Hilton Head card shark back at the table at World Series of Poker

Robert “Moose” Rini would like to play poker on his birthday — Thursday — in Las Vegas, but first he’ll have to survive Tuesday, Day 2 of the 2017 World Series of Poker $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event.

Rini, a Hilton Head Island realtor, made it to Day 5 of last year’s tournament, and finished in 188th place, earning $42,285. Qui Nguyen won the event, netting more than $8 million.

Currently, Rini has 106,600 in chips; the current leader, Morten Mortensen, has 276,000, according to the tournament website.

There are still 4,262 players in the 10-day event, with the field shrinking each day as players are knocked out.

Tuesday’s action begins at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time for Rini. ESPN will cover the event live from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., according to the network’s website.

Will Rini be featured on TV? It depends, he said — if he’s at a table with a past winner, or if someone he’s playing with has a big hand, you might see him.

“I’m usually talking and telling jokes at the tables, so it does bring attention,” he said in a text message Tuesday. “I’m not your ordinary, sit there, hoody-and-sunglasses-and-say-nothing kind of guy,” he continued, ending the message with an “LOL.”

If Rini survives the round, he’ll play in Thursday’s Day 3, with live coverage and updates available on the tournament’s website.

“One day at a time, no one can win this in the early days,” Rini said. “You have to be in it to win it. I would like to say thank you to everyone who follows me when I play these tournaments.”

This story was originally published July 11, 2017 at 12:16 PM with the headline "Hilton Head card shark back at the table at World Series of Poker."