Antonio Esfandiari

Antonio Esfandiari, also known as The Magician one of the best poker players of our years. He is also the inventor of the poker game Lodden Thinks.

Antonio Esfandiari Biography

Antonio Esfandiari was the highest earning tournament poker player ever, with total winnings in excess of $25m up until Daniel Negreanu took that title by winning "Big One For One Drop 2014". A large chunk of this was from his $18.3m win in The Big One for One Drop, besting Sam Trickett heads-up to take home the bracelet.

Esfandiari, is also known as 'The Magician', as he was once a professional magician before becoming one of the best and most recognisable faces in modern day poker.

He is always a funny character at the table, and never fails to provide some top quality poker at the same time. Not many people have a bad thing to say about Antonio for obvious reasons. Antonio started playing poker when he was invited to a poker game when he was 19, during the same time he was peforming magic. It seemed from here on he was destined to transfer his magic onto the tables.

He kicked off his incredibly successful career big time when he won almost $1.4m at the LA Poker Classic Event.

Antonio has a very close friendship with fellow poker pro player, Phil Laak. They have been known to create great TV together at the televised table with their wit and generally likable personalities.

Game invented by Antonio Esfandiari & Phil Laak:

Lodden Thinks

The game of Lodden Thinks spiralled from some joking between the two as to what fellow pro Johnny Lodden while the three were at a televised table during a WSOP event. Esfandiari decided that their usual chat was boring and they needed to spice it up a little, so the two came up with Lodden Thinks.

The rules are as follows:

- 3 people are involved in the game, with 2 'betting' against each other, and one being 'Lodden' (ps. this doesn't actually have to be Johnny Lodden surprisingly.)

- Anybody can come up with a question with a numerical answer, and pose it to the group, with 'Lodden' thinking of an answer.

- The two 'bettors' then start off a bidding war as to what they think 'Lodden' would think. This goes on until one of the bettors declares 'I'm under', which means they take any number under what their opponent has just said, which subsequently means the other person takes over that number.

- 'Lodden' then reveals their answer, and depending on where that number lies in under or over, the winner is declared. What is so interesting about the game, is that it does not matter what the actual answer is, it only matters what 'Lodden' thinks the answer is.

A typical game for the minds of poker players.

Take a look at a Lodden Thinks game between Brunson and Ivey.

Read More
7 years ago6,017BestPokerVids,

Published 7 years ago

National Heads-Up Championship - Esfandiari vs Tilly

Antonio Esfandiari and Jennifer Tilly play an epic heads-up match in their first round match at the 2013 National Heads-Up Poker C...

7 years ago15,325BestPokerVids,

Published 7 years ago

Premier League Poker - Hellmuth Arguing With Esfandiari

King of Tilt Phil Hellmuth is arguing with Antonio Esfandiari whilst playing a hand against Jonathan Duhamel in this Season 6 epis...

7 years ago4,120BestPokerVids,

Published 7 years ago

Hellmuth Against Esfandiari - Flush vs Flush

A big hand from an episode of High Stakes Poker as both Phil Hellmuth and Antonio Esfandiari are playing big flush draws.

7 years ago22,867BestPokerVids,

Published 7 years ago

Poker Night in America - S4 Ep 8 - "Aces That Fly"

Poker Night In America - Season 4 Episode 8After losing the biggest pot in Poker Night history, Antonio Esfandiari is slowing rega...

7 years ago24,808BestPokerVids,

Published 7 years ago

Poker Night in America - S4 Ep 7 - "Psychic Flow"

Poker Night In America - Season 4 Episode 7The poker from Las Vegas continues apace, and Phil Laak channels the psychic energy of ...

7 years ago34,564BestPokerVids,

Published 7 years ago

Poker Night in America - S4 Ep 4 - "Damn, Daniel!"

Poker Night In America - Season 4 Episode 4As word gets around Las Vegas that our cash game is in full swing, some notable players...

7 years ago30,094BestPokerVids,

Published 7 years ago

Poker Night in America - S4 Ep 3 - "The Kissing Bet"

Poker Night In America - Season 4 Episode 3The Twitch Celebrity Cash Game in Las Vegas barrels on into the night as our curated co...

7 years ago25,455BestPokerVids,

Published 7 years ago

Poker Night in America - S4 Ep 2 - "Rampage"

Poker Night In America - Season 4 Episode 2The PNiA exclusive Twitch Celebrity Cash Game is in full swing, and the only thing more...

7 years ago23,350BestPokerVids,

Published 7 years ago

Poker Night in America - S4 Ep 1 - "It Begins"

Poker Night In America - Season 4 Episode 1We collect the best poker streamers from Twitch.tv, as well as a few notable Vegas pros...

7 years ago6,390BestPokerVids,

Published 7 years ago

National Heads-Up Championship - Esfandiari Vs Tilly

Antonio Esfandiari and Jennifer Tilly play an epic game during their first round match at the 2013 National Heads-Up Poker Champio...

The Best Bluff in the History of Poker

There are a few bluffs that are often cited as some of the most memorable and impressive in poker history

Opioids and Poker Players

The world of poker stars is a world of glamour that comes with its own set of pits and perils

Poker Pros Top Movie and TV Shows Appearances

The big-name pros have also appeared in some less-expected films and TV shows

Antonio Esfandiari Buys $5.4million Venice Beach Mansion

Esfandiari has put his recent troubles behind him and splashed out almost $5.4million on a brand-new Venice Beach mansion in Los Angeles

Antonio Esfandiari in $1million Cash, Chips and Jewellery Theft Case

Woman arrested in $1million theft from Antonio Esfandiari

Antonio Esfandiari vs Kobe Bryant In $30k Champagne War

When you spend your whole life betting and raising, the habit can be hard to break

Top 3 Biggest Winning Poker Moments

Let’s breakdown three of the biggest tournament payouts we’ve seen so far

Antonio Esfandiari Beats Comedian Kevin Hart in Boxing Match

It was magic against comedy in the boxing ring

Antonio Esfandiari Gears Up for Grudge Boxing Bout With Kevin Hart

Esfandiari had accepted 35 to 1 odds to get into the ring with the much fitter Hart

Antonio Esfandiari Expecting a Broken Nose as Kevin Hart Fight Confirmed

The boxing match is set to go ahead in mid-April according to ‘the Magician’