Esfandiari became a professional
magician at 19. While he was performing magic, he was invited to play
Texas Hold 'em and the rest is history. In 2004, he won close to $1.4 million at
the WPT LA Poker Classic. He won his first World Series of
Poker bracelet a few months later in Pot-Limit Hold 'em.
Esfandiari appeared in the second
and third series of Poker Superstars on Fox Sports Network. He is
currently appearing in the GSN series High Stakes Poker. A
natural showman, Esfandiari loves to perform card and chip tricks at the
table. As of 2006, Esfandiari's poker
resume includes one WSOP bracelet,
three WPT final tables, and over $2
million dollars in career tournament
earnings.
Esfandiari became a professional
magician at 19. While he was performing magic, he was invited to play
Texas Hold 'em and the rest is history. In 2004, he won close to $1.4 million at
the WPT LA Poker Classic. He won his first World Series of
Poker bracelet a few months later in Pot-Limit Hold 'em.
This young, charismatic, poker tournament-savvy player is a force to be reckoned with. In
2004 alone, Williams won $3.5 million for his runner-up at the WSOP Main Event and $670,000 for his
runner-up finish at the WPT. In
2006, he won his first WSOP bracelet and made multiple WPT Final Tables.
In 2003, Chris became the hero of the “everyman” when, as an unknown amateur, he defeated the world’s best poker professionals in stunning fashion to win the World Series of Poker’s Main Event. What made his title and $2.5 million prize even more remarkable is the fact that he had parlayed a $40 online tournament entry into his groundbreaking victory. Dubbed “The Moneymaker Effect,” his well publicized triumph is widely considered the spark that ignited the poker frenzy and gave hope to every basement poker prodigy.
Phil Laak likes to have fun at the poker table. He is identifiable by his signature gray hooded sweat-shirt, given to him by Gus Hansen. Do not be surprised if Laak is lying on the ground doing push-ups, or standing behind the dealer to be the first to see the cards. He has 12 major cashes, including a win in the 2004 World Poker Tour Invitational. He finished second in the 2005 $2,500 pot-limit hold’em World Series of Poker event. He has also been featured on NBC’s Poker After Dark and is dating fellow poker player and actress Jennifer Tilly.
