Phil Ivey has been labeled as the number one poker player on the globe by most of the top-ranked pros. Phil was born in Riverside, CA and moved to NJ before reaching turning one. His grandpa showed him to one cent-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From that point on, Phil was hooked on poker and wanted to discover every little thing he could about poker. He would tell his parents that he wanted to be a professional poker player. Phil did not allow the adverse comments from others kill his ambition of becoming one of the best poker players in the world.
He began competing seriously after getting a fake ID by the name of Jerome. He honed his abilities at the casinos of Atlantic City. The beginning number of years for Phil were a teaching experience and coming away with a win wasn’t a normal outcome at the time. He became known at the 2000 WSOP when he achieved two final tables and won his first WSOP bracelet, in a $2, 500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. At the closing table he defeated a number of the well known pros including "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
Phil decided to take his game to the next level and headed out west to Sin City. He continues to compete in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the greatest players on the planet. Ivey credits his success to dedication and an undying love for poker. He states that he’s learning every single day and is very humble about his accomplishments. He admits to making mistakes every single session of poker and constantly strives to improve.
Despite the fact that Phil has come first in some big-time tournaments, he favors destroying money games on a normal basis.