In the Big Game the level was very high and Dan Harrington, Mickey Appelman, Jay Heimowitz and Howard Lederer used to play. Two cash game tables thus emerged, one with higher levels and another with a medium level: “The games became regular and there was a big game and a small one. Erik Seidel also did it with Bob Amish, and that’s how poker began to be played at the Mayfair.” That way those who were better backgammon players could beat those who were better at poker and vice versa. I remember we started playing heads-up duels mixing poker and backgammon with Paul Magriel, using the backgammon chips. But over time poker came to replace both games. “At the Mayfair you could find the best bridge and backgammon players in the world. Steve was a gambler and spent a lot of time there first playing bridge, then backgammon and then poker. The Mayfair Club, which helped inspire the movie Rounders was one of the most famous clubs in New York and legendary players like Stu Ungar, Erik Seidel and Dan Harrington played there. Steve during our interview The Mayfair Club
