Phil Ivey has been branded as the number one poker competitor on the planet by most of the top-ranked professionals. He was born in Riverside, CA and moved to Jersey before reaching turning 1. His papa taught Phil penny-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From that point on, Phil was hooked on poker and wanted to learn every little thing he possibly could about poker. He routinely would tell his parents that he wanted to be a professional poker player. Phil did not allow the negative comments from others kill his goal of being one of the strongest poker competitors in the world.
Phil began playing intently after getting a false ID by the name of Jerome. He honed his abilities at the poker rooms of Atlantic City. The beginning number of years for him were a learning experience and winning was not a normal outcome at the time. He made his mark at the 2000 World Series of Poker where he made two final tables and came away with his first World Series of Poker bracelet, in a $2, 500 Pot-Limit Omaha game. At the final table he destroyed many of the better known pros including but not limited to "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 Sin City. He continues to play in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the best players on the planet. Ivey credits his success to discipline and an undying passion for the game of poker. He states that he’s learning every single day and is quite abashed about his accomplishments. He knows he makes errors in each session of poker and constantly aspires to improve.
Even though Ivey has come first in some large tournaments, he likes destroying money games on a regular basis.