Antonio Esfandiari has done it, he's won a third WSOP bracelet and in doing so set a new record for the fastest turnaround time between wins.
Esfandiari won his first two bracelets back in 2002 and 2003 and the latest, a massive $1,525,000 payday, came just over ten years and one day later.
The No Limit Hold’em event, one of three on the reduced 2014 WSOP APAC schedule, attracted 76 entrants and was won in quicker time than it takes to watch “Rain Man” from the beginning of Chamberlain’s amazing voyage through Las Vegas to the end with Von Hindenberg’s ashes safely deposited in his final remaining aluminum briefcase.
No Deposit Bonus Casinos in the USA for 2023 [Free Wins]Antonio Esfandiari Wins Big
Esfandiari pulled out a huge bluff on Greg Deans to not only win the event but one of the biggest bracelets ever offered by the WSOP.
"I've never played more than five hands in a cash game with someone once they show me their nuts," Esfandiari said after the hand.
"Here it’s totally different. You have to bluff a lot. I was just waiting for a spot and the God of All Poker Prophet gave me what I wanted,” he continued.
Real Money Casinos You Can Play Online for FreeFinal Hand (Courtesy of Crown Casino)
With the tournament coming to an unpredictable end, it was hard to see it happening when the final table got underway with Esfandiari sitting fourth in chips with only 1.7 million while Hong Kong’s Kenny Hsu held the lead with 5.3 million.
Jonathan Kelm, who started the final table second in chips, went out in 6th place before former November Niner Robert Williamson Smith ran into delegate of fun Greg Deans' monsters twice in quick succession to send the affable American to the rail in fifth.
Williamson Smith may have been the first player to hit the rail at the final table but he was the first player to be eliminated at the final 9 too and there he sat waiting for the other nine players to agree on a fair way to divide up the millions the top two spots usually get.
Best Social Casinos to Play Free Online Slots and GamesIn the end Esfandiari and runner-up Amnon Freiberg had more than double the chips of any other player at the final table and it was Freiberg who took the sole second place spot when he lost a coin flip to Esfandiari.
Esfandiari - A True Poker Ambassador
For Esfandiari the win means a lot. Not only because of the enormous paycheck that comes with it or because it cements his status as the games premier ambassador but because the victory comes only weeks after he was denied a re-entry into Australia.
“When I won my first two bracelets you could still buy-in to events multiple times,” Esfandiari said of the re-entry policy currently plaguing the game.
“This victory means a lot to me considering how difficult I found the visa process and the fact I wasn’t even allowed to re-enter an event I'd already entered,” he said.
Amnon Freiberg
MGM Casino Promos You Can Do From Home (That Don’t Involve Gambling)Freiberg more than doubled his previous live career earnings with his $768,000 second-place finish. The Israeli businessman has almost exclusively played online up until now but is quickly making a name for himself on the live circuit.
The 43-year-old made the final tables of the Aussie Millions Main Event and The Championship event earlier this year and now has a major honour to his name.
“Second place in such a strong field is incredible and I'm extremely happy and satisfied,” Freiberg said. “I think I played a nearly perfect tournament and you can always say ‘what if’, but I play aggressive poker and you have to take risks to win.”
Delayed APAC Main Event Begins
Esfandiari became the second WSOP APAC champion but it will be the largest with 102 players battling behind them over the next four days.
Jason Lavallee
Canada’s Jason Lavallee leads the way after day 1a with 219,000 and will spend the next two days waiting for the completion of day 1b before the remaining players return to battle it out for the massive AU$1,162,625 first prize.
No Deposit Bonus Codes Found . - AskGamblersLavallee, who final tabled the recent ANZPT in Melbourne, is no stranger to big tournaments and has a wealth of experience that sees him well placed to contend another deep run.
“I’ve played these big tournaments all over the world so the smaller fields here at the Crowne don’t faze me,” Lavallee said.
“There’s some great players though and anyone in the top 50 chips counts is in the hunt,” he said.
Aussies Andrew Hinrichsen (182,500), Matthew SD Benney (180,500), Michael Enticott (176,500) and Aaron Benton (174,500) are among the day’s big stacks along with New Zealanders Jai Pascoe (164,500) and David Bryant (154,500).
Michael Enticott
Day 1b plays out tomorrow local time with rounds 5 & 6 starting on Monday afternoon before the field is whittled down to the final table on Tuesday.
The delayed main event wraps up just in time for the scheduled start of the Australian Poker Tour Melbourne which gets underway at 1pm local time on Wednesday.
Best Free No Download Poker Sites - Play Online Poker FreeWSOP APAC Event 3: $1,525 No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Results
- Telle Fantti – 6th – $258,550
- Jonathan Kelm – 5th – $333,050
- Robert Williamson Smith – 4th – $442,150
- Antonio Esfandiari – 3rd – $596,150
- Greg Deans – 2nd – $768,000
WSOP APAC Event 3: $1,525 No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Coverage
It only took another hour to get down to a winner and Antonio Esfandiari has done it! He's won a third WSOP bracelet and in doing so set a new record for the fastest turn around time between wins.
Amnon Freiberg
Esfandiari just called an all-in push by Amnon Freiberg and his ace-jack held against Freiberg’s queen-jack to give Esfandiari the win and the million-dollar top prize.
We spoke to both players shortly after the win.
CT: How did that last hand happen?
Antonio Esfandiari: He moved all-in and and I snapped.
CT: Was you mind racing? What were you thinking?
AE: I had about a 70-30 chance so I felt fine going in. In tournaments you have to make moves and this was the spot.
