An Orbit w/ Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari
Antonio Esfandiari has been having a rough go of it today, but not on the felt.
"They're shot," Esfandiari told us when we asked how his legs are doing. That's because he's in a 48-hour bet with his friend Bill Perkins. We're not sure what's on the line, but we do know that when Esfandiari is in the PCA area, which includes the long hallways and massive tournament room, he can only move by lunging. Anyone who spends some time in the gym will tell you it's a good workout.
"I'm not sure I could do it for a million at this point," Esfandiari told James Calderaro, who was seated to his left. Esfandiari then expressed legitimate concern that his legs would give out, something he hoped to combat by getting a massage.
Just before the break, we decided to spend an orbit watching Table 7, which saw Esfandiari begin with approximately 120,000 in chips.
Hand #1 (Small Blind): Adrianus Weel raised to 2,700 from the cutoff, Esfandiari folded, and Calderaro called from the big blind to see a 
flop, which both players checked. Action repeated itself on the 
turn, and then Calderaro fired out 5,000 on the 
river. Weel folded.
Hand #2 (Button): Talal Shakerchi took a seat at the table, but was dealt out of this hand. Jean-Baptiste Desvignes opened for 2,700 from middle position, Esfandiari folded, and Michel Fardel called from the big blind to see a flop of 
. The two players checked and then did the same on both the 
turn and 
river. Fardel showed the 
, which was bested by the 
of Desvignes.
Hand #3 (Cutoff): Esfandiari raised to 2,600 and took down the pot.
Hand #4 (Hijack): Shakerchi raised to 2,600 from middle position, Esfandiari folded, and Desvignes called from the button. Desvignes check-called a bet of 3,200 on the 
flop, and then checked the 
turn. Shakerchi bet 5,600, Desvignes check-raised to 14,900, and Shakerchi folded.
Hand #5 (Middle Position): Shakerchi raised to 3,000, Esfandiari folded, and Christian Campan called from the button. Weel came along from the big blind and three players saw a flop of 
. Weel checked, Shakerchi continued for 6,000, and Campan quickly called. Weel folded, the dealer burned and turned the , and Campan called a bet of 11,600. When the 
completed the board on the river, Shakerchi moved all in and Campan folded.
Hand #6 (Middle Position): Shakerchi raised to 2,500, Esfandiari folded, and Michel Fardel called from the hijack. Thomas Hueber came along from the big blind and three players saw a flop of 
. Hueber checked, Shakerchi bet 3,800, and only Fardel called to see the 
turn. Both players checked, the completed the board on the river, and Shakerchi check-folded to a bet of 12,000.
Hand #7 (Under the Gun): Esfandiari raised to 3,700 and took down the pot.
Hand #8 (Big Blind): Desvignes opened for 2,700 from the hijack and Esfandiari defended the big blind. Esfandiari then checked the 
flop, Desvignes bet 2,500, and Esfandiari check-raised to 6,300. Desvignes called and then action went check-check on the turn. When the completed the board on the river, Esfandiari checked and then folded when Desvignes bet 5,500.
Esfandiari wasn't overly active during the orbit, but Shakerchi certainly made the most of it.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
210,000
134,500
|
134,500 |
|
150,000
59,100
|
59,100 |
|
||
|
108,000
-21,000
|
-21,000 |
|
||
|
85,000
11,100
|
11,100 |
|
73,000
13,000
|
13,000 |
|
60,000
12,500
|
12,500 |
|
51,500
-4,000
|
-4,000 |
|
32,000
12,700
|
12,700 |