The Tahoe Mariner

The Tahoe Mariner’s history of multiple ownership changes and name shifts reflects its evolving role in Nevada’s gambling landscape, which should resonate with history enthusiasts and industry researchers. Capy Ricks purchased the property in 1946 from Ed Malley’s real estate office. Malley had been at the lake for years, having sold his first property in … Read more

Casino Birdcage

As you know, I’ve been known to hang around casinos – around, and around, and around. Well, the other day a security officer was bringing a full of chips to the “21” table I was standing next to, and a woman asked what “that plastic thingy, that, you know, holder thing, was called.” I explained … Read more

My Early Poker Games and Chips

I saved my first casino chip in 1978. Although I wasn’t old enough to legally play poker at the Pacheco Inn (now the California Grand), I managed to get away with a few hours of lowball to start my playing career. I lost. I didn’t go home completely empty-handed, because, from the $20 in chips … Read more