Player Profile - Phil Ivey
August 01, 2006 -
His stare is famous around the poker table, a one-way portal that takes and takes and usually gives nothing in return. Although his friends might tease him for the way he looks on TV, they can’t begrudge him his money-winning gaze, that flickers around the room, gathering data to be processed, and then locks on target when its decision making time. Phil Ivey, an old man in the new poker world at 30 (he turned the ripe old age on February 1, 2006) has been playing pro poker for a living for over ten years. He is a champion player that gets respect at any table, online or hardwood and felt covered.
While some have labeled him “The Tiger Woods of Poker,” it is a dubious name with questionable origins. Ivey himself has said he is uncomfortable with the label, pointing out that Tiger is the best at his game, and Ivey feels he hasn’t earned the right to be called the best - yet. Perhaps it is the laser-like focus that he brings to the game that cause people to link the two; Ivey’s smiles at the table are rare, but when they do make an appearance, are genuine.
Ivey became a poker champ at the tender age of 23, winning the World Series of Poker’s 2000 Pot-Limit Omaha Event. Four more championships would follow; the 2002 Seven-Card Stud Event, the 2002 Card Stud Hi/Lo Event, the 2002 S.H.O.E. Event and the 2005 Pot-Limit Omaha with Re-buys Event. Although still young, especially by poker standards, Ivey has accomplished a lot at a young age, including marrying his high-school sweetheart, Luciaetta, with whom he now lives in Las Vegas, Nevada where he's a regular at the high-stakes poker games.
Ivey grew up in New Jersey but was born in California, where his grandfather taught him to play poker as a child. By 16 he started to play for money; it wasn’t long after 21 that he made the leap to becoming a poker professional. He has had a number of notable moments along the way from then till now (outside of five championship wins, of course); his first no-limit Texas Hold’em tournament win was a live event, the first ever live Hold’em event at the American Poker Championship at the Turning Stone Cason. He also tied legend Phil Hellmuth and Ted Forrest for the most wins in a single year when, in 2002, he won three WSOP bracelets.
Like many young pros, Ivey is no stranger to video games and technology; he can be found online at Full Tilt poker playing every week, and don’t be surprised if you run into him in an arcade during tournament time, as video games are a big love. As for poker, if you spot a sports’ jersey-wearing fella who seems to be scanning the room like the best of the Secret Service looking for trouble, you are likely sitting next to Phil Ivey and better be on the top of your game if you want to hold on to your stack.
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