At present, only a few individuals would be disputing the fact that Phil Ivey happens to be the greatest poker player ever.

Phil Ivey has the propensity to emphasize more on games that generate cash and less on the tournaments, which make his accomplishments much more impressive in the long run. If Phil Ivey ever decides to play tournaments full-time, there will be not much doubt in many people that he would be ranking at the very top of the tournament money list ever.

According to the players who have played cash games against Phil, he happens to be the most gifted player they have ever come across, having mastered every game. As per his colleagues, Phil’s thorough knowledge in every single variant of poker helps to make him the very best.

Younger players, older players. Professional players, as well as casual players, have one thing in common. Nearly all of them regard Ivey to be the most gifted poker player on the planet.

According to some individuals, names like Doyle Brunson and Chip Reese should be listed before Phil Ivey; however, these people happen to be few. The general opinion is that Phil Ivey happens to be the best poker player ever in the world.

It is quite difficult to argue with the results of Phil Ivey. According to Phil Hellmuth, Ivey is a “triple threat” – he is outstanding in tournaments, outstanding in online cash games, and exceptional in live cash games. It is very difficult to come across a player who dominates all three settings.

At present, Phil Ivey has got almost $15 million in net lifetime tournament cash, and this places him in 2nd spot on the list of all-time money earners. Moreover, it should be mentioned here that Phil does not appear on the tournament circuit regularly.

Since January 2007, almost $20 million has been won by Ivey on Full Tilt Poker. It is probably the highest amount of cash that any single player has been won since the introduction of online poker in the early part of the 2000s.

As per the players playing regularly with him, Ivey happens to be amongst the most effective “live” cash game players ever. Apparently, Phil is a big lifetime champion in Las Vegas in the “Big Game”.

Phil Ivey has as many as 10 World Series Poker bracelets despite being only 35 years of age. Phil has succeeded in picking up his pace only recently, mainly because of the introduction of hefty bracelet prop bets. Earlier, Ivey could play only a few World Series Poker events since better action was available in the lucrative high take cash games.

When looking at all his skills, one has no other option but to provide Ivey the nod for the “most gifted poker player ever.” None else comes close to him while taking into consideration live cash games, live tournaments, as well as online cash games. 

Phillip Ivey was born in February 1977 and has succeeded in winning 10 World Series Poker bracelets, 1 World Tour Poker title while appearing at 9 World Tour Poker final tables. He had been designated to the Hall of Fame of Poker In the year 2017.

Phil Ivey Early Years

In the initial phases, Ivey started developing his poker skills by combating against his colleagues at a telemarketing firm in New Jersey in the latter part of the 1990s. He got a nickname, which is actually derived from the counterfeit ID card that was secured by him for playing poker in New Jersey during his adolescent years. Phil was provided with another nickname in the year 2002 after he won 3 World Series Poker bracelets. He is also called “Poker’s Tiger Woods.”

2017 had been a sluggish year for Phil, who focused on Asia, particularly Hong Kong, and ended up missing all the major global events in the western part of the world because he wanted to play the greatest games in Asia. In a conference, Phil announced that he would be returning to the main circuit for the year 2018.

World Series Poker

Phil’s most significant tournament accomplishments consist of winning 3 bracelets at World Series Poker in the year 2002, tying Ted Forrest, Puggy Pearson, and Phil Hellmuth for the maximum number of wins in World Series competitions in just one year. Ivey likewise has got bracelets from 2000 as well as 2005 in Pot Limit Omaha. He had been the first individual who defeated Amarillo Slim In the year 2000 at a table for the WSOP finals. The victory of Ivey over none other than Amarillo Slim had been for his initial career bracelet. Apart from his 10 bracelets in the World Series, Phil was also successful in the Main Event at WSOP. Between the World Series Poker held in 2002 and the World Series Poker held in 2009, he had been placed at the top 25 for as many as 4 times. In the year 2002 Phil finished 23rd, in 2003 10th, in 2005 20th, and on 2009 7th.

