Notes

Covering World Series of Poker as a Reporter in NEVADA.Poker Pro Phil Ivey Beats Casinos for Over $22 Million Playing Baccarat
The gambling industry has been mighty good if you ask me over time, providing both an enjoyable passion and steady employment. I?ve worked in many roles in lots of casinos over the years, dealing a little blackjack here and writing tickets at the sportsbook there. But of most my casino-oriented jobs, the main one I?ll remember most took me to the greatest tournament of them all?the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in NEVADA.

As a live reporter covering WSOP events, I was tasked with tracking chip counts, recapping big hands, interviewing top players and recent gold bracelet winners. Tournament reporting is an extremely unique gig, one most folks haven?t even heard of actually, so strap directly into see what it?s like working the WSOP?s grueling daily grind.

Rise and Shine After a Long 16-Hour Shift
To properly introduce readers to the life of a tournament reporter, it?s imperative that people begin with the night before.

Yesterday, having been assigned to cover Day 1 of a middling $1,500 No Limit Texas Hold?em event, I showed up at 10:00 am to prepare for the 11:00 am start time. And with 12 one-hour levels on the schedule, plus an hour long dinner break and many 15-minute bathroom breaks, I was at the Rio casino working until well past 2:00 am.

Fortunately, today?s Day 2 restart for the same event is scheduled for 2 2:00 pm, so I get to sleep in only a bit today. When I awaken around noon, it?s time to shower up, grab an instant breakfast, and pack my bag for your day ahead.

As a tournament reporter, you quickly recognize that leaving the scene to grab essentials ? anything from coffee or Red Bull to aspirin or an apple ? isn?t really feasible. To start with, the Rio?s massive convention halls where the World Series of Poker is held are located far, far from the main casino floor.

More importantly, however, the demands of tournament reporting require us to hang in there even when players are on a rest.

I have to walk the now empty room, scanning the tables for prominent players? chip stacks and updating their counts. Anytime I visit a huge stack that I haven?t before, creating a mental note of these table and seat number is useful going forward. And by enough time that checklist is complete, the supposed break I was hoping to take is done and dusted.

Knowing that, I always make sure you bring a well-stocked backpack with me. A thermos filled with ice water for those scorching Las Vegas summer days. A hoodie sweater to adapt when the Rio?s notorious air-con turns the Amazon Room into a freezer. Nicotine gum, headphones, a portable charger, not to mention, my laptop.

With many of these supplies ready to roll, I make my way into the bright Sin City sunshine and make the short walk from my hotel to the Rio.

Recapping Action While Previewing What?s ahead
Once I?ve reached the tournament area, I head straight for the desk saved in a large part of the room. This is where the many poker media outlets within the WSOP send their reporters to provide immediate live coverage.

As the ?Official Coverage? is normally supplied by PokerNews, a slew of competing outlets from across the world send correspondents to work the big bracelet events. This implies a mad dash for space at the reporting desk, so I like to arrive around 30 minutes early to get the proverbial worm.

Arriving prior to the starting time can be useful because live reporters have work to accomplish prior to players taking their seats.

Poker Chips

My first task of the day is to write up a brief preview of what readers should expect. That entails recapping the previous day(s) of action, including the names and resumes of those who built top chip stacks, what size name stars like Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu fared, and any particularly noteworthy fireworks on the felt.

A good Day 2 preview also attempts to predict how things can look once the final table assembles for the pivotal Day 3. You need to use historical context like previous champions defending their title, or even interview the unknown amateurs eyeing their elusive first gold bracelet. Regardless, you?re hoping to provide the reader a bit of insight on what to anticipate as the day progresses.

With my preview written up and posted to the live reporting page, I could relax for a spell and walk the room.

By this time around, most players are mingling around their tables, swapping bad beat stories and anxiously comparing chip counts. I must say i get a kick out of listening in on these little conversations during the calm prior to the storm.

Young or old, rich or poor, skilled ? or not skilled ? poker tournaments are the ultimate equalizer, bringing folks from all walks of life together at a single table.

Whenever I hear a snippet of chit-chat that may make for a compelling post down the road, I quickly scribble a reminder in my own notebook. A few hours later, I can head to that table to see if anything juicy went down based on the potential storyline I spotted earlier.

One memorable example of this approach involved two perfect strangers who both hailed from India. Despite growing up in a nation home to greater than a billion people, these players were both born and raised in exactly the same village. The stars aligned once the random seating draw stuck the pair together, and I overheard them happily comparing notes on all of the happenings back home.

Later that evening, having been reminded by my notes to check on through to the duo, I was pleasantly surprised. Not merely were they both still alive and kicking in the tournament, but both appeared poised to reach the coveted final table.

Just like that, I had an intriguing angle by which to frame my Day 3 coverage, and all because I taken notice of seemingly meaningless small talk while walking the area.

