This Week's Big Winner: Antonio Esfandiari Wins WSOP Circuit Main Event at Bicycle Casino

With nearly $26.5 million in live tournament earnings, Antonio Esfandiari frequently plays in the biggest buy-in events in the world, but thanks to a Los Angeles trip to visit his father-in-law, the 37-year-old poker pro entered the $1,500 buy-in WSOP Circuit main event at the Bicycle Casino.

After four days of play, Esfandiari topped a star-studded final table that included notables such as Ludovic Geilich, Bryn Kenney, Ray Henson, Barry Woods, and 2006 WSOP main event winner Jamie Gold. For the win, Esfandiari earned $226,785, which puts him just $81,000 away from passing Erik Seidel for second place on the all-time tournament earnings list.

Here are the five biggest hands that propelled Esfandiari to the win.

Tournament: WSOP Circuit Main Event Bicycle Casino
Buy-In: $1,500 • No. of Entries: 756 • Prize Pool: $1,134,000 • 1st Place Prize: $226,785

The Action

The action folded around to Antonio Esfandiari in the small blind and he completed in. Bryn Kenney then moved all in from the big blind and Esfandiari snap called with K Q. Kenney was a small favorite holding A 5, but the flop of Q 5 2 put Esfandiari in the lead. The turn was the K, giving Esfandiari two pair, and it held up with the 3 on the river. Esfandiari took the pot and simultaneously took out one of the best players left in the tournament. Kenney pocketed $44,395 for his finish.

The Action

Antonio Esfandiari raised to 110,000 from the hijack and Jamie Gold reraised to 350,000 behind him. Esfandiari called and the two players saw a flop of A 4 3. Esfandiari checked and Gold bet 300,000. Esfandiari called and the turn was the 10. Esfandiari checked and Gold bet 500,000. Esfandiari check-raised to 1.2 million and Gold moved all in. Esfandiari quickly called with a set of threes and Gold was disappointed to see that his A K was drawing dead. The pot gave Esfandiari the lead with five players left.

The Action

During five-handed play, Antonio Esfandiari raised to 125,000 from the cutoff and Jamie Gold called on the button. Alexander Greenblatt then moved all in from the small blind. Esfandiari moved all in over the top to isolate, and Gold got out of the way, claiming he folded an ace. That was bad news for Esfandiari, who held A 6 and was up against Greenblatt’s pocket queens. The board ran out A 8 7 K 2, however, and Greenblatt was sent to the rail in fifth place, taking home $58,025.

The Action

With just three players remaining, Barry Woods raised to 270,000 from the small blind and Antonio Esfandiari called from the big blind. The flop came down 4 3 2 and Woods checked. Esfandiari bet 315,000 and Woods called. The turn was the K and Woods checked again. Esfandiari bet 580,000 and Woods check-raised all in. Esfandiari instantly called with A 5 for a flopped wheel and Woods could only produce K 10 for top pair. The inconsequential river card was the 10, and Woods was eliminated in third place, earning $103,080. The big pot gave Esfandiari a 12-1 chip lead entering heads-up play.

The Action

With a 4-1 chip deficit, Jamie Gold raised to 260,000 on the button and Antonio Esfandiari called from the big blind. The flop came down A 5 2 and Esfandiari checked. Gold bet 300,000 and Esfandiari check-raised to 800,000. Gold instantly moved all in and Esfandiari snap called. Gold showed A K for “top top,” but Esfandiari had flopped two pair with A 2. Gold needed a king, five, or a running pair to double up, but the turn and river fell 2 8, giving Esfandiari a full house and the title. Gold earned $139,820 for his runner-up finish, which was the second-biggest score of his career. Esfandiari picked up the $226,785 first-place prize, which was the ninth-biggest of his career.

Final Table Results

1. Antonio Esfandiari — $226,785
2. Jamie Gold — $139,820
3. Barry Woods — $103,080
4. Ray Henson — $76,830
5. Alexander Greenblatt — $58,025
6. Bryn Kenney — $44,395
7. Blaise Hom - $34,395
8. Ludovic Geilich -$26,980
9. Jack Duong — $21,420