World Series Poker Hall of Fame

Ivey ended up winning the 6th bracelet of his career in the year 2009. He managed to defeat as many as 147 players for catching his bracelet. Phil succeeded in winning a very long combat against a player named John Monette. Following this, he won one more bracelet in the $2,500 Omaha Hi/Lo event defeating as many as 376 individuals. He succeeded in defeating Ming Lee as well. While emerging the victor in the event, he likewise managed to be placed in the 22nd position in the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event despite playing only at the time of the breaks.

In the World Series Poker in the year 2010, Phil succeeded in receiving the maximum Tournament of Champions votes.

At the WSOP in the year 2010, Phil won his 8th bracelet n a table that comprised of other distinguished players, including Bill Chen, John Juanda, Jeff Lisandro, as well as Chad Brown.

Phil finished amongst the top 25 gamers between 2002 and 2009 in the Key Event for as many as 4 times in pitches, which varied from 500 entrants to under 8,000 in size. In the Main Event at WSOP held in 2003, Ivey finished 10th and 7th in the year 2009. Ivey ended his Main Event in the year 2009 after winning $1,406,002

Having as many as ten World Series Poker bracelets, Phil is presently tied with Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson for the 2nd maximum all-time. Moreover, at 38 years of age, he happens to be the youngest gamer who has ever won 10 bracelets (in fact, Phil Hellmuth had been 42 while winning his 10th bracelet). Furthermore, you will not come across any other player who has accumulated ten bracelets more quickly. Phil took just 12 years from winning his 1st bracelet to the 10th (Phil Hellmuth took 17 years). Ivey likewise holds the all-time record for winning the maximum number of bracelets in the non-Holdem events. His win in the year 2010 helped him to lead Billy Baxter. Phil likewise has won the maximum number of mixed-game bracelets; in fact, he has won as many as 5 in his illustrious career. He succeeded in winning one in the year 2002, another in the year 2009, one more in the year 2010, in the year 2013, and in the year 2014. 

World Tour Poker 

Phil has also succeeded in reaching nine final tables during his World Tour Poker. He had been eliminated during several WPT events while he held the identical starting hand every single time, a queen plus an ace. Ivey has been able to cash in an event at the WPT 9 out of the 12 times. Ivey succeeded in making the final table in the year 2008 at the LA Poker Classic during the 6th season of the WPT at the Commerce Casino, the final table comprised of Nam Le and Phil Hellmuth. Phil eventually captured the first prize worth $1,595,100, which ended his run of 7 final tables at the WPT without securing a victory. In fact, Ivey has succeeded in earning approximately $3 million in cash at the WPT. In September 2006, he made his appearance for the first time on the European Tour Poker. Although coming as the chip leader to the ultimate table of 9, he finally finished second to Norway’s Bjorn-Erik Glenne.

Other significant tournaments

Ivey took part in The All-Star Challenge held in London in the year 2006. Phil ended up finishing 7th and accumulated £6,700. Ivey won the first prize of $1,200,000 at a competition held in Monte Carlo in 2005. The next day, another $610,000 was won by him for winning The FullTiltPoker.Net competition in Monte Carlo. Phil’s six rivals had been Gus Hansen, Phil Hellmuth, Mike Matusow, Chris Ferguson, John Juanda, and Dave Ulliott.

In the year 2007, Ivey succeeded in winning the $126,000 “Earphones Please” competition, where he defeated Andy Bloch, Hellmuth, Tony G, Matusow, and Sam Farha. On 15th April 2007, Don Cheadle defeated Ivey in the very 1st sound at the “National Heads-Up Poker Championship.” It had been the third successive year where Phil had been eliminated in the very 1st round of the particular competition. However, this streak was ended in the year 2008, while he succeeded in advancing to the semi-finals, where he lost to Ferguson, the eventual winner. Phil participated in 3 and 6 seasons of the High Poker Stakes of GSN.

Ivey won the Australian Millions $240,000 High-roller competition on 29th January 2012, where he defeated Patrik Antonius for prize money worth A $ 2,500,000. Ivey was likewise positioned 12th for prize money of A$120,000 at the Aussie Millions main event.

