Career

Bonyadi moved from Iran to America in 1983, where he worked as an executive host in the Los Angeles Commerce Casino and as a shift manager at Hollywood Park Casino. In the same WSOP, he also made the final table of the $1,500 seven card stud split event, and placed in the money in the $10,000 no limit hold"em main event. Bonyadi also made a final table in the second season World Poker Tour (WPT) Legends of Poker event, where he finished 5th at a final table featuring Mel Judah, Paul Phillips, T.J. Cloutier, Chip Jett and Philosophy Laak.

Bonyadi made a second WPT final table when he finished runner up to Scott Seiver in the season nine WPT Championship, netting $1,069,900.

As of 2011, his total live tournament winnings exceed $3,700,000. His 15 cashes as the WSOP account for $1,509,927 of those winnings.

Bonyadi is an exclusive professional poker player at Full Tilt Poker.

Achievements

• Bonyadi first came to the attention of poker players when he won the $2,000 limit hold"em event at the 1998 World Series of Poker (WSOP), defeating a final table that included Mimi Tran and John Cernuto on the way to a $429,940 first prize. Bonyadi has also won WSOP bracelets in the 2004 $1,000 deuce to seven triple draw and the 2005 no limit hold"em tournaments.