After years of vanishing in and out of the spotlight, Antonio 'The Magician' Esfandiari is suddenly back under the bright lights of high-stakes livestream cash games.
He looks right at home again, smiling, needling opponents, pushing edges, and directing traffic like he never stepped away.
But for a stretch, one of poker’s most natural showmen chose a different stage. A wife and family. Luckily for poker fans worldwide, Esfandiari’s children are in school, the house is a tad quieter, and a familiar urge has been reawakened.
“The reason why you've seen a little bit more of me lately is that my kids are a little bit older,” says Esfandiari. “All three of them go to school during the day, so it's a little easier for me to get away midweek."
Everywhere you look, Esfandiari is in the mix against elite cash game killers. He’s popped up on Hustler Casino Live, Bally Live Poker, and PokerGO’s No Gamble, No Future, and High Stakes Poker.
“I played on a few streams and enjoyed it. I figured I would play more often. It's been fun entering the TV poker cash games. But I still feel like the game is just as tough as it was a couple of years ago.”
'A force to be reckoned with'
Alan Keating is one of the opponents Antonio has gone mano a mano with over the last few months. One recent clash during PokerGO’s Super High Roller Cash Game saw the pot explode to over $2M.
“Alan Keating is a force to be reckoned with at a poker table,” says Esfandiari. “He's either going to make you, or he's going to break you. He's going to put you to the test. He's going to fire all barrels if he has to."
“He's one of those guys who, if he has a gut feeling about something, it doesn't matter how much money is at stake. He's just going to go for it. A lot of people and a lot of players will have that instinct, but they won't actually press the button for all three barrels or whatever it takes. He doesn't care.”
So, what makes Keating even more of a formidable and respected opponent in Esfandiari’s eyes?
“Keating is completely unattached to the money when it comes to going with your gut. That's something we have to respect about a poker player.
“If you run good against him, he's great to play against. And if you run bad against him, he's going to absolutely slaughter you.”
Battling Icons
For more than two decades, Esfandiari has traded blows with the game’s biggest legends and loved every minute of it.
“I met Doyle Brunson when I was in Vegas with my girlfriend at the time. He signed a playing card for me, which I still have in my safe. I believe that's the only autograph I've ever asked for in my life.
“I thought he was a legend, obviously. And then fast forward to playing poker with him on High Stakes Poker; it was pretty cool throughout the years. I always thought Doyle was the OG.”
Phil Hellmuth is another icon that Esfandiari has skirmished with, only to be brutally swept in a PokerGO heads-up High Stakes Duel.
“Hellmuth is one of my absolute favorites. He's very special. He gets a lot of heat for the way he behaves and what not, but I will say that at his core, he’s amazing to me.
“For the most part, in cash games, I held over him our entire career. Always. That is, until that heads-up match on PokerGO. He beat me 3-0 and put me in my place. That was so gut-wrenching and painful to be a part of, but still, really love that man.”
The kids are in school. The games are bigger than ever. And The Magician looks right at home again. Welcome back.
We’re just getting warmed up. The full conversation with Antonio Esfandiari drops any day now on PokerOrg’s The Interview.
Featured image courtesy of PokerGO.
