Anyone hear about what happened midtown east last night?

[TMTTR]

New York Daily News: [some inaccuracies]

[ QUOTE ]
Celeb poker den robbed, owner is busted

BY MIKE JACCARINO and ALISON GENDAR
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Saturday, June 16th 2007, 4:00 AM


An illegal Manhattan poker den - once frequented by Alex Rodriguez, "Sopranos" star Robert Iler and several NBA players - was robbed by gun-totting bandits early yesterday, police and patrons said.
The brazen gunmen weren't bluffing when they burst into the upper East Side parlor about 12:30 a.m. and ordered the club's "bank" and roughly 70 patrons to hand over their cash, police said.

The gunmen fled The National CardRoom with about $50,000 - much of it money that had been wagered at the E. 61st St. club's popular Texas Hold 'Em tables, police sources said.

"These guys meant ... business," a police source said. "They came in and ordered everybody to get down on the ground."

One of the victims chased after the pair as they ran out of the club and jumped into a getaway car, police sources said.

Cops responding to the robbery could not track down the gunmen. But they arrested the club manager, Edgar Concepcion, 29. Concepcion was charged with promoting gambling and possessing book-making supplies. He was waiting to be arraigned last night.

On The National CardRoom's Web site, Concepcion wasn't shy about soliciting business. "I am looking for individuals who not only love the game of poker but represent it with diginity [sic] and respect," he wrote.

While poker players can legally wager at clubs, the outfits cannot legally take a cut of the bets, authorities said. Many poker dens attempt to get around the law by charging players about $10 an hour to play, sources said.

The National CardRoom was an open secret in the posh neighborhood.

Yankee superstar Alex Rodriguez got into trouble with Major League Baseball for gambling at the high-stakes poker den when it opened about three years ago under the name "Ace Point Backgammon Club and Chess Studio."

"He came in wearing sneakers," said Troy Stallings, a security guard. "Someone had to tell me who he was. I patted him down."

In 2005, cops raided the club, just as Iler, who played Tony Soprano's son A.J. on the hit HBO series, strolled inside, sources said.

The club reopened about six months ago on the third floor under its new name, sources said. The building is owned by the real estate company once controlled by the late mogul Abe Hirschfeld, according to business records.

NBA players Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Troy Murphy also have been spotted in the club, which features flat-screen TVs and felt-covered tables, patrons said.

Neighbors said the club's customers routinely gambled into the early morning.

"When we come in during the morning you can hear them moving chairs," said Ben Joseph, 36, a teacher at The Shouva Israel Yeshiva, which rents the building's first and second floor. "You'll hear someone go, 'Wow!' when they win."

Last night, the club's Web site was still advertising a tournament scheduled for 4 p.m. tomorrow. But cops said they hoped Concepcion's arrest - and the fear it sent through the poker-playing community - would ruin business.

"Hopefully this will be the last hurrah," a police source said.




[/ QUOTE ]

[skylar]

I was there for a little while but was stunned at the piss poor security. Luckily we left before this occurred, but security was nothing like at the other places in NY.

I loved the old club and this was a large, friendly and comfortable place but a LOT of folks were discussing the SIZE of games and tournaments here at this particular club.

In this city that is like waving red flags at a bull.

Unfortunately boys this will mean we may have to keep low for a WHILE NOW

[*TT*]

This is the first time that names have been named in the press, Edgar Concepcion is an old friend - I'm very sad to see this happen to him.

[MRBAA]

Edgar is horrible at running a club. He always runs them way too wide open and has no one but himself to blame when the inevitable happens.

[Buonaparte]

This was a place that advertised itself edited out by *TT*, too much information, frequently including their address.

Weeks ago they advertised a $2500 buy-in NL Holdem tounament, mentioning in the ad that at least 50 players were anticipated and that the expected prize pool would be at least $125,000. They did not include their name or address in that ad but you could tell it was them by the contact info in the ad. I recall at the time mentioning to a friend that openly advertising a tournament that big on Craiglist is basically asking to be raided or robbed.

[Pokerstuff2]

Post deleted by *TT*

[luckyjimm]

I still don't understand - couldn't you have licensed bouncers armed with legally-held firearms?

[Cornell Fiji]

[ QUOTE ]
I still don't understand - couldn't you have licensed bouncers armed with legally-held firearms?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, although they wouldn't be able to write "I am a bouncer at an illegal poker club" on their carry permit.

The problem with having armed bouncers is that if they pull their gun on armed robbers then people are going to get shot. And in a crowded room innocent people are going to be shot. And getting shot is a lot worse than losing your money.

Furthermore, if people got shot during an armed robbery of an illegal club the owners of the club could be civilly and probably also criminally liable (note: I am not a lawyer but if Law & Order has taught me anything it is that if people would not have been killed but for the criminal actions of someone else, then that someone else could be held liable for the person's murder even if they did not have any involvement in the murder itself.... I think)

It is therefore +ev to not have armed bouncers because of the fear of an escalation. It is better to just get robbed. (or to stop the intruders at the door with better security... or to stop them from finding out about the game through better secrecy)

[Lurker.]

wow. i play at a tiny club in canada, and i must say, the chairs in that club looked really uncomfortable in comparison.