Number 48 on our trip across Illegal Clubs, USA.

I played poker in Paris, Charleston, and Champaign, IL. Paris and Charleston are close to Terra Haute, IN. All were private games, invites only, and had good action. I beat Charleston real good and a small winner in Champaign. I had high hopes in Paris as the 1st thing I noticed was the host had shades in. After about an hour he waved me to come into the next room and asked me to leave. Busted! I was not supposed to read “HIS” shades. I was smart enough to stay out of his pots and not play them back over him but he did not want me picking off his “Geese.” I am surprised he caught me that quick. Guess I wasn’t as slick as I thought I was.

There are dozens of ways to mark cards but shades were kind of unique back in those days. The shaded areas were out there for anyone to see. The problem was you could not see the shaded areas unless someone taught you to “Look." Sort of like those puzzle pictures you see on the internet. You stare at them for an hour and can’t figure it out. Then your 9 year old walks by, glances at it, and says “Elvis.” And there he is!

Martin Miller of The Merchants Club in Newport gave me a deck of cards in 1962 or so. He said boy, “If you are going to play in these games you better learn what they are doing to you.” He followed up with take these home, study them, come back next week and read them to me. I am not sure how much time I put into them but managed to go cross eyed several times. Next week I told him I give up. He laid 3 cards out face down. Called them, turned them, and he was right. He turned a king back face down, and traced his finger about an inch down from the edge. I felt like a 9 year had just walked by and said “Elvis” as the shade jumped off the card where his finger had traced. It was as plain as the nose on your face.

Today they do shades and you have to use contact lenses to read them. They are very good, I had a demonstration. There is a story out there that I believe is true about the Bellagio catching them on a very high stakes poker game. Parts of it made the poker mags at the time.

Enough of that:

Illinois:

Illinois is the same as Missouri, clusters of illegals all over the state. Could possibly be the most prolific state with illegal clubs in the USA. I have many of the bigger illegal clusters documented. Thought I would start out Illinois with some of the lesser known and smaller places. More of Illinois and its history for another day. Bigger and better Illinois to come.

I got these from Mel Jung in 1998. He told me they were from an Illinois illegal called Moline After Dark and were also used in a CA card room. Don’t remember where but those CA boys claim everything.

I never could confirm a joint called Moline After Dark existed.
I bet most illegal collectors have this one listed as Moline After Dark. It is in TGT that way and a 2nd listing under Max’s name. MD on the chip stands for Max & Dan not Moline & Dark.

Maxie's Night Club
Max O'Klock
23rd Avenue at 19th Street
East Moline IL
Chips delivered 1947-48

From a Moline, IL newspaper. Fire was in 1950, 2 years after the last chip order. I did not record who sent this to me. Credit to him.

Fire which broke out about 3:30 this morning leveled a storage shed at the rear of Maxie's Night Club, completely destroyed a stock of liquor which was stored in the shed and killed a riding horse which was housed in the small building. The night club, owned by Max O'Klock, is located on 23rd Avenue at 19th Street, south of the East Moline city limits. Cause of the blaze is unknown.

Per a niece of Max and Dan O’Klock they also owned a place in Carbon Cliff, IL called Dan O’Klock’s Place. That was a couple miles east of Moline. She had no knowledge of any gambling.

Another chip Kenny Craig sent me in 2000. For those of you that don’t know Kenny, he is a big ivory chip collector. Kenny come back to illegals.

Downtown Poker Club
Sam Riberto
657 Greenwood Ave
Kankakee
1949

I picked this one up in a trade back in 1998.
Todd & Sons
213 18th St
Rock Island IL
1946

I got this one in 1996 from Jack P----r, owner of the club. He was a regular poker player in Las Vegas and the tournament circuit.

Old Willow Club
Initials stand for Ralph & Jack
Private Club operated in the 70's & 80's
Chicago

This is a $500 chip. I forgot to upload the obverse before I previewed. Sometimes you lose other scans in a big post if you preview more than once.