Phil Ivey has been branded as the best poker competitor on the planet by many of the top-ranked pros. He was born in Riverside, CA and moved to New Jersey before reaching the age of 1. His grandpa taught him penny-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From then on on, Phil was addicted to poker and wanted to discover every little thing he could about poker. He routinely told his parents that he was going to be a professional poker player. Phil did not let the detrimental comments from other people kill his goal of being one of the strongest poker players on the planet.
He began competing intently after acquiring a false ID with the name of Jerome. He honed his skills at the poker rooms in Atlantic City. The beginning few years for him were a learning experience and winning wasn’t a normal outcome at the time. He made his mark at the 2000 WSOP where he achieved two final tables and came away with his first WSOP bracelet, in a $2, 500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. At the closing table he defeated quite a few of the well known professionals 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 Sin City. Phil continues to participate in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the greatest players on the planet. Phil credits his success to dedication and a continuing love for poker. He states that he’s picking up skills every day and is incredibly humble about his success. Phil admits to making mistakes in each session of poker and constantly aspires to improve.
Despite the fact that Ivey has come first in some big-time tournaments, he prefers destroying cash games on a regular basis.