CT: You’ve won a third bracelet, how does this rank compared to your others?
AE: This one is very special because of the number (APAC), it’s a new event and I’ve played the others many times. Also, coming to Australia and having all the bush and the horses out the front of the hotel, it’s all been incredible.
New Casino sites in the USA with the Best Games (updated::2023)Amnon Freiberg: It’s a fantastic country.
AF: Second place in such a strong field is incredible and I'm extremely happy and satisfied.
CT: Can you talk us through the hand?
AF: Sure. I thought I was a slight favorite in the hand. J-Q versus J-A is historically 60-40 in favor of the Q-J.
Amnon Freiberg
AF: I think I played a nearly perfect tournament and you can always say ‘what if’. But I play aggressive poker and you have to take risks to win.
CT: We saw that delegate of fun image floating around on Twitter. What’s the story behind that?
AE: A guy comes up to me everywhere I go and describes himself as my delegate of fun. He took a photo with me and the briefcase and Von Hindenberg’s ashes and it keeps getting passed from player to player like a tickette to the next WSOP.
CT: So what’s next for you?
AE: I might play the Aussie Millions a little bit, but I’m actually going to the Great Barrier Reef for the next six days on a friend’s yacht. Then Monaco, home for a few days then LA Poker Classic.
CT: And finally, what do you plan to buy with this million bucks?
Top Casino Bonuses in Michigan for 2023AE: I bought Robert Mizrachi off a yacht a few months ago and now I’m going to buy myself a yacht. Actually I’m going to look for one while I’m on the Great Barrier Reef.
Antonio Esfandiari celebrates
CT: Amnon, how do you sum up your first major live final table?'
AF: It’s indescribable really. The final table had so much experience and I've only been playing live for 18 months. To get second is beyond my expectations.
CT: So you’re newly retired and just an recreational player?
AF: That’s correct. I’m not even going to deny that I’m a skilful player because I aren’t (laughs).
CT: Where do players like Antonio on such a big stage?
AF: It’s incredible. I’ve been spending a lot of time with him over the past few days and he’s a true ambassador for the game. He’s a very special person and we need more nice guys like him on the tour.
CT: Antonio mentioned the difficulty international players have coming Down Under. Do you think it’s worth it for a million dollar prize pools?
AF: Absolutely. The Australian government needs to make it easier for people to come down here and play. There was significant resistance to get in this time and in the end they didn’t let me re-enter even though it specifically says on the program that you’re able to.
Best Penny Slots Online - Play Free & Real Money Penny SlotsCT: What a great result for you, but obviously disappointing that you weren’t able to get more chances.
AE: It’s been a good trip nonetheless, just a shame I missed out on this incredible tourism and the wonderful Aussie hospitality while being cooped up in my room studying for the event.
Winner's Podium
Getting back to the final hand, can you talk us through it?
AE: The God of All Poker Prophet gave me what I wanted. I had nothing for his pocket fours, nines or tens but I was just waiting for a spot and the cards held out long enough.
You’ve now won a million dollars and set a record for the fastest turnaround time between bracelet wins. What are your thoughts?
AE: It’s amazing. I've never played more than five hands in a cash game with someone once they show me their nuts. Here it’s totally different. You have to bluff a lot. I was just waiting for a spot and the God of All Poker Prophet gave me what I wanted.
And what a place to do it. The crowd here have been awesome.
Best Online Casinos in UK 2023 - Top British Casino SitesAE: The crowds have been amazing. I hope the WSOP brings back this event because the support has been phenomenal.
Finally, what are you going to do with the money?
AE: Buy a yacht (laughs). No, I'll probably use it to pay for some silly things and maybe invest some of it.
Greg Deans
CT: So tell us about the big bluff.
GD: He's (Esfandiari) a very tough player and I respected him a lot. When he bet the flop and turn I knew he could have a monster but I put him on a lot of middle pairs and some AJs. I just decided to gamble I guess.
GT: What a great result for you. Only a month or so ago you finished second in the Thursday Night Poker series here at the Crown.
Hawaiian Plunges That'll Make Your Toes CurlyGT: Yep, the Thursday Night comp is a great weekly tournament and it’s run exactly the same way as all Stuart Levy's other tournaments. When you finish well in one of his tournaments you're given an automatic confidence boost heading into others.
CT: So what do you do outside of poker?
GT: I'm a delegate of fun, I bring joy to people's lives (laughs). No, I'm actually a property developer and accountant.
CT: And finally, what a great result for you, but obviously disappointing that you weren’t able to get more chances.
Mobile Games You Have to Play at Least Once - #9 is Amazing!AE: It’s been a good trip nonetheless, just a shame I missed out on this incredible tourism and in the end they didn’t let me re-enter even though it specifically says on the program that you’re able to.
Hong Kong’s Winston Sun eventually finished in eighth place but was eliminated shortly after play resumed following a quick 15-minute break.
Sun got his last in in with eights in against Esfandiari’s nines and it was bricks all the way as the dealer spread a blank on the turn and river.
Winston Sun
Play was then halt momentarily so the Crown staff could present Antonio Esfandiari with his million dollars and the surrounding throng of media gave the champagne ceremony a miss and instead swarmed around the Champion of Champions for a barrage of questions.
Esfandiari, who was clearly enjoying himself, held court for around 20 minutes answering every question thrown his way, despite looking forward to hitting the Great Barrier Reef on the Casino’s money for a couple of days solitude.
During question number three we managed to sneak upstairs for some post mortem analysis.
Third place finisher Greg Deans also finished second in 2012.
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