Jeff Lisandro

Better known as the “Iceman” of World Series Poker, Jeff Lisandro made his first final table debut in 1997, pitched against the esteemed Phil Helmuth Junior and Tom McEvoy in the $3,000 Pot Limit Hold'em event. Lisandro eventually lost out to Helmuth, but the ensuing battle cemented his status as a polished WSOP player.

Born in Perth, Australia, Jeff Lisandro credits his mother for his early introduction to poker at the age of five. A career diversion into real estate development delayed his early forays into professional poker, however, Lisandro gave it all up in 1990 to concentrate solely on the game. Jeff debuted in his first live cash event at the London Festival of Poker 1995, notching up a 4th place title for £1,200. Later that year he scooped first again in the HF100 Master Classics of Poker Amsterdam, swiftly followed by a victory at the Vienna Spring Poker Fest 1996. Those victories paved the path to success in Los Angeles, where Lisandro made it to the finals for the State Poker and Legends of Poker Championships.

L.A proved a springboard to the WSOP for Lisandro, although he scored some notable victories in between as the Australasian Poker Championships and Euro Poker Finals 2003. In April 1997, Jeff Lisandro walked away with a 12th place cash-out in the $1,500 Seven Card Razz event, then returned in May for a pop at the $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em cash pot. 2003 brought with it a number of successive victories, including a 1st in the Bellagio-hosted $1,500 Pot Limit Hold'em event. Lisandro famously defeated Howard Lederer in December 2004, in a $25,000 limit Head's Up event for $194,000. He rounded off his five year streak defeating Phil Ivey in a No-Limit WSOP final, raking in $542,000 and scoring another bracelet for his efforts.

To date, Jeff Lisandro counts 5 gold bracelets, 35 money finishes in the WSOP and a WSOP “Player of the Year” award among his many achievements. His estimated worth is thought to exceed $4.4 million, of which $2.9 million was cashed through WSOP tournament wins. He now resides in Salermo, Italy, competing in both online and off-line WSOP events.