Apparently Phil Ivey is far too busy playing poker to put up his own website in his reserved space (www.philivey.com), so, having not yet had a chance to meet one of the biggest rising stars of the poker world, his biography pre-poker is somewhat limited. The general consensus is that he was born in New Jersey, and, after a brief stint as a video game wizard, turned to professional poker at the age of only 17. Guess the ID checkers at the casino front doors aren't quite as assiduous in Atlantic City as in Vegas…
In the decade since he went pro, Phil has become recognised as one of the best players around, of any age. His first big win was in the WSOP Pot Limit Omaha event in 2000, when he was a mere 23 years old. He went on to win three bracelets in 2002 - equalling the record shared by Phil Hellmuth and Ted Forrest for most bracelets won in a single year - in the 7-Card Stud event, the 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo event and the SHOE (Stud, Hold'em, Omaha and Eight or better 7-Card Stud). He won his fifth bracelet in 2005 in the Pot Limit Omaha Rebuy event.
Phil has also placed in a whole stack of other major tournaments since 2000, including six WPT events, although he has yet to win one of those. He is also a terrifyingly successful cash player, regularly playing (and winning at) the biggest cash games in the world. So I'll bet he doesn't care so much about not having won that WPT title yet. His 20th place finish in this year’s World Series Main Event did not disappoint those eager to tip him for great things to come, either.
Phil is an extremely popular player with other pros and poker fans, male and female alike, the latter owing mainly to his youth and good looks - qualities that can be quite rare on the poker circuit. But bad luck ladies, turns out he's married to his childhood sweetheart. They now live in Las Vegas.
At the table he is known for his silent, absolute focus on the game - no ungentlemanly winding up of other players - and his piercing stare when reading his opponents. He is one of the players who make me thankful for those under-the-table hole-card cameras – at the other end of the stare is a mind always questioning and improving his own game and analyzing other players’. Ask someone to list those whom they would rather not be sat with in next year’s World Series, and Phil Ivey will be somewhere in there. Now part of the instantly recognisable Full Tilt group, there can be no doubt that Phil Ivey has quickly earned his intimidating reputation.
