Cards on Cannery Row
Poker writer and industry veteran Lee Jones takes his long-running Poker with Charley travelogue to the sun-drenched coastline of Monterey County, California — the same stretch of Central Coast that inspired John Steinbeck classics like Cannery Row and East of Eden.
What's the Story?
Jones visits a handful of local poker rooms tucked into the scenic region, blending his trademark observational writing with a sense of place that sets Poker with Charley apart from standard trip-report fare. Rather than focusing purely on results or strategy, the series has always treated the poker room as a cultural artifact — a window into the community it inhabits.
That lens fits Monterey County particularly well. Steinbeck famously drew his characters from the working-class fishermen, drifters, and dreamers he encountered along these shores. There's a pleasing symmetry in exploring how today's card rooms carry on that same tradition of strangers gathering around a common table.
Why It Matters for Poker Fans
- Cardroom tourism is an underappreciated corner of poker culture, and Jones is one of its best chroniclers.
- The piece serves as a loose travel guide for players planning a California road trip who want to squeeze in some live poker.
- It's a reminder that the social fabric of a poker room — the regulars, the dealers, the rituals — is as interesting as anything happening on the felt.
Jones has built a reputation for writing about poker with literary care, and pairing that sensibility with Steinbeck's own backyard makes for a compelling read whether you're a poker player or simply a fan of well-crafted travel writing.