The Mayfair Club in New York started as a club for bridge and backgammon players. Things changed in the mid eighties when Mike Shictman took over the club. Shictman was a long time professional gambler from the Bronx that became the majority owner in the club and worked to establish it as a poker club. Originally poker started as a side game by the backgammon and bridge players after they were busted out of their games. As time passed, more and more interest grew in poker and eventually poker was the primary game of choice in the club.

The Mayfair Club in New York
Photo: Poker After Dark

All games in the Mayfair Club were dealt by the players, unlike other card rooms that would use professional dealers. Other clubs in the city offered lower stakes and professional dealers, but the level of competition was not as high as that of the Mayfair Club.

The stakes at the Mayfair were higher on average than the other poker rooms. Many top name players got their start or dramatically improved their game at the Mayfair Club. Names such as Howard Lederer, Steve Zolotow, Dan Harrington, Jay Heimowitz, Mickey Appleman, Erik Seidel, and even Stu Ungar were regulars at the poker club.

Mayfield Club regulars started to make a name for themselves at the World Series of Poker. In 1987, Steve Zolotow took fifth in the Main Event and Erik Seidel took second. In 1988, their dominance continued. It started with Jay Heimowitz who finished in 11th place. Dan Harrington and Howard Lederer both made the final table, taking 6th and 5th respectively. Erik Seidel ranks fifth all-time in World Series of Poker bracelets with eight. Dan Harrington took the 1995 WSOP Main Event and Stu Ungar is one of only two players to ever win the Main Event three times.

For those of you that have seen the movie Rounders, the Chesterfield Club in that movie was modeled after the Mayfair club. The club had a reputation of being an upscale room, complete with cocktail servers and security. When players took part in the games at the Mayfair, they knew that they were up for some world class competition. Games at the Mayfair ranged from Holdem games to various mixed games. Games ranged from $5-$10 Stud 8 or better to a $75-$150 H.O.S.E. game.

New York law does not prohibit people from playing poker for cash, but it does prohibit people from profiting on hosting games. Technically, card rooms like the Mayfair were illegal. For years, card rooms in New York were a known secret by the authorities, but unless there were conducting other illegal activities, they were left to hold their games.

Things changed in 2000 when Mayor Rudolph Giuliani instituted a “Quality of Life” campaign. One by one, the various card rooms around New York City were raided and shut down. Finally, the Mayfair Club was targeted, raided, and shut down.

Sadly, the Mayfair Club came and went before the poker boom started in 2003, but many of the big names from the club have went on to be dominant forces during the boom and became household names. While the Mayfair club no longer exists, its influence on poker and the players that frequented the club will impact the game for decades to come.