The Life Of Ivey

News / Chris Edwards / 18 June 2008 / Leave a comment

Towards the end of May a new section on Barry Greenstein's Poker Road website emerged called 'The Life Of Ivey'. In it are regularly updated videos following Ivey around Vegas during the WSOP, showing how he lives.

This is a unique insight into the personality of one of the highest profile players as Ivey is usually a very reserved person who rarely gives interviews or takes part in media events. In one of the videos Ivey mentions that he is only doing it to help out his friend Greenstein as Barry mentored Phil when he first started gaining recognition.

In the first video, titled 'Phil at Hustler', it shows the origins of Phil's WSOP prop bet with Ted Forrest. According to Greenstein, before he started filming they were playing Stud and were betting $25,000 whenever someone got dealt a low card and double if they were the bring-in. Phil went on a rush of a low cards and Forrest got a little upset, so started offering prop bets. This is where the video kicks in and at first Forrest offers Ivey $500k that in one year he can beat a time set by Phil running a 1/4 mile and a mile. To Forrest's shock Phil turns the bet down and they re-negotiate.

In another video Phil gets interviewed during the break of the $1000 NLHE w/Rebuys event where he is in the chip lead but which he admits he is already in for $10,000. When asked why, he replies 'Why not, I have to win a bracelet and have to give myself the maximum chance of doing that'. Quite right if it gets him closer to winning one of his bracelet bets. During the break of another event Phil is filmed talking to 2004 Main Event runner up David Williams where it emerges that Williams owes Phil $400k and is reluctant to come up with the money. Other videos show him during breaks playing PLO online at the highest stakes.

My favorite video so far is titled 'High Stakes Dice' which shows Phil warming up for an afternoon WSOP event. 'Lets go to the Wynn and shoot dice' (dice meaning Craps) Ivey says to Greenstein who is filming him from the back seat of an expensive looking jeep. At the Wynn Greenstein states Ivey is already down $1m and has bought back in for another $200k, which he quickly loses. He moves onto a second casino where he gets his own room and several staff members for him to gamble. While the casino manager is counting out over $3.3m in chips, Phil sits patiently and with the clock ticking before his 5pm WSOP tournament he calmly and quietly states 'This is how I relax'.