Phil Ivey has been labeled as the greatest poker contender in the world by quite a few of the top-ranked professionals. He was born in Riverside, CA and moved to Jersey before his first birthday. His grandpa showed him to one cent-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From that point on, he was hooked on poker and wished to learn everything he could about the game. Phil would tell his elders that he was going to be a professional poker player. He didn’t let the negative feedback from other people kill his goal of becoming one of the strongest poker competitors on the planet.
He began playing intently after acquiring a fake ID with the name of Jerome. He sharpened his skills at the casinos in Atlantic City. The initial number of years for him were a learning opportunity and winning wasn’t a normal outcome at the time. He became known at the 2000 World Series of Poker where he achieved 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 destroyed quite a few of the well known professionals including but not limited to "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
Phil decided to take his skills to the next level and headed out west to Vegas. Phil continues to play in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the greatest players in the world. Phil credits his achievements to dedication and a continuing love for the game of poker. He states that he’s learning every single day and is incredibly humble about his accomplishments. He admits to making errors every single session of poker and always strives to get better.
Although Ivey has won some large tournaments, he likes winning money games on a regular basis.