[user22113]
I really, really will resist goofy headlines trading on "The Magician's" nickname. But after a substantial preflop battle of the blinds built a sizeable pot, both players checked the flop after an ace appeared. The appealed enough to the big blind to bet 1,200 after Antonio checked, but the on the river drew a 3,300 bet from Esfandiari. The BB called and showed A-8, but Esfandiari had A-9 and, it turns out, really didn't need the nine on the river. Not that he probably minded.
![[user22113]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
appealed enough to the big blind to bet 1,200 after Antonio checked, but the 
on the river drew a 3,300 bet from Esfandiari. The BB called and showed A-8, but Esfandiari had A-9 and, it turns out, really didn't need the nine on the river. Not that he probably minded.