The poker player Antonio Esfandiari.
Antonio Esfandiari, a well-known American-Iranian professional poker player, has gained fame primarily for his victory at the renowned Big One for One Drop 2012 event held in Las Vegas. It was during this tournament that Esfandiari triumphed, securing the highest individual cash prize in poker history, a staggering sum exceeding 18 million US dollars. Moreover, he once held the top spot on the All Time Money List, and presently boasts a remarkable total of over 27 million US dollars in winnings, placing him within the top ten most accomplished poker professionals to this day.
Amir Esfandiari was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1978. His family migrated to San Jose, California, in the United States when he was only nine years old. To avoid being bullied, he initially changed his first name to Anthony and later to Antonio. Being a master of illusions and card tricks, Esfandiari gained the nickname "The Magician." It was during his career as a magician that he was invited to a game of Texas Hold'em, sparking his interest in poker. His younger brother, Pasha Esfandiari, is also a poker player. Antonio Esfandiari goes by the online poker alias "LastChance11."
| Land | Professional since | Favorite games | Bracelets | Highest profit | total profits | 2023 All-Time Money List | Global Poker Index (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iran | 2002 | No Limit Hold'em | 3 | $18.346.673 | $27.685.056 | 6 | 3.039 |
| Hometown: | Teheran, Iran |
| Interesting facts: | Born as Amir Esfandiari, he changed his name after moving to San Jose, California, first to Anthony and then to Antonio. As a professional magician and card artist, he is also known by the nickname "The Magician." His online poker nickname is "LastChance11." Esfandiari currently resides in Las Vegas. He was the face of the poker site Ultimate Poker and appeared on TV shows such as Poker Superstars and High Stakes Poker. Additionally, he was featured in the US series "I bet you" and made a guest appearance in the poker film "All in - Everything or Nothing." |
| Key moments in poker: | In 2012, Esfandiari emerged victorious in The Big One of One Drop, earning over $18 million, which remains the highest individual prize in a poker tournament to date. Simultaneously, this triumph marked his second WSOP Bracelet. He had previously secured his first bracelet in 2004 at the WSOP in Las Vegas competing in Pot Limit Texas Hold'em. His third bracelet followed suit in 2012 at a WSOP No Limit Hold'em tournament in Cannes. |
| Number of WSOP bracelets: | 3 |
| WPT/EPT Winnings: | $2.981.124 / $283.825 |
| Total tournament winnings: | $27.685.056 (Stand 2018) |
Experiences and Achievements in Live Poker
Antonio Esfandiari has been participating in prestigious live poker tournaments since 2002. Among his initial achievements, he secured the 14th position in the No Limit Hold'em Event at the Poker Classic in L.A. in February 2002. Additionally, he attained third place twice in November of the same year, one in the No Limit Hold'em Main Event of the World Poker Tour in San Francisco and the other in the Holiday Bonus Tournament in Los Angeles. In 2004, Antonio Esfandiari embarked on a remarkable journey, triumphing in the No Limit Hold'em Championship of the L.A. Poker Classic during February, pocketing a remarkable prize of $1,399,135. Then, on May 10, 2014, at the age of 26, he secured his first bracelet at the World Series of Poker's $2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em, amassing a substantial reward of $184,860.
Throughout the subsequent years, Antonio Esfandiari failed to surpass the threshold of earning one million US dollars annually but consistently emerged victorious in at least one tournament per year. Participating in the televised poker competition Poker Superstars in Las Vegas, Antonio Esfandiari accomplished a remarkable feat during the third season in 2006, securing four triumphs in March, August, September, and October. The year 2010 proved to be exceptionally fruitful for Esfandiari, amassing a total prize pool of $944,519. The pinnacle of his success was undoubtedly the triumph at the prestigious Five Diamond World Poker Classic held in Las Vegas in December 2010, where he triumphed in the No Limit Hold'em category and walked away with a staggering $870,124 in prize money.
The Big One for One Drop 2012 and additional bracelets
Antonio Esfandiari made his mark in the history books in 2012 by clinching his second and third bracelets, setting a record for the highest individual prize in a poker tournament. While participating in the 43rd World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, he achieved some smaller cashes, but it was The Big One for One Drop with its million-dollar buy-in that proved to be a stroke of luck. Esfandiari emerged victorious, claiming the lion's share of $42.6 million from the prize pool, taking home an impressive $18,346,673. To this day, he sits atop the record list, unchallenged even by Dan Colman's winnings of approximately $15 million two years later. On September 22nd, Esfandiari secured his third bracelet in Cannes at the World Series of Poker No Limit Hold'em event, earning a prize of €126,207. Another significant achievement was his fourth-place finish at the WSOP One Drop High Roller Event in June 2013, where he pocketed $1,433,438.
Antonio Esfandiari's impressive career earnings of over $27 million and 44 WSOP cashes still secure him a place in the top ten on the All Time Money List. However, his ranking on the Global Poker Index has significantly declined since 2017, mainly due to his decreased participation in live poker tournaments. Esfandiari gained additional fame through his appearance in the US television series "I Bet You," which revolved around wild bets with his close friend, Irish poker player Phil Laak. Furthermore, he was immortalized on the big screen in the 2008 film "All In - Everything or Nothing."
