Mike Gainey is the Mr. Rogers of Poker. A kind, gracious, friendly gentleman, he's loved and admired by all the boys 'n girls of The Game.
The Director of Poker for the Seneca Casinos in New York State, Mike is also one of Poker's most knowledgeable, experienced and innovative individuals. When the Great History of Poker is written, the chapter devoted to him will be one of the most important and interesting.
A Marine fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, Mike returned home expecting to join his family's ceramic business. He gave it a try but as a single father with three small boys, ages four, five and 10 months, Mike decided it was time for a change.
Mr. Mom packed-up his boys, moved West, and settled in Lake Tahoe. He started paying his bills playing poker and developed a real passion for the game and the people. So well liked by everyone, the Hyatt Regency asked if he'd like to become a poker dealer.
"I reported to work expecting to go to poker dealing school," Gainey recalls, "Instead, they stuck me in a live game and told me to start dealing." His first time, Mike says he dealt out the cards and "I only got one on the table!" "I was a terrible dealer," Mike admits, "so they promoted me to floor supervisor". It was the start of a long, accomplished, and interesting career. He recalled that on one occasion, while at the Hyatt, the lights went out and the back-up generators failed. "We had a $15/30 Pineapple game in progress and the players didn't want to stop despite the darkness. So, to keep from losing the game, my dealers kept lighting matches to allow the action to continue. We played like that for 25 minutes and burned up more than 50 books of matches," Mike laughed.
Eventually, Gainey went to work for the Reno Hilton. There he was instrumental in assembling a world class team and establishing the poker program as one of the most successful and well known in the country. When the Seneca Casinos decided to make poker a principal feature, they went seeking the most knowledgeable and highly regarded poker person they could find. They found him - Mike Gainey. Ready for a change, Mike took the job.
Characteristically, Gainey's approach has been to teach and train his staff to become poker professionals. He credits Seneca tribal leaders for their full and enthusiastic support. "The President of the Seneca Nation Barry Snyder and members of the Governing Council like Tina Abrams have been terrific," Mike says.
The flagship of Seneca poker is the new Niagara Hotel/Casino, just opened in early January. A magnificent resort property located next to majestic Niagara Falls, it is clearly going to make the natural wonder a world class American resort destination. And Poker, under Mike Gainey's direction, is going to play a principal role in accomplishing the goal.
The Seneca Niagara poker room has been expanded from three to sixteen tables. Already the room is busy and fills by noon on weekends. The just concluded inaugural "Seneca World Poker Classic" opened the new Hotel. The ten day event was attended by some of poker's biggest stars and celebrities. Men "The Master" Nguyen, 2005 Player of the Year, WS0P Champion and author, Tom McEvoy, "Unabomber" Phil Laak, young poker super star Antionio Esfandiari, and Card Player Cruises' Linda Johnson were just some of the top names in the game to participate in the tournament. One event of the Seneca Poker Classic was the Can-Am Championship.
The Seneca Niagara Casino, in partnership with International Poker Tours, is sponsoring a series of tournaments to highlight and develop the natural, inherent and friendly competition between the two great nations.
Next October, the Seneca Niagara Casino will host the North American Poker Tour, Oct. 9-22. It will feature the biggest and best names in tournament poker, and it will be televised. For more information, go to senecapokerrooms. com.
Mike Gainey, assisted by well known tournament directors Matt Savage, David Lamb, Billy V, and Carlee Hunter, are working closely with the Seneca Casino staff to help make poker a key contributor to the goals of the Seneca Nation. "Our reward will be to look back and take a little pride and satisfaction in their success," Gainey concludes.
