his show at a local restaurant, then - at private parties. The business was so profitable that at age 21 he left the college and became a full-time magician. Now he had to change his nickname to Antonio, cuz it sounded more intriguing. A Magic Player After a year of a successful magic career Antonio began playing at a casino. He had a great confidence and an ability to read people so he did quite well. His playing style (as well as his lifestyle) is rather aggressive. "Don't let your first limo ride be in a hearse," he says. He is not afraid of taking risks and is strong enough to face bad beats. He believes that loss is a part of a gambler’s life, one just has to learn to overcome difficulties. In his 26 Antonio Esfandiari has 1 WSOP bracelet (Pot-Limit Hold’em, 2004) and 1 WPT Champion title (No-Limit Hold’em, 2004). Antonio has not forgotten his magician career. He shows some tricks now and then at various casinos, which always gathers a crowd round him.
