During the poker era, Mayfair games and tournaments were dealt by the players as opposed to professional dealers in a casino environment.
In the 1987 World Series of Poker (WSOP), Mayfair Club regulars finished very high in the Main Event.
The Mayfair was also home court for business executive Wendeen Eolis, the first woman to cash in the Main Event, namely the 1986 rendition.
As the state of New York considers poker to be a game of chance, it is legal to play, but illegal for the host to garner a profit.
[2] In 2000, Mayor Rudy Giuliani's "Quality of Life" campaign led to the closure of the Mayfair Club and other game halls in New York.