Phil Ivey has been branded as the number one poker contender in the world by quite a few of the top pros. He was born in Riverside, CA and moved to Jersey before his first birthday. His grandpa showed him to penny-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From then on on, he was hooked on poker and wished to pickup everything he could about the game. Phil routinely told his grandparents that he was planning on being a professional poker player. Phil did not let the adverse comments from others destroy his dream of being one of the strongest poker competitors in the world.
Phil started competing seriously after acquiring a fake ID with the name of Jerome. He honed his techniques at the poker rooms in Atlantic City. The initial number of years for Phil were a learning opportunity and winning wasn’t a common outcome at the time. He became known at the 2000 WSOP when he made two final tables and came away with his first World Series of Poker bracelet, in a $2, five hundred Pot-Limit Omaha event. At the final table he defeated quite a few of the well known pros which includes "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
He made a decision to take his game to the next level and headed out west to 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 dedication and an eternal passion for the game of poker. He says that he is learning every day and is very abashed about his achievements. He admits to making mistakes every single game of poker and constantly aspires to get better.
Although Ivey has come first in some large tournaments, he prefers destroying cash games on a normal basis.
