In our book, at-home games of chance and skill easily cop the second-best spot when it comes to urban indoor entertainment. Gaming and all its gleaming gear can be as gemütlich as all get-out when you're tête-à-tête with some captivating creature who's game for games, or entertaining a coed crowd around the mesmeric blur of a whirring roulette wheel, or settling down for a brisk guys-only evening of poker, complete with good Scotch and panatelas. By all odds there's nothing that makes winning – or even dropping a few bucks – more pleasurable than first-rate gaming accoutrements. A well-turned pair of dice, a masterfully-carved chessman, a diamond-bright poker chip – all add immeasurably to the give and take of the evening, no matter how large or small the group you're entertaining. The Brunswick pocket billiard table features live rubber cushions, gullyball-receivers, ball storage rack, adjustable leveling devices, paired folding legs, burn-resistant rails; with balls and four cues; $275. On table, left to right: The Education of a Poker Player by Herbert O. Yardley, $4, Scarne on Cards, $5,Goren's New Contract bridge Complete, $5, The Roman Club System of Distributional Bidding, $3.50, The New Complete Hoyle, $4, Scarne on Dice, $10. French-made 18-inch Bakelite roulette wheel and multi-colored allwool felt layout, by Abercrombie & Fitch; $60. Rotating brass little-neck dice cage on wood base, by Baron; $55. Set of giant ivory poker dice, by Alfred Dunhill; $28.50. Felt-lined circular dice tray, by Baron; $8. Counter game dice cup of dark top-grain cowhide, heavy leather tip rim, cushion bottom, ribbed rubber inside, by Mason; $7.50. Red perfect-ring eye-spot dice, precision hand-finished, by Mason; $1.50. Tan cowhide poker dice cup, by Baron; $5. Below table, left to right: backgammon set in carrying case with 30 Catalin men, by Pacific; $30. Lockable leatherette game chest contains roulette wheel and layout, checkers, chess, dominoes, chips, cards, cribbage, dice and cup, by A & F; $50. 42-inch maple-walnut dice stick, by Baron; $9. Green domino set in walnut case with sliding cover; $13. 22-inch roulette wheel of hand-rubbed woods, by Mason; $650. Green poker chip case (holders swing out when center knob is turned), 300 chips, by A & F; $21. (concluded overleaf)
