Ali Eslami

Ali Eslami was born on March 26, 1976 in Tehran, Iran, and later moved to the United States, now residing in Los Angeles, California. He began his career as a business strategist before diving into poker, quickly establishing himself in high-stakes cash games. Eslami primarily focuses on limit mixed games (mix-games) and has competed against many top players in Los Angeles's elite poker circles.

Eslami's live tournament career began in 2003 with his debut at the WPT Legends of Poker. As of 2024, his live earnings exceed $1.9 million ( $1,996,867 according to The Hendon Mob). Highlights include:

• 2011 WSOP Circuit Western Regional Championship: Won for $282,242, his largest career cash.
• 2012 WSOP $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em: Finished 3rd for $199,623.
• 2022 WSOP $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better: Beat a field of 471 to capture his first WSOP gold bracelet and $135,260. This was Eslami's first WSOP victory, which he dedicated to his late friend Chad Brown.

In WPT events, Eslami's best result was 4th place at the 2012-2013 Legends of Poker for $133,700. He also finished 6th at the 2010-2011 Hollywood Poker Open ($50,962).

Eslami is a pioneer in human vs. machine poker competitions. In 2007, he teamed up with Phil Laak to play four 500-hand matches against the University of Alberta's poker AI "Polaris" on behalf of humanity. The humans won two matches, tied one, and earned $10,000. Eslami thus became one of the first players to defeat a poker AI.

In November 2011, Eslami represented the United States at the inaugural International Federation of Poker (IFP) "Nations Cup" in London, playing alongside Team USA.

Eslami is known for a tight-aggressive (TAG) style, especially in limit mixed games. He makes nuanced post-flop decisions, adeptly leverages position and range balancing, and maintains steady profitability in deep-stacked cash games. In tournament late stages, he displays strong ICM awareness, tightening his range near the bubble and attacking aggressively when advantageous.

Ali Eslami is one of the protagonists of the poker documentary Bet Raise Fold, which chronicled the online poker boom of the 2000s and the lives of professional players after "Black Friday." This brought him broader public attention.

In the poker community, Eslami is regarded as an underappreciated top-tier cash game player. His career transition (from online high-stakes to live tournaments) and achievements in human vs. machine play offer valuable insights for future generations.