Phil Ivey has been referred to as the greatest poker competitor on the planet by most of the top-ranked professionals. Phil Ivey was born in Riverside, CA and relocated to Jersey before his first birthday. His grandfather showed him to penny-ante Five-Card Stud poker. From then on on, he was addicted to poker and wished to pickup anything he could about poker. Phil routinely told his parents that he wanted to be a professional poker player. He didn’t let the adverse feedback from other people destroy his ambition of being one of the best poker players on the planet.

He began playing seriously after getting a fake ID with the name of Jerome. He honed his game at the poker rooms of Atlantic City. The initial number of years for Phil were a teaching opportunity and winning was not a regular thing at the time. He became known at the 2000 World Series of Poker when he made 2 final tables and came away with his first WSOP bracelet, in a $2, five hundred Pot-Limit Omaha match. At the closing table he defeated a number of the better known professionals which includes "Amarillo Slim" Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliot, and Phil Hellmuth, Jr.

He decided to take his skills to the successive level and moved out west to Vegas. He continues to play in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio with the greatest players on the planet. Ivey credits his achievements to discipline and a continuing passion for poker. He says that he is learning every single day and is incredibly abashed about his success. He knows he makes blunders in each session of poker and always strives to improve.

Although Ivey has come first in some large tournaments, he prefers winning money games on a normal basis.