The world of poker also has its own black stars, including one of the most famous of all time: Phil Ivey. Throughout his career, he managed to bank over $23 million in live tournaments. The titles under his name are numerous, including one World Poker Tour and ten (yes 10) World Series of Poker gold bracelets. Here is a quick look at the wonderful career of Poker great Phil Ivey.
Known All Over the World
This boy from Riverside, California, born on February 1st, 1977, was not meant to remain unknown for long. From a very young age, he already knew that he was something special when it came to poker. In his lifetime, he would get to play in some of the greatest casinos around the world, live but also online. America, Asia, Europe… Everybody who knows about the Poker world have heard his name and recognize his talent, which includes the best New Zealand casinos like these ones, to the most famous ones in Vegas or Macau.
He learned from his Grandfather
In any sport or game, the trick is to start learning while you are young, so you can develop and become as good at it, as possible, at an early age. That is what Phil did, with the help of his grandfather. The first thing that his elder taught him, was the love of the game. They would play together, hours on end, 5-card stud, playing for a few cents. Although his grandfather thought him the basic strategies, Phil developed his own through time, while his companion of play discovered the great potential his grandson had. He told him to think about becoming a pro player and so Phil headed into this direction.
He started his career on the East Coast
In America, in most States, you need to be over 21 years old, to play poker in a casino. When Phil moved to the other side of the country, to Atlantic City, he wasn’t there yet. And so, he created himself a fake id, in order to enter. His fake name was Jerome Graham. He started his casino life by spending more than 15 hours per day playing, gaining knowledge and quickly becoming the best at the game. Everyone knew of him and soon he got the nickname “No Home Jerome,” as he was literally living inside the casinos.
First Accomplishment
The year 2000 was a breaking point for Phil Ivey. Those that did not know the kid previously, suddenly learned at their expense, as he went on to win his first WSOP bracelet. He did so against the legendary Amarillo Slim, which helped to create his own mythology. The $200,000 came in handy, but mostly, the win gave him the confidence he needed to keep climbing the ranks of poker.
What Is Phil Ivey Career like Today?
In 2014, Phil got tired of running around the world for tournaments, and decided to launch a poker training site. The fees are relatively low, because want more than anything, he wants to share his knowledge and love for the game of poker. He also got involved with a company in order to promote cryptocurrencies inside the world of poker.