Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari

Antonio Esfandiari is known as the magical poker player. Before he found the game of poker, Esfandiari worked at a restraint in San Jose California whilst performing magic tricks on the side, in fact, Esfandiari can still be found dazzling small audiences at poker events with sleight of hand card skills.

Esfandiari, who describes his poker playing style as loose aggressive, began what would become his eventual career as a poker star grinding it out at the $2/$4 limit poker tables before working his way up to the $3/$6 limit game.  Esfandiari believes one of the biggest factors in becoming a winning poker player is not to give into fear.

The poker player compares his poker checks to nails that a carpenter might use to complete a job, you wouldn’t skimp on the nails because of the price you paid for them, and you aren’t afraid to use them to get the job done.

Visitors to Esfandari’s website magicantonio.com are regaled not only with poker tips and tricks, from Antonio Esfandiari who was actually born as Amir Esfandiari, but with dating advice from the young hip and hot pro poker player, including suggested pick up lines! Speaking of Esfandiari and dating… rumor has it the young poker playing gigolo took hot n heavy kisses in return for paying off Pamela Andersons $250k in poker debts.

“I paid off a poker debt with sexual favors and fell in love." – Pamela Anderson

Esfandiari and his family moved to the United States when he was 9 settling down in San Jose, California from Tehran, Iran where Esfandiari was born in 1987. After being teased during school about his name, Amir, Antonio changed his name to Anthony.

Esfandiari has been a featured player in many televised poker events, including the Poker Superstars Invitational tournaments, and playing against the likes of Daniel negranue and Phil Helmuth on GSN’s High Stakes Poker. Esfandiari joins Bertrand Elky Grospellier on Team Pokerstars