Posted by Marilyn | Posted in Holdem | Posted on 08-04-2018
Phil Ivey has been branded as the number one poker contender in the world by quite a few of the top professionals. He was born in Riverside, CA and relocated to New Jersey before his first birthday. His grandfather showed him to one cent-ante 5-Card Stud poker. From then on on, Phil was addicted to poker and wished to pickup everything he could about poker. He routinely told his parents that he was going to be a professional poker player. Phil did not let the adverse comments from other people annihilate his ambition of becoming one of the best poker players on the planet.
He started competing seriously after acquiring a fake ID with the name of Jerome. He honed his game at the casinos of Atlantic City. The initial few years for him were a teaching opportunity and winning wasn’t a normal thing at the time. He made his mark at the 2000 WSOP where he achieved 2 final tables and came away with his first WSOP bracelet, in a $2, 500 Pot-Limit Omaha match. At the final table he defeated a number of the better known professionals including but not limited to "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
He made a decision to take his skills to the next level and moved out west to Sin City. He continues to participate in in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the greatest players in the world. Ivey credits his success to discipline and an eternal love for poker. He says that he’s picking up skills every day and is quite abashed about his achievements. Phil knows he makes blunders in each session of poker and always aspires to get better.
Although Phil has come first in some big-time tournaments, he favors destroying cash games on a regular basis.