I'd like to see one of the big houses- Trump, perhaps- create an Ideal Casino on a small inshore island. Governor's Island by Manhattan or Deer Island by Boston suggest themselves, but my personal choice is Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay.

There would be a dress code: jackets and ties for gentlemen, dresses for the ladies--and on Friday and Saturday evenings, black tie for the gentlemen and gowns for the ladies. Guests would arrive at a pier in San Francisco or Emeryville, there to board a well-wooded motor cruiser for the swift passage to Alcatraz.

The gamers would arrive at a spacious, softly-lit space with fine mahogany-and-green-felt tables set for each of six games: craps, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, and Texas Hold 'em. The roulette wheel would have not two zeros but just one, as in the old days at Monte Carlo. Slots would be conspicuous by their absence. At the edge of the gaming space would be glassed-in terraces giving out to splendid views of the Bay and the City, where gamers could take breaks on leather chairs and couches.

Croupiers would be mature and multilingual, the better to welcome the many worldly visitors from Asia and Europe. A croupier would welcome each new player and introduce that person to those already present. No guest should remain anonymous and unconnected!

Refreshments in the form of tasty hors d'oeuvres would be offered. The establishment would be known for its specialty cocktails, always using premium gins, or whiskeys, or (if you must) vodkas. For the plain-spirits drinker, there would be single-malt Scotches, excellent Cognacs, and vintage Ports. Smoking would of course be permitted.

The most important aspect would be the absence of chips. In their place would be vintage American gold and silver coins, each valued at approximately their present value: one-ounce gold double eagles ($1,000), half-ounce gold eagles ($500), quarter-ounce half-eagles ($250), silver dollars ($20), and silver half-dollars ($10). In addition, there would be small silver bars about the size of a man's thumb ($50). The room would echo with the gentle ching! of real money.

Now, wouldn't this be an excellent venue for one's gaming evenings, if one were so inclined? And wouldn't Trump's reputation be brightened by treating its most discerning clients so well?