Max Pescatori: A Poker Pro from Italy

The real name of Max Pescatori is Massimiliano Pescatori but he settled to using Max to be remembered more easily. He was born in Milan, Italy in 1971. In most cases, he wears a headscarf when participating in poker tournaments. This is the reason why poker players started calling him the Italian Pirate.

It was in 1994 when Max Pescatori relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada. It was during this time that he frequently visited the Luxor Hotel in order to play Seven Card Stud games. However, he discovered that he could earn more money in playing Hold'em games, and so he shifted from being a Seven Card Stud player to becoming a Hold'em player.

Max Pescatori was also coached by poker professional Valter Farina in 1998. Farina is the very first Italian poker professional to earn a World Series of Poker bracelet. With the help of Farina, Max Pescatori eventually turned into a poker professional in 1999.

The participation of Max Pescatori in a US$300 Limit Hold'em event of the World Poker Challenge tournament that was held in Reno, Nevada in 2003 was considered as his first major tournament victory. He was awarded the prize money of US$17,227. It was in this event that Max Pescatori realized that he was capable of defeating poker giants such as John Bonetti.

Max Pescatori had two money finishes in 2004 and six money finishes in 2005 when he participated at the World Series of Poker. In 2006, Max Pescatori earned his first World Series of Poker bracelet after successfully defeating poker professional Anthony Reategui in a US$2,500 No Limit Hold'em event. He was given the prize money worth US$682,389.

In between his victories in the poker world, Max Pescatori was happy to meet and be friends with several poker professionals. Of course, Farina was the first poker professional that he became friends with. He eventually had the chance to meet poker professional Evelyn Ng in 1999 and the two have been friends since then. Max Pescatori also met poker professional Jennifer Harmon in 2001. Harmon was glad to help him improve his playing techniques. Aside from being a mentor, Harmon has also become his close friend.

Of course, Farina, Ng, and Harmon are included in the list of poker professionals that Max Pescatori respects most. His list also includes Alan Young, Chris Bjorn, Carlos Mortensen, Michael Mizrachi, Scotty Nguyen, and Todd Brunson. He also says that he does not dream of achieving more in the poker industry because he has always been satisfied with what he achieves. He says that he will simply continue doing his best and always bear in mind the lessons that he gets from his fellow poker professionals.