Esfandiari Takes Down The Five Diamond Classic

Antonio Esfandiari walked away victorious for one of the premier December poker tournaments, the WPT Five Diamond Classic. He beat a stacked final table in the company of experienced players, storming through a field of 438 hopefuls to take the first prize of $870,124 - and the coveted $25,000 seat at the championship finals. 

When the players sat down to play out the final hands, it was Vanessa Rousso who held the chip lead position after a profitable Day 5. The proceedings kicked-off with a rendition of “Happy Birthday” for Esfandiari, who turned 32. 

Things got off to a searing pace during the second hand, when Rousso raised, prompting Ted Lawson to go all in. Rousso saw off the early challenge with a pair of queens to Lawson’s pocket nines. Kirk Morrison was next to join the railers, after failing to draw anything worthwhile against Andrew Robl. John Racener was to follow when his suited Qc, 8c was unable to topple Esfandiari’s Kc, Qh. 

A three hour period of sparing took place between the final three players, until Rousso finally ran out of luck with no help of improving her Qh, 2h hand. Only Esfandiari and Robl remained to decide the title. By the time the final hand was dealt, Esfandiari held a 2-1 chip lead, which played into his favour when his Ks, Jd came up against Robl’s Qd, Tc. The flop earned Esfandiari a pair of kings and nothing else developed, but with Robl going all in at the pre-flop it was time to call it a day.