The Gioco Digitale WPT National San Remo hits the Italian Rivera June 12-15 for the €990 Main Event. Together with Tilt Events, WPT will travel to Italy for the second WPT National of 2015. The 16-event poker festival features buy-ins for all levels, from €35 to the €990 Main Event. Online qualifiers are running now exclusively on GiocoDigitale.it.
WPT caught up with newly appointed Tilt Events Pros Kara Scott and Giovanni Rizzo about the upcoming WPT National in San Remo.
How excited are you to be attending the inaugural WPT event in San Remo?
Kara Scott (KS): I’m always excited when great events are held basically in my back yard! San Remo is such a beautiful little gem and this is a great time of year to experience the Italian Riviera. A fantastic tournament is like icing on the cake!
Giovanni Rizzo (GR): Very excited. For us at Tilt Events, it’s an incredible opportunity to bring back an international success story like WPT to a location that has been looking forward to get top level competition back in town!
Will you be doing anything off the felt during your time in the Italian Rivera?
KS: Of course. As poker players, we kind of have to hope that we’re too busy to be tourists. The less free time we have, the better the poker is going. I can’t say that I’d be too disappointed to end up with a fabulous tan from taking one of their famous ‘Art Walks’ through the town. As a consolation prize, that would not be too bad!
GR: Well, hopefully I’ll be on the felt most of the time. That being said, the Riviera is gorgeous this time a year, and I’ll probably go for my first swim of the year.
Who would win in a heads-up battle against you both?
KS: Ha! People ask us this all the time and Giovanni *always* declines to answer it properly because he knows that he’d win, but he’s far too much of a gentleman to say it out loud!
GR: I think we would just chop it up and invite everybody to go eat “linguine agli scampi” seaside and enjoy the evening!
If you could give one piece of advice to new players who are coming to play their first WPT, event what would it be?
KS: I think one of the best pieces of advice I was ever given about live poker is to realize that’s it’s a very long game. You don’t have to get your whole stack in with top pair in the first level. Take a bit of time to get to know the other players at the table and what they’re capable of first. People are trying to ‘push you around’ at the table probably less than you think!
GR: Enjoy the experience “tout court”, let it sink in, take your time, get accustomed to the players, maybe play some side events or satellites to warm up. And in the spare time; try some great seafood and white wines; go for a nice walk on the Riviera; and, just generally speaking, have lots of fun!
Along the spectacular Italian coast, the Casino di San Remo has preserved its original liberty style, which makes it easily identifiable worldwide. Additionally, it features the Roof Garden restaurant, featuring a beautiful terrace serving typical Italian food. For full event details check out the WPT event page.