Phil Ivey has been referred to as the number one poker player on the planet by many of the top-ranked pros. He was born in Riverside, CA and relocated to Jersey before reaching turning one. His papa introduced him to penny-ante Five-Card Stud poker. From that point on, he was hooked on poker and wished to pickup every little thing he could about the game. He routinely told his elders that he wanted to be a professional poker player. Phil didn’t permit the adverse feedback from others kill his dream of being one of the strongest poker competitors on the planet.
Phil began competing seriously after getting a fake ID by the name of Jerome. He sharpened his game at the casinos in Atlantic City. The first number of years for Phil were a learning experience and winning wasn’t a common thing at the time. Phil became known at the 2000 WSOP where he achieved two final tables and won his 1st WSOP bracelet, in a two dollar, five hundred Pot-Limit Omaha game. At the last table he defeated many of the better known pros which includes "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
He decided to take his skills to the next level and headed out west to Vegas. He continues to participate in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the greatest players in the world. Ivey credits his success to dedication and an undying love for the game of poker. Phil states that he’s learning every day and is quite abashed about his accomplishments. He knows he makes blunders every single session of poker and always aspires to get better.
Even though Ivey has come first in some large tournaments, he favors destroying money games on a normal basis.