Cards in the Air and Feet to the Fire
Once the tournament director gives the announcement?telling the assembled army of dealers to ?obtain the cards in the air!? with a flourish?the true work begins in earnest.

Now, I?m walking up and down the long corridors between hundreds of tables, using both my eyes and ears to hopefully spot a fascinating story in progress. First and foremost, I?m there to cover hands which are important to the tournament?s eventual outcome. Thus, any clashes between big chip stacks or famous pros deserve attention.

Let?s say I spot former WSOP Main Event champ Chris Moneymaker in the field. He?s doing well up to now on Day 2, schmoozing the amateur players while slowly bleeding their stacks dry. Readers are always thinking about how household names like Moneymaker might fare, so I stick around to record his every move throughout a nine-hand ?orbit? round the table ? and I do mean every move, too?

While covering a tournament hand, live reporters must capture every detail and data point instantly.
What did Moneymaker raise to when opening the action? Just how many players decided to call and start to see the flop? Which cards did the dealer deliver on that flop? How did the betting action proceed on the flop, turn, and river? Who showed down the winning hand? Was the losing hand revealed or mucked? Just how many chips does Moneymaker have now?

Mind you, all of this information should be accurately jotted down in real time. The players who paid $1,500 to compete for a gold bracelet certainly aren?t going to wait around when you write, so fast fingers and a watch for detail are necessary skills.

Once I've all that locked away in the notebook, it?s time and energy to hurry back to the reporting desk and article my post. This technique lets me flex my creative muscles occasionally, as I try to weave a compelling story from the chip counts and card ranks.

Playing Poker

After posting the entry to the reporting page, I?m up and back it within a couple minutes tops. On this trip round the floor, my goal is to check up on at least 20 well-known pro players to observe how they?re doing. A clear seat more often than not means they?ve been eliminated. If I spot a familiar face who?s still around, I might ask them how they earned their new chips in between hands.

All the while, I?m doing everything I can to digest a reliable stream of new variables. Chip stacks rise and fall. Star players come and go. Seemingly dramatic storylines get snuffed out, while players who I barely noticed before emerge as contenders for the crown.

As the clock ticks away, I post dozens and dozens of updates to the reporting page, culminating in a final recap post that tries to tie everything together.

Then, I?m off to the hotel for a short cat nap before getting back to playing poker again bright and early tomorrow morning.

Conclusion
Reporting from the sidelines of the WSOP reaches once thrilling and terrifying. These players are engaged in high-stakes warfare, competing fiercely for their share of the prize pool, not forgetting the gold and glory mounted on victory on poker?s grand stage.

Knowing this all too well, serving as a fly on the wall and watching their every move isn?t as easy as it can sound. Having said that, I wouldn?t trade interviewing world-class pros and recreational players who made their dreams become a reality for anything in the world. Many jobs feel like work, but live reporting is definitely a passion that I eventually get paid for.During a decorated career spanning over two decades and counting, poker pro Phil Ivey has cashed in 174 tournaments and earned a large number of first-place titles. His largest tournament haul up to now tops out at a little over $3.5 million, an impressive haul for any gambler to say minimal. But what if I told you Ivey somehow were able to triple that win rate, in one session believe it or not, playing high-stakes baccarat at the Borgata?

In 2012, alongside a playing partner who possessed a remarkably lucrative secret, Ivey doubled down on his reputation as a legendary card sharp. Armed with insider knowledge and an arsenal of chips, Ivey earned an eight-figure payday playing baccarat better than anybody else ever had before.

How Phil Ivey Went From Poker Champ to Baccarat ?Cheat?
Long before he was betting $150,000 a hand at their own private punto banco table, Phil Ivey was better known as ?No Home? Jerome.

That nickname started in Atlantic City back the 1990s, as an underage Ivey used a fake ID with the name Jerome to play in the Taj?s infamous Seven-Card Stud games. Because the teenage terror of the table never appeared to leave, the locals joked that he will need to have had no home at all.

Ivey eventually settled in Las Vegas to pursue professional poker, storming out of your gate almost immediately as he started to crush the tournament scene. His very first official cash was a victory for $53,297 at the 2000 Jack Binion World Poker Open.

Just a couple months later, Ivey parlayed his first trip to the World Group of Poker (WSOP) into $195,000 more, along with a coveted gold bracelet in Pot Limit Omaha.

Ivey never let up from there, eventually adding nine more WSOP bracelets, a global Poker Tour (WPT) title, and over $31 million in career tournament earnings.

In 2012, fresh from a huge win at the Aussie Millions series for over $2 million, a fellow high-stakes gambler introduced Ivey to a lovely Chinese woman named Cheng Yin ?Kelly? Sun. A specialist in ?edge sorting,? an obscure advantage play technique which takes benefit of slight imperfections in the cards, Sun have been crushing the LAS VEGAS baccarat scene for years.

To be able to edge sort, one must be keenly alert to the distinct patterns that adorn the trunk of playing cards. As it works out, many card manufacturers mistakenly cut their cards so that the pattern isn't symmetrical on either side.