Ivey ended up winning the 2014 LK Boutique Aussie Millions $255,000 Challenge on 10th February 2014 for a sum of AU$4,500,000 – this had been the biggest single cash in his entire career. He succeeded in winning the Australian Millions $255,000 Challenge once again in February 2015 – this time, he earned AU$2,210,000, which made him the only gamer in the tournament’s history with two successive championships within a period of 4 years.

The net live tournament earnings of Phil are more than $26,240,000 as of 2018. Millions have also been won by him playing in cash tournaments as well as online. More than $6,800,000 of his net earnings have been derived from the winnings at WSOP. Presently, Ivey is in the 7th position on the money list of all-time. 

Ivey regularly participates in the $4,200-$9,000 cash game in the city of Las Vegas at the Bellagio. Ivey succeeded in winning more than $16,200,000 over a span of 3 days at the time of a match held at The Wynn Resort. Phil had been competing for “The Corporation” which happens to be a team of professionals that took turns while combating Beal after pooling their cash. The Corporation had been beaten by Beal earlier in the month out of more than $14,000,000.

Phil Ivey Video Master of Poker Bluffs:

Phil Ivey And Online Poker

Ivey belongs to Full Tilt Poker’s initial management department. Ivey had filed a lawsuit in Clark County in 2011 claiming that his contract had been breached by Full Tilt. More than $150,000,000 was asked by the suit for damages and for Ivey to be free from his agreement with Full Tilt. Ivey voluntarily withdrew the suit on 30th June.

In accordance with HighStakesDB.com, $2 million had been won by Ivey on FullTilt in the year 2007, $7.35 million in the year 2008, $6.34 million in the year 2009, as well as $3.2 million in the year 2010. 

Edge-Sorting Lawsuit

It was reported that Phil had won £7.2 million in the year 2012 while playing the casino game Punto Banco in a casino in UK; however, he had been declined payment beyond the initial £1.1 million stakes because of using edge sorting. Ivey issued a statement through his legal practitioners denying any kind of misbehavior. In April 2014, Ivey was sued by the Borgata Casino located in the Atlantic City, claiming that he used a flaw in the making of playing cards to his advantage and defrauded at baccarat. Incidentally, the identical type of cards is used by Crockfords along with the Borgata. 

In October 2014, a court in the UK claimed that Phil’s methods at Crockford’s actually constituted dishonesty.

On 29th November 2015, Phil had been granted the consent to make an appeal after a judge found that the case actually raised a vital question of regulation and had a genuine possibility of success. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal on 3rd November 2016 by upholding the previous conclusion that the method actually resulted in cheating. Another appeal made to the UK Supreme Court resulted in an undisputed judgment delivered on 25th October 2017 and found in the casino’s favor. The court concluded that the actions of Ivey actually constituted dishonesty.

In the month of January 2019, the Borgata was permitted by a judge to pursue Ivey’s assets in Nevada for recouping in excess of $10 million, which was won by him at the gambling den by making use of edge-sorting.

On 27th June 2019, an execution writ was served to the World Poker Series by the United States Marshals Service, and it seized the 2019 winnings of Ivey for paying The Borgata.

On 10th July 2020, it was reported by Card Player publication that Ivey had given consent to a settlement of the claim made by the Borgata. 

Personal life

As mentioned earlier, Phil Ivey arrived in this world in 1977 in California, USA; however, he later relocated to Roselle in New Jersey. He developed an interest in the poker card game when he had been an adolescent. Ivey learned many things from his grandfather, who educated him regarding the Five-Card stud to prevent him from gambling. However, Phil started playing for cash when he was 16 years of age, and when he was 18, he played at the live tables in the Atlantic City for pretty long durations. 

At present, Phil lives in Las Vegas. He is likewise a huge follower of Los Angeles Lakers, Buffalo Bills, as well as Houston Rockets. He’s observed putting on basketball jerseys from time to time. Phil loves to play games, including golf, video games, plus prop betting, while not playing poker. Apart from this, he is also known for his charitable causes as well as philanthropic pursuits. He has donated thousands of dollars to charities intended for those children who happen to be underprivileged. A charity has also been co-founded by Ivey under the name of Budding Ivey Foundation for continuing his grandfather’s benevolent work.