Phil Ivey

  • Name: Philipp D. Ivey

  • Nickname: Tiger Woods of Poker

  • Current Residence: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

  • DOB: February 1st, 1976

  • Birth Place: Riverside, California, USA

  • Sponsored by: Full Tilt Poker

  • WSOP Bracelets: 7

  • Total Winnings: $12,813,990 (March 2010)

  • Marital Status: Married

Who is Phil Ivey?

Phil Ivey learnt how to play poker at the age of eight. His grandfather taught him how to play five-card stud as a way of keeping him away from becoming a gambler. It worked the other way around, and by the age of eighteen Phil had a fake ID by the name of Jerome Graham, and was playing up to 14 hours a day in casinos. From this, he gained a lot of experience. In 2000, the legend started when he sat down at the final table of the $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha event with Amarillo Slim Preston, David "Devilfish" Ulliott and Phil Hellmuth. and walked away with his first World Series of Poker bracelet at the age of 23. He likes prop bets, shooting dice, playing golf. But mostly he likes to play poker.

In the year 2009, Phil won two WSOP bracelets in just two weeks, and the rumour is that he won several million in side action when he managed to take home the second one in $ 2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo event. Phil also made his way to the WSOP Main Event final table, and finished in 7th place worth of $1,404,014. In 2009, Phil took the 1st place in the all-time tournament earnings list.

Where does the nickname ‘Tiger Woods of Poker' come from?

Phil is a young, black poker player, and he has steadily gone up. Considering his age, we can just imagine how much better he can get. He says he works everyday to sharpen his game, and today he's probably the best all-around poker player in the world. All in all, the similarities to the golf superstar are easy to see.

Public Perception and Reputation

Phil is very humble and there are no signs that fame has gone to his head. He works hard on his game, rather than promoting his image away from the tables. He plays online regularly at Full Tilt Poker at the highest tables. For some reason, some criticize the fact that he focuses more on cash games rather than tournaments. For players of Phil's calibre, cash games are much more profitable, and he simply isn't very interested in tournaments. Despite this, he has won 5 WSOP bracelets, a WPT title and has over 10 million dollars in tournament cashes.

Poker Techniques

Like all the best players, Phil has a very aggressive style, but he's also very quiet and focused, absorbing all the information his opponents give him. He's known for his piercing stare that can intimidate his opponents. Poker legend Chip Reese talked very highly of Phil, saying he had the mental strength and focus of a winner.

Media Exposure