Phil Ivey Reaches Fifth Final Table Of The 2012 WSOP
Many consider Ivey to be the best all-round poker player in the world and on this form there are very few who would argue with that statement. Not only is he constantly going deep in tournaments he is doing so in a wide variety of game; the sign of true poker greatness.
Phil Ivey may have boycotted the 2011 World Series of Poker but he is most certainly a part of this year's edition as he has just reached his fifth final table of the summer in the $2,500 Mixed Hold'em event.
In years gone by Ivey has had a number of large proposition bets on him and his peers winning a WSOP bracelet and although there have only been rumours about such a bet this time around, it is safe to say that for whatever reason Ivey is definitely in the zone and playing to the best of his ability.
His first cash of the 2012 WSOP came in Event #14, the $1,500 No Limit Hold'em Shootout where he busted out in 118th place but each of his next four cashes have all been final table appearances too. He finished seventh in the $5,000 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, second in the $10,000 Pot Limit Hold'em, third in the $5,000 Omaha Hi/Lo and fifth in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. In total these spectacular results have seen Ivey walk away with $551,234 and after making it to the final table of Event #35 he will add at least $16,692 to that total and possibly as much as $210,107 if he goes all the way and wins his ninth bracelet.
Many consider Ivey to be the best all-round poker player in the world and on this form there are very few who would argue with that statement. Not only is he constantly going deep in tournaments he is doing so in a wide variety of game; the sign of true poker greatness. Fans of the great man will be aware he has never won a bracelet in a straight Hold'em event and the fact this tournament is being played as a mix of No Limit and Limit betting structures mean that record - if you can call it such a thing - will still stand if he bests the final table later today.
Standing between Ivey and his ninth bracelet are eight talented poker players who have all reached the final table on merit. Keep an eye out for Erik Cajelais, himself a bracelet winner, and Salman Behbehani who is a regular on the European Poker Tour and a phenomenal Hold'em player.
Play resumes in Event #35 at 14:00 Las Vegas time (22:00 UK time) and will continue until just one man has chips in front of him. Will that man be Ivey? If it is he will be less than $62,000 behind Erik Seidel in the all-time money rankings; that alone would probably be enough to spur Ivey on!
Event #35 Final Table Seat Draw
Seat 1: Chris Tryba - 347,000
Seat 2: Salman Behbehani - 253,000
Seat 3: Michael Foti - 105,000
Seat 4: Michael Gathy - 418,000
Seat 5: Joep van den Bijgaart - 605,000
Seat 6: Erik Cajelais - 368,000
Seat 7: Phil Ivey - 169,000
Seat 8: Samuel Golbuff - 526,000
Seat 9: Brent Wheeler - 158,000
Prices quoted in copy are correct at time of publication but liable to change.
