Phil Ivey has been branded as the number one poker contender on the globe by many of the top-ranked pros. He was born in Riverside, CA and relocated to New Jersey before his first birthday. His papa introduced him to penny-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From then on on, he was hooked on poker and wanted to learn whatever he could about the game. Phil would tell his elders that he was planning on being a professional poker player. Phil didn’t let the negative feedback from other people kill his ambition of becoming one of the strongest poker players in the world.
Phil began playing seriously after acquiring a false ID with the name of Jerome. He practiced his skills at the poker rooms of Atlantic City. The beginning few years for Phil were a learning period and winning was not a common outcome at the time. Phil became known at the 2000 World Series of Poker when he achieved 2 final tables and came away with his first WSOP bracelet, in a $2, five hundred Pot-Limit Omaha match. At the final table he defeated quite a few of the better known pros which includes "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
Phil made a decision to take his skills to the successive level and moved out west to Sin City. Phil continues to participate in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the best players on the planet. Ivey credits his achievements to discipline and a continuing love for the game of poker. Phil says that he’s picking up skills every day and is quite humble about his achievements. Phil admits to making errors in each session of poker and always strives to improve.
Despite the fact that Ivey has won some big tournaments, he favors destroying cash games on a regular basis.
