Phil Ivey has been branded as the greatest poker competitor in the world by many of the top pros. Phil Ivey was born in Riverside, CA and relocated to NJ before his first birthday. His grandfather taught him one cent-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From that point on, he was hooked on poker and wanted to discover every little thing he possibly could about the game. He would tell his elders that he was planning on being a professional poker player. Phil did not allow the negative feedback from others kill his dream of being one of the best poker competitors in the world.
Phil started playing seriously after getting a fake ID by the name of Jerome. He honed his abilities at the poker rooms of Atlantic City. The beginning few years for Phil were a teaching period and winning wasn’t a normal outcome at the time. He made his mark at the 2000 World Series of Poker where he achieved 2 final tables and won his first WSOP bracelet, in a two dollar, 500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. At the final table he destroyed many of the well known pros including "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
He made a decision to take his game to the next level and moved out west to Vegas. Phil continues to participate in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the best players on the planet. Ivey credits his success to dedication and an immeasurable love for the game of poker. Phil says that he is picking up skills every single day and is incredibly humble about his achievements. Phil knows he makes errors every single session of poker and constantly aspires to improve.
Even though Ivey has come first in some big-time tournaments, he favors winning cash games on a regular basis.