Crockfords historical

Crockfords was, in its time, the most storied name in the history of British gambling. Founded by William Crockford, a fishmonger's son with an extraordinary gift for probability, in 1828, the club survived wars, legislation, corporate takeovers and the arrival of the internet, eventually settling on Curzon Street under Genting's ownership. The name still carries two centuries of reputation, even now that the doors are shut.

For most of the Genting era, the club operated to the highest standards of any casino in London. The decor was understated and elegant, the games conducted with a quiet precision that reflected the seriousness of the clientele. It was members only throughout, as it always had been, with the expectation that those who came understood the value of discretion.

In 2012, poker player Phil Ivey staged one of the most audacious baccarat coups in casino history here, winning £7.3 million through edge sorting before Genting withheld payment. The case ran all the way to the UK Supreme Court (Ivey v Genting Casinos UK [2017] UKSC 67) and reshaped the legal definition of casino cheating. It is, in retrospect, the last great Crockfords story before the slow drift toward closure.