10 Lessons from Phil Ivey

2. Be Creative
No matter what you think of Ivey’s recent punto banco (baccarat) misadventure in London, you’ve got to give the man props for creativity. If Crockford’s casino is to be believed, Ivey walked in the door with a few millions dollars in hand, spent one night playing bacarrat – while simultaneously memorizing individual flaws on each card – and then went back the next night to take the place for $12 million. (There was also a gorgeous Chinese woman who we’ll discuss later.)
The two parties are still sorting the whole matter out but, if it’s true, that plan is every bit as creative as it is illegal. It seems safe to say that Ivey operates well outside of the box.