California has had legal poker, Low Ball and 5 Card Stud only for many years. The state law said they were a game of skill and cities had the option to license them. Only the 2 games came under the law. Illegal chip collectors like me, have ignored CA chips because of this law. We always knew some were illegal operations.

We have tagged a number of California chips with the "Illegal" tag in the past couple years. Here is one of them.

All Skeys same front and back.

I got the brown hub with 631 and the brown Skey back in 1999 from Michael Richter. Paid $5 for the ID and listed them the way the Mason record card reads (no Club name). After listing them in my database I forgot about them.

Fast forward 15 years to 2014. Westen Charles found the other chips in the scan. The chips are 78 years old. I decided that Ed Hertel had nothing better to do and had him take a quick look. AHA, a club name and a little history. ( Quick look is exactly what it sounds like, not a lot of research.)

Enter Ed Hertel:

This one was a little tough. I can't find a Louis Goode associated with anything in LA. There was one guy who died in 1962 with that name that worked in LA at some point, but I don't know what he did.

As for the address, there were many businesses' with that address, meaning it was a commercial building. However, for a short time, in 1936, there was one place called the "631 Club" ("631 Club" in newspaper, "Six Thirty One Club" in directory). The attached articles talk of the liquor license being revoked in January 1936. At the time, the only name I can find associated with the 631 Club was George Shultz, manager.

I only have access to half of the 1937 directory so it's possible Louis Goode could be listed somewhere in the second half.

1936

1936

My notes: No doubt the 631 Club had illegal gambling. This is one of the joints I mentioned a few IOTD's ago as "not a big story." BUT, IMO, important for the illegal club chip collectors. We have another chip!

My California story: I was working at the Four Queens as a dual rate dealer/shift manager in the early 1980's when California legalized Texas Hold-Em. Our day Shift Manager was hired on as the poker GM at the Bicycle Club which was close to opening.

I was offered day shift manager there. Heck of a salary and in on the toke pool. More $ than I ever dreamed could be made working in poker. I had moved my wife and daughter to La Habra ( close to Disneyland) in the mid 1960's for almost two years. When I left to return to Kentucky, I swore I would never again cross the California state line. It just was not a place I ever wanted to live in again. I did return to visit friends at the Bicycle, Hollywood Park, Commerce Club, and poker cruise departures.