Phil Ivey has been branded as the greatest poker player in the world by many of the top-ranked professionals. He was born in Riverside, CA and moved to NJ before reaching the age of one. His grandpa introduced him to one cent-ante Five-Card Stud poker. From that point on, he was hooked on poker and wanted to pickup every little thing he could about the game. Phil routinely told his elders that he wanted to be a professional poker player. Phil didn’t permit the negative comments from other people kill his ambition of becoming one of the strongest poker competitors on the planet.
Phil started playing intently after getting a false ID by the name of Jerome. He practiced his game at the casinos in Atlantic City. The beginning few years for him were a learning opportunity and winning wasn’t a common outcome at the time. Phil became known at the 2000 WSOP where he achieved 2 final tables and came away with his first WSOP bracelet, in a two dollar, 500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. At the final table he defeated a number of the better known pros which includes "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
He decided to take his skills to the successive level and moved out west to Las Vegas. Phil continues to participate in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the best players on the planet. Phil credits his success to hard work and an immeasurable love for the game of poker. He says that he is picking up skills every day and is incredibly abashed about his accomplishments. Phil knows he makes mistakes every single game of poker and constantly strives to get better.
Despite the fact that Ivey has come first in some large tournaments, he favors destroying money games on a normal basis.
