World Series of Poker – $2,000 Pot Limit Hold’em Event 2004

Antonio Esfandiari won the World Series of Poker $2,000 Pot Limit Hold’em Event in 2004 to win a WSOP bracelet and $185,000.

This big victory came just three months after he exploded onto the poker scene with his huge win at the World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic for $1.4 million!

This poker prodigy proved that he was no one-hit wonder by once again battling through a large field that featured 324 entrants each paying $2,000 to take part. With this win he added a WSOP bracelet to his WPT title and became one of the most respected and feared tournament players around.

Beating the Best Players – Again!

Antonio Esfandiari had already proved his mettle against some of the toughest players in the game prior to this event in his short tournament career. He eliminated Phil Hellmuth at the WPT 49’er Gold Rush in front of a TV audience and battled through a tough WPT final table during the L.A. Poker Classic.

Now, he would repeat his amazing performance besting a tough WSOP final table that included two Main Event Champions – Chris “Jesus” Ferguson and Phil Hellmuth. Eventually, Hellmuth would fall in 6th place and Ferguson would finish in 4th.

Even with these two well-known pros eliminated, winning a WSOP bracelet would be no walk in the park for the Magician. He was still up against two players who have gone on to win over $1 million each playing tournament poker.

Ivo “The Chess Master” Donev was no stranger to winning tournaments having dominated the Austrian poker scene as well as winning a WSOP bracelet in the WSOP $1,500 Limit Omaha event in 2000. Donev would be eliminated in 3rd place.

The action would get heads-up against two-time WSOP bracelet winner Phi Nguyen. Nguyen had just come off a huge win in the WSOP $1,500 No Limit Hold’em Shootout event just two days before getting into another heads-up situation against Antonio Esfandiari. A year before, the poker veteran also claimed the WSOP $2,500 No Limit Hold’em bracelet.

In the classic young gun vs. seasoned pro match-up, Esfandiari would emerge triumphant to claim his first World Series of Poker title to cement his place as one of the top poker players in the world and as one of the hottest young stars in the modern game.

For years to come, he would be able to hold this WSOP bracelet victory over his buddy and rival Phil Laak who was unable to win a bracelet until the WSOPE No Limit Hold’em Six Handed event in 2010. Laak’s girlfriend Jennifer Tilly also won a bracelet, winning the WSOP $1,000 Ladies Only event in 2005 giving Antonio further fuel for the fire, by having the Unabomber’s best friend and girlfriend both holding bracelets while Laak did not!

Final Table Payouts

The payouts from the final table of the World Series of Poker $2,000 Pot Limit Hold’em Event 2004 were:

Antonio Esfandiari’s World Series of Poker bracelet victory was a notable one given the large field and tough competition that he faced in earning the title and the sweet $185,000 payday.