This poker game is a cut above.
New York’s historic Astor Place haircutters has been hosting monthly underground poker games for city luminaries, including Ira Glass, John Hodgman and Danny Strong — who were all spotted playing cards in the basement last week, we’re told.
The event is appropriately just known as the “Astor Place Game.”
Jonathan Trichter, a financier who helped save the storied shop from closing in 2020, is the gatekeeper and host of the after-hours game.
And like the shop, the poker nights don’t accept credit cards. It’s cash only, we’re told.
Trichter, along with singer-songwriter Jonathan Coulton, podcaster PJ Vogt, journalist Anne Marie Cruz, ex-hedge fund manager David Ganek and social media maven Nick Heller (a.k.a. New York Nico) rounded out a group who played last week.
Despite being the host, Trichter told us when we reached out for comment that he was, “shocked to find that there is an underground poker game full of New York luminaries!”
He, of course, also took the chance to plug his haircut biz by adding, “You can get the best haircut in town!”
Tricther assured us the poker is all above board, describing it as a “friendly game” where “New York greats… test their mettle and wits, as the action is fast, but the quips are faster.”
The criteria to get into the exclusive poker night is simply, “be one of the great New Yorkers,” he explained.
Even if you don’t fit the bill, we’re sure they’ll still let you in for a trim.
Glass described it as “a very unfussy game” with a “‘Guys and Dolls’ feeling to it.”
“Beers in a cooler. Pizza from Ray’s. The table sits in the middle of the black-and-white tile floor, mirrors everywhere, but not close enough to see anyone’s hand, surrounded by barber chairs… Probably the best room for poker in New York. A suite at the Plaza wouldn’t be as good,” he said.
Famed customers of Astor Place have included Robert De Niro, Kevin Bacon, Andy Warhol, Mayor Bill de Blasio and even the late, disgraced former state assembly speaker Sheldon Silver.
