Phil Ivey has been referred to as the number one poker contender on the globe by many of the top-ranked pros. Phil was born in Riverside, CA and relocated to Jersey before his first birthday. His grandfather taught Phil one cent-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From then on on, he was addicted to poker and wished to pickup everything he possibly could about poker. Phil would tell his elders that he was going to be a professional poker player. Phil did not let the adverse feedback from others annihilate his ambition of becoming one of the strongest poker competitors in the world.
Phil started competing seriously after acquiring a fake ID by the name of Jerome. He sharpened his techniques at the poker rooms of Atlantic City. The first number of years for Phil were a learning experience and winning wasn’t a common outcome at the time. He made his mark at the 2000 World Series of Poker where he achieved two final tables and won his first WSOP bracelet, in a two dollar, five hundred Pot-Limit Omaha game. At the closing 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 game to the next level and moved out west to Las Vegas. He continues to play in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the best players on the planet. Ivey credits his achievements to discipline and a continuing love for poker. Phil states that he is picking up skills every single day and is quite abashed about his accomplishments. Phil knows he makes errors every single session of poker and constantly strives to get better.
Although Ivey has won some big tournaments, he favors destroying money games on a normal basis.