To visualize why by non-symmetrical, have a look at this short video explanation of edge sorting below. Essentially, a skilled edge sorter can easily scan a face down card and size up the patterns on either side of the card.


Because of Ivey?s reputation in the market, he was able to convince two casinos?Borgata in Atlantic City and Crockfords in London?to allow him and Sun to employ a unique set of rules to make their edge sorting scheme practical. The game was mini-baccarat, so only the dealer touched the cards. Only one deck would be used and recycled using an automatic shuffling machine only.

& most importantly, Sun requested Cantonese speaking dealers so she could make special requests. During the first handful of hands, Sun would ask the dealer to rotate any high-value baccarat cards?just like the six, seven, eight, and nine?180-degrees in order that the non-symmetrical edge faced her. Over time, all the good cards showed a non-symmetrical edge, while bad cards faced the other way.

Because of the automatic shuffling machine, once these cards have been edge sorted, they stayed that way all night.

Ultimately, Sun and Ivey now knew if the first card out from the shoe (dealt to the ball player hand) was strong or weak. By using this knowledge, they duo adjusted their bets accordingly, going higher whenever the Player hand had the benefit.

Therefore, Sun and Ivey turned baccarat?s usual house edge of just one 1.06% to an impressive 6.76% player advantage. In April of 2012, the pair hit Borgata for $9.6 million playing real money baccarat for $150,000 per hand.

Speaking to Cigar Aficionado years later, Sun fondly recalled the electric scene as she and Ivey pounded Borgata for 24 consecutive hours:

?Phil did not want me eating or asleep. They only wanted me to be playing. That?s why they called me ?Baccarat Machine.? One time we played 24 hours. Phil slept on to the floor [of the high-limit room].?

After using their baccarat money to win another $560,000 playing craps, Ivey and Sun cashed out while Borgata management begrudgingly settled up.

Ivey and Sun eventually made their way to Crockfords in London four months later. Only this time, things didn?t go so smoothly the second go around?

The edge sorting gambit itself worked to perfection once again, netting the team yet another �7.8 million ($10.82 million) in profit. Unfortunately for Ivey and Sun, the bigger ups at Crockfords had grown suspicious of the eclectic rules and requests created by these titanic stakes players.

Rather than pay up in cash straight away, Crockfords told Ivey that his funds would be delivered via wire transfer. But when he touched down back in Las Vegas a couple of days later, the poker pro and his baccarat ?Machine? were stunned to discover that no payment would be forthcoming.

Ivey Sues Crockfords Hoping to get His �7.8 Million in ?Winnings?
IN-MAY of 2013, Ivey elected to sue Crockford?s hoping of recovering the outstanding debt.

At that time, he issued the following statement explaining his decision:

?I'm deeply saddened that Crockfords has left me no alternative but to proceed with legal action, following its decision to withhold my winnings.

I have much respect for Gentings, which includes made this an extremely difficult decision for me personally. Over the years I've won and lost substantial sums at Crockfords and I have always honoured my commitments.

At that time, I was given a receipt for my winnings but Crockfords subsequently withheld payment. I, therefore, feel I've no alternative but to take legal action.?

As the lawsuit dragged on, Ivey also made no denials about his use of the edge sorting technique.

Following a Series of Lower Court Losses, Ivey?s Suit Eventually Reached the UK Supreme Court
There, Lord Hughes derided Ivey?s ?strategy? claims by pointing out that the casino would not be permitted to invalidate a deck of card?s inherent randomness either.

In his final ruling against Ivey, Hughes went so far as to label Ivey a cheat:

?What Mr. Ivey did was to stage a carefully planned and executed sting, which further suggests opposing ideas of what constitutes ?cheating? in the minds of the parties involved.?

Borgata Flips the Script by Suing Ivey Over $10.16 Million Already PAID
In April of 2014, now realizing they had been had, executives at the Borgata filed suit against Ivey to retrieve its payouts from 2 yrs prior.

In the casino?s filings, Borgata lawyers positioned Ivey?s actions as a premediated intend to ?manipulate? baccarat?s inherent odds.

Three years of legal wrangling later saw a federal judge order Ivey to repay the entirety of his baccarat and craps winnings from 2012. Ivey quickly filed an appeal in circuit court, however, and that effort led to an undisclosed settlement with Borgata in 2020.

Conclusion
All things considered, Ivey likely wound up in the red with this entire edge sorting fiasco. Between his outright lost in the London case, and six years? worth of attorney?s fees to secure only settlement with the Borgata, one must wonder if Ivey would do it all over again.

In the end, another consequence of the legal imbroglio is a sharply curtailed tournament schedule. Once you?re already with the capacity of printing money in the largest poker games on the planet, why would such a convoluted ?get rich quickly? hustle even be necessary?

Well, as Ivey himself would tell you, a gambler gambles? always.
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