Rivers Casino hosts third Pittsburgh Poker Open tournament
Players shuffled stacks of chips across the dimly lit room, their nervous energy clicking like a swarm of cicadas.
Some players wore dark glasses; others, earphones. They tossed chips in for raises, cards to fold. The dealer turned over three cards: ace of hearts, six of diamonds, jack of hearts.
In turn, a few more chips and cards landed on the green-felt table. The dealer revealed the seven of hearts, followed by more action and finally the two of hearts.
One player raised. The two remaining folded.
Thus played out one hand in thousands to be dealt at the Pittsburgh Poker Open, a 12-day, 28-event poker tournament that started Thursday in Rivers Casino. It ends next week with a television crew on the North Shore to film poker professionals and regular Joes vying for what could be the largest prize pool in Pittsburgh's legal gambling history.
“I was going to play anyway, but it definitely adds to it and makes this event better,” said Bobby Noel, 25, of Green Tree. “The final table being televised is really cool.”
The tournament, in its third year, continues through Dec. 2 with the Championship Event No Limit Hold'em Final Table and a high-stakes cash game featuring six professionals and select local players. Both will be featured in the “Poker Night In America” TV series by Rush Street Productions.
The show, which is shooting a pilot and negotiating with networks, will feature not only table action but the personalities of the players and the cities, said creative director Nolan Dalla.
Rivers will be the show's third stop, following Turning Stone outside Syracuse, N.Y., and Peppermill in Reno.
“We're trying to go to places that are a little different,” Dalla said. “This will give a peek into a very unique world.”
Dalla said he can envision footage outside the casino, such as players visiting the Andy Warhol Museum or riding the Duquesne Incline up to Mt. Washington.
“The goal is to show poker's back story,” he said, noting players sometimes go broke and overcome hardships. “Poker clearly is a game of peaks and challenges. Pros have hard times, just like in life.”
Rivers officials are excited to have their casino featured.
“It is a good opportunity to be one of the first in a ground-breaking event,” said Bud Green, the casino's assistant general manager.
Jim Tinney, the Rivers poker room manager who arrived in April from Las Vegas, wants to grow the tournament into a premiere regional event.
“You take a poker room and graduate it,” Tinney said. “This is our natural next step.”
The former owner of candy stores across North Carolina walked into the world of poker in 2004 when he attended a dealer school in Vegas. By 2005, he was working there full-time.
He managed poker rooms at the Rio and Flamingo. He also latched onto poker's grandest stage.
“My dream was to work the World Series of Poker one time,” he said. “I worked it five times.”
From 2007 through 2011, Tinney worked as a supervisor and shift manager for poker's marquee event, which started in 1970 with a single table. This year, nearly 80,000 people participated in the World Series of Poker's 62-event schedule, which culminated with the Main Event's Texas Hold'em tournament that drew 6,352 entrants competing for a $59.7 million prize pool.
The Rivers' last Open, held in August, attracted nearly 2,300 players, with 162 playing for the championship prize pool of $157,000.
“I'll be real disappointed if we don't get upwards of 3,000 this time,” said Tinney, who hopes to attract 225 players for the championship No Limit Hold'em tournament from Saturday to Dec. 2.
It costs $1,100 to enter and could generate a prize of more than $200,000, which would be the largest ever at Rivers.
Joel Barton said he plans to enter twice if he gets knocked out early. He has made seven finals tables at his home casino but never won.
“I'm waiting for my first trophy here,” said Barton, 38, of Moon. “I'm getting a trophy this year. Hopefully, it's the big one.”
Jason Cato is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7936 or jcato@tribweb.com.
