These Guys Aren't Bluffing

In poker, the spoils don't go to the lucky; they go to the smart.

No one knows this better than Bay Area Poker Superstar Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari and top-selling author and PokerStars.com Poker Room Manager Lee Jones.

Esfandiari is the hottest young talent in the poker world. At only 25, he's already won more than $1.5 million on the professional tournament circuit, including the 2004 L.A. Poker Classic in Commerce, CA - a televised World Poker TourT event.

Jones took a longer journey to the limelight. Originally a computer hardware and software designer, he earned his poker stripes competing in Silicon Valley card room tournaments. In 1994, after ten years of hard-won experience, he wrote the best-selling poker tutorial, "Winning Low-Limit Hold'em." The second edition recently made Amazon.com's Top 100 Seller list and the poker industry is now his sole occupation.

When fellow Bay Area poker enthusiasts Dylan Simpson and Anthony Beebe conceived a plan for a unique, educational poker event, they immediately sought assistance from Esfandiari and Jones - and The Poker Camp was born.

The Poker Camp's next seminar, The Bay 101 Final Table Seminar, will be held February 25-27, 2005 in San Jose near the Bay 101 Casino and wraps up at Bay 101 as The Poker Camp will be awarding three lucky winners of their graduation tournament a seat in the WPT Super Satellite. It caters to poker players of all skill levels who wish to learn the finer points of No-Limit Texas Hold'em. Esfandiari is the featured guest speaker. Jones will host an in-depth workshop on poker strategies and techniques. You'll start Friday with an in-depth workshop on poker strategies and techniques taught by Lee Jones. The program is designed to listen and learn from Lee Jones, but this is not a regular school! Shout it out and interrupt the teacher! Ask questions and learn from the best. You'll finish the day with hands on mini-workshops taught by Lee and Coaches. On Saturday Antonio will hold and advance techniques workshop followed by our TPC graduation tournament where students will put their new skills to the test. All entry fees, seminar and entertainment are included in the $995 weekend getaway price, and attendance is limited to just 50 students to ensure a high-quality learning experience.

Unlike the recent flood of poker fantasy camps, where the focus is on playing against famous poker players, The Poker Camp offers a world-class poker education. "If you're a big fan of the game, going head-to-head against a big poker star like Antonio might lead to a great story you can share with your friends," said Dylan Simpson, co-founder of The Poker Camp. "We want to raise your game so you can live your dreams, do better in tournaments, make it to more final tables and maybe compete against poker stars on a regular basis."

Anthony Beebe, The Poker Camp's other co-founder, recounts how the two first came up with the idea. "Dylan and I met one night at a tournament. After exchanging our 'fish tales' of winning and losing tournaments, we discovered that we shared more than just a passion for the game. We both enjoyed teaching others the finer points of strategy and helping the game reach a wider audience," he said.

Thus, the basic concept behind The Poker Camp was born. Since then, it's been a pretty wild ride. "When we first contacted Antonio, he referred us to his agent," said Beebe. "Who knew poker players had agents?"

"For our students, the chance to learn poker from its top players is the main attraction. We designed The Final Table for the player who's interested in learning the secrets of the game before the stakes get too high," said Simpson. "Lots of people have read Lee's book, and probably others like it, but how many get to ask the man questions in person and have him coach you in practice sessions? I only wish seminars like ours were available when I was learning the game."