Phil Ivey has been branded as the best poker competitor on the planet by many of the top-ranked professionals. Phil was born in Riverside, CA and moved to New Jersey before reaching turning 1. His grandfather showed him to penny-ante Five-Card Stud poker. From then on on, Phil was addicted to poker and wished to pickup whatever he could about poker. He routinely told his elders that he wanted to be a professional poker player. Phil did not allow the detrimental feedback from other people destroy his dream of being one of the strongest poker competitors in the world.
Phil started competing intently after getting a false ID by the name of Jerome. He practiced his techniques at the poker rooms in Atlantic City. The beginning few years for him were a teaching opportunity and coming away with a win was not a common outcome at the time. He made his mark at the 2000 World Series of Poker when he achieved two final tables and came away with his first WSOP bracelet, in a two dollar, 500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. At the last table he defeated quite a few of the better known professionals including "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 Las Vegas. Phil continues to compete in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the greatest players in the world. Ivey credits his success to discipline and an immeasurable love for the game of poker. Phil states that he’s picking up skills every day and is quite humble about his accomplishments. Phil knows he makes blunders every single session of poker and always strives to improve.
Although Ivey has won some big-time tournaments, he favors winning money games on a normal basis.