Phil Ivey has been branded as the best poker contender on the globe by quite a few of the top-ranked pros. Phil was born in Riverside, CA and moved to New Jersey before his first birthday. His papa taught Phil 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 poker. Phil would tell his elders that he wanted to be a professional poker player. He didn’t allow the adverse feedback from others kill his goal of being one of the best poker players in the world.
He started playing seriously after acquiring a false ID with the name of Jerome. He sharpened his game at the poker rooms of Atlantic City. The first few years for him were a learning experience and winning wasn’t a common outcome at the time. He made his mark at the 2000 WSOP when he achieved 2 final tables and came away with his first WSOP bracelet, in a two dollar, five hundred Pot-Limit Omaha event. At the final table he defeated many of the better known professionals 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 Vegas. Phil continues to participate in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the best players in the world. Ivey credits his success to dedication and an immeasurable passion for the game of poker. He states that he’s picking up skills every single day and is quite abashed about his achievements. He admits to making errors in each session of poker and constantly strives to get better.
Despite the fact that Phil has come first in some large tournaments, he favors destroying cash games on a normal basis.