PLAYER PROFILE – Mori Eskandani
Mori Eskandani’s name is synonymous with poker in two very different ways: as a player who made a deep run at a WSOP Main Event, and as the producer behind the camera who shaped how poker on television has looked ever since. Few people have influenced how the rest of us actually watch poker as much as he has.
The Early Years
January 29, 1956, a day when the poker world unknowingly received one of its brightest stars, Mori Eskandani. Though his journey began in the card rooms of Portland, Oregon, it was not long before the bright lights of Las Vegas beckoned, promising a future filled with flushes and full houses. That path from the felt tables of the Pacific Northwest to Sin City is where his story really begins.
As a young man, Mori already had a keen mind, adept at calculating odds and reading people, a skill set that would later become his trademark in the poker world. But before he could grace the poker tables of Las Vegas, he had to hone his skills in the card rooms of Portland, a place where he learned the ropes and prepared himself for the big league.
Las Vegas
By the mid-1980s, Mori had packed his bags and set his sights on Las Vegas, the Mecca of gambling. It was here that he would carve out a niche for himself as a player first, long before anyone thought of him as a visionary who could bring poker to the masses through television.
During his initial years in Las Vegas, Mori was a regular face at the poker tables, rubbing shoulders with some of the finest players of the time. His prowess at the game was evident, as he consistently secured significant winnings and built a real reputation at the tables. His highest achievement during this period? A remarkable 15th place finish in the 1993 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, a result that put him on the map among the game’s serious players at a time when the Main Event field was already stacked with the pros he’d go on to work alongside for the rest of his career.
A New Chapter
As the 2000s dawned, Mori embarked on a new journey, one that would see him transition from the poker table to the television studio. Behind the shift was Mori’s own sense of what poker on television could be: something that was entertaining and educational at the same time.
In 2004, Mori collaborated with Henry Orenstein to create “Poker Superstars”, a show that brought together the crème de la crème of the poker world, battling it out for supremacy. Mori wore many hats during this venture, serving as a co-creator, tournament director, and consultant.
But this was just the beginning. Mori’s production company, PokerPROductions, soon became a powerhouse in the industry, producing hit shows like “Poker After Dark” and “High Stakes Poker”. These shows not only entertained audiences but also educated aspiring poker players, providing insights into the strategies and mindsets of the pros.
The Hall of Fame
2018 marked a significant milestone in Mori’s illustrious career, as he was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, an honor that recognized his contributions to the poker world, both as a player and a producer.
Being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame is no small feat, and the list of people who’ve earned it is short by design. It’s a recognition of a person’s contributions to the game, earned through dedication and passion rather than handed out. For Mori, that recognition covered both sides of his career at once: the player who’d gone deep in a WSOP Main Event, and the producer who changed how the rest of the world watched the game unfold on screen.
Beyond the Felt
From the card rooms of Portland to the production booths behind some of poker’s biggest broadcasts, Mori Eskandani built two separate careers that most players only get one shot at. The 2018 Hall of Fame induction wasn’t really the end of that story: PokerPROductions is still shaping how people watch the game today, which means his influence on poker television is still being written.
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About the Author: Shawn Altbaum has been writing and editing in the online gaming industry since 2007, reporting live from the WSOP Main Event and conducting interviews with professional players. An active poker player, he combines industry expertise with firsthand knowledge of the games he covers. He currently serves as Global Head of Copywriting at NSUS Group, overseeing brand voice and content strategy across GGPoker and GGVegas.
