Phil Ivey has been labeled as the number one poker player on the planet by quite a few of the top professionals. Phil Ivey was born in Riverside, CA and relocated to New Jersey before reaching the age of one. His grandfather introduced him to one cent-ante Five-Card Stud poker. From then on on, he was addicted to poker and wished to pickup anything he possibly could about the game. Phil routinely would tell his elders that he wanted to be a professional poker player. Phil did not allow the negative feedback from other people destroy his goal of being one of the strongest poker players in the world.
He started competing seriously after getting a fake ID by the name of Jerome. He honed his game at the poker rooms of Atlantic City. The first number of years for him were a learning experience and winning wasn’t a regular thing at the time. He made his mark at the 2000 World Series of Poker 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 last table he destroyed quite a few 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 successive level and headed out west to Sin City. He continues to compete in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the greatest players in the world. Ivey credits his achievements to dedication and a continuing passion for the game of poker. He states that he’s picking up skills every day and is incredibly abashed about his success. He knows he makes blunders every single game of poker and always aspires to get better.
Although Ivey has come first in some big tournaments, he prefers destroying cash games on a normal basis.