Phil Ivey has been referred to as the best poker player on the globe by most of the top-ranked pros. He was born in Riverside, CA and moved to NJ before reaching turning 1. His papa showed him to penny-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From that point on, Phil was hooked on poker and wanted to learn whatever he could about poker. He would tell his grandparents that he was planning on being a professional poker player. He didn’t allow the detrimental feedback from others kill his dream of being one of the greatest poker competitors in the world.
He started playing intently after acquiring a fake ID by the name of Jerome. He honed his skills at the poker rooms in Atlantic City. The initial few years for him were a learning period and winning wasn’t a regular thing at the time. He made his mark at the 2000 WSOP when he made two final tables and won his first WSOP bracelet, in a $2, 500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. At the last table he destroyed many of the well known pros including but not limited to "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
Phil made a decision to take his game to the next level and moved out west to Vegas. He continues to compete in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the greatest players on the planet. Ivey credits his achievements to dedication and a continuing passion for the game of poker. He says that he’s picking up skills every day and is very abashed about his accomplishments. Phil knows he makes errors every single game of poker and constantly strives to get better.
Despite the fact that Ivey has won some large tournaments, he prefers winning cash games on a normal basis.