Phil Ivey has been referred to as the number one poker contender on the globe by many of the top pros. Phil was born in Riverside, CA and moved to NJ before reaching the age of one. His grandpa taught Phil penny-ante Five-Card Stud poker. From that point on, he was addicted to poker and wanted to pickup everything he possibly could about the game. He routinely told his elders that he wanted to be a professional poker player. Phil didn’t allow the negative comments from other people kill his dream of becoming one of the best poker players in the world.
He started playing intently after getting a false ID by the name of Jerome. He honed his skills at the casinos of Atlantic City. The beginning few years for him were a learning experience and coming away with a win wasn’t a normal outcome at the time. He made his mark at the 2000 WSOP where he achieved two final tables and won his first WSOP bracelet, in a $2, 500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. At the final table he destroyed a number of the better known pros including "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
He made a decision to take his game to the next level and headed out west to Sin City. Phil continues to participate in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the best players in the world. Ivey credits his success to hard work and an eternal love for poker. He says that he is learning every single day and is very abashed about his achievements. He knows he makes mistakes every single session of poker and always aspires to improve.
Although Phil has won some big tournaments, he favors winning money games on a regular basis.
