Capture the Flag -- Antonio Esfandiari

Antonio Esfandiari, also known as “The Magician,” made the transition from professional illusionist to poker professional years ago, and since then, he’s earned $3.2 million in tournaments and has won a World Series of Poker bracelet and a World Poker Tour title, but cash games have always been his main source of income. Esfandiari is known as a dangerous, instinctual player, and has been featured on GSN’s High Stakes Poker and NBC’s Poker After Dark cash-game shows.

Kristy Arnett: Did you have any mentors who helped you learn?

Antonio Esfandiari: There were a couple of players I watched back in my younger days. A guy named Scott Lundgren — an old-time player from L.A. — is an amazing player. Also, Bobby Hoff; I learned a lot from him.

KA: Did they give you any specific advice?

AE: It’s not so much that they gave me advice. I learned a lot just watching them, which I think a lot of beginning players should do.

KA: What advice would you give to beginning cash-game players?

AE: My advice would be to study the game. Watch videos online. I’ve never done that, but I think it’s a great learning tool. The game has evolved so much that everyone has kind of figured it out. It was a lot easier back in the day. No one knew anything. No one knew what a three-bet was. No one knew what a float was. Now, everyone has figured out the game, so if you want to be a winning cash-game player, you really have to be one step ahead of the next guy. You have to be really, really determined.

KA: How have you had to adjust to the changes in the way cash games play?

AE: Well, I feel like the best part of my game is my instinct. The kids, they all play standard poker. They raise in position, they three-bet you with anything, and they bet after the flop. So, you kind of have to adjust accordingly, depending on who’s on your left, and whatnot. It’s just evolved so much. It used to be a much tighter game. Now, if the players are playing every hand, just try to tighten up and play quality hands.

KA: Who, in your opinion, are the best cash-game players in the world?

AE: I think “Durrrr” plays really well, and Patrik Antonius is a beast.

KA: What characteristics do great cash-game players share?

AE: The ability to read their opponents, and they have heart.

KA: What do you mean by heart, and why is that important?

AE: When you know that your king high is good and your opponent bets $100,000, you have to have the heart to call. It takes a lot of heart to follow your true instincts, and if you can’t do that, you can’t be the best.

KA: What advice would you give players who are naturally risk-averse and who have a hard time following their instincts?

AE: Start doing what you think you should do and what you can get away with. A lot of times, people don’t do what they know they can get away with in regard to bluffing and whatnot, because the money is too much for them. I’d suggest trying to pull those moves in a smaller game. Every time your instinct tells you to do something, try it. See how it works out for you.

KA: What must tournament players keep in mind in order to be successful in cash games?

AE: Tournaments are all about survival and getting maximum value for your hands, because time is of the essence, whereas in cash games, you have all the time in the world, so you don’t need to take unwarranted risks.

KA: When you were moving up in stakes, how did you know when you were ready to play at the next level, in terms of both skill and bankroll?

AE: It’s not a matter of knowing. When you play poker for a living, you always want to play higher, and you want to be the best. The way to do that is to keep moving up higher. It’s not like I made a calculated decision for when I was ready in regard to skill. As for my bankroll, I’d say, “OK, my bankroll is X amount and the buy-in for this game is Y amount. If I lose Y amount, I still will have Z amount to survive, so take a shot.”

KA: Have you ever had shots go wrong or run very badly in high-stakes games?

AE: On season one of High Stakes Poker, I lost over $100,000. On season three, I lost over $100,000. I got punished on that show many, many times, but such is life. If your bankroll can take a hit, you just keep going. I don’t let losing affect me. It’s the same as winning, pretty much, because you can’t win every session. I think of losing like paying taxes. You have to pay your taxes, and you have to lose.

KA: On the show, viewers watched you limp a couple of times preflop with pocket aces. What went into your decision to slow-play preflop?

AE: The reason why I limped in was to put in a reraise preflop, and it didn’t work out those couple of times on High Stakes Poker because everybody limped. In a game in which there is a lot of raising, it’s OK to limp and reraise preflop. If you limp and the pot doesn’t get raised, you have to be able to fold.

KA: Is that because of the information you lose when there is no raise preflop?

AE: Exactly. In one hand when I limped with aces, the flop came K-Q-10 and Barry Greenstein had K-Q. The flop was checked around, and then he led into five people on the turn. I called, and on the river, he bet $20,000. I just knew that my aces were no good, because he wouldn’t lead into five people on the turn and continue to bet on the river, so I mucked my aces.

KA: What’s the most crucial mistake that you see beginning cash-game players making?

AE: Playing hands when out of position. Position is so important. I see so many people play hands that they shouldn’t when out of position. You want to avoid playing drawing hands when out of position. I think that a lot of people don’t value position for what it is.

KA: For many players learning on the Internet, it can be a difficult transition to live cash games. Do you have any advice for them?

AE: Stay out of my games, you little Internet geniuses [laughing]. No, but sometimes, Internet players will come to a game and play solely on math. They don’t understand that you can actually look at your opponents and get a read on them.