Phil Ivey has been referred to as the number one poker contender on the globe by quite a few of the top-ranked professionals. Phil Ivey was born in Riverside, CA and moved to NJ before his first birthday. His grandpa taught him one cent-ante Five-Card Stud poker. From then on on, Phil was hooked on poker and wished to pickup everything he possibly could about the game. He routinely would tell his grandparents that he was going to be a professional poker player. Phil didn’t permit the adverse feedback from others destroy his ambition of becoming one of the strongest poker competitors on the planet.
He started competing seriously after getting a false ID by the name of Jerome. He practiced his techniques at the poker rooms of Atlantic City. The first few years for him were a learning period and winning was not a normal thing at the time. He became known at the 2000 World Series of Poker where he achieved 2 final tables and came away with his 1st World Series of Poker bracelet, in a $2, 500 Pot-Limit Omaha match. At the final table he destroyed a number of the better known professionals including "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
Phil decided to take his skills to the next level and headed out west to Las Vegas. He continues to participate in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the best players on the planet. Ivey credits his success to hard work and an immeasurable love for poker. He says that he’s learning every single day and is very abashed about his success. He knows he makes blunders every single session of poker and always strives to get better.
Despite the fact that Phil has come first in some big-time tournaments, he likes winning money games on a regular basis.