Phil Ivey

I first met Phil Ivey after his phenomenal success at the World Series of Poker in 2002. Phil took home three gold bracelets that year (tying the record held by Phil Hellmuth and Ted Forrest for most wins in a single year). I saw him from across the room at the Commerce Casino’s California State Poker Championship and I decided I had to meet this poker sensation, so I approached him and introduced myself. I think that he was a little shocked (maybe disappointed) that some girl was introducing herself to him based on his great poker ability. Of course, since the poker boom, women (and men) approach him constantly.

For some time, when I ran into Phil on the tournament circuit, I tried to convince him that he should give me 7 Card Stud lessons. He was always very pleasant when talking with me, but he chuckled when I would bring up the lessons. At first I was convinced that I scared him, but the more that I have gotten to know him, the more I realize he has a reserved personality. I have seen more of his personality come out lately. I imagine that it is partly because he deals with fans on a daily basis. I am still puzzled that a world class poker player that is known for his aggressive style is as quiet and shy as he is.

Phil resides in Las Vegas with his wife and plays in the biggest cash games there. He also travels to Los Angeles sometimes for big cash games there. Some opponents that he has played against are Doyle Brunson, Barry Greenstein, Chip Reese, Larry Flynt, and the billionaire Andy Beal. Phil spends some of his time away from the poker table at the golf course. I have heard rumors that when he first started playing golf he was hopeless (although if you saw him on ESPN shooting golf with Howard Lederer and Robert Williamson, it doesn’t seem to be a rumor), but that hasn’t stopped him from betting thousands of dollars while on the green.

Phil is known to some as the Tiger Woods of poker, but I have to disagree. He is the Phil Ivey of poker, totally in a class by himself. He is definitely my favorite tournament poker player and I love his aggressive style. When I watch him play in tournaments, I am in awe by how focused he is. He seems to be paying attention to everything, absorbing every bit of information that the other players give him. One example of this was on the “Earphones Please” Poker After Dark television show. He was seated with five other players with four of them being borderline obnoxious or well over the border. A normal player would have lost their cool. I would have run out of there screaming, but Phil sat there calm and collected and ended up winning the one-table tournament.

Another great strength he has as a player, is not realizing how good he actually is. I have heard him comment on some of his games and he really believes that he needs a lot of work on some of them. I think that is what makes him such a great player. He is constantly working to make his game better.

event, second at Phil’s World Poker Tour credits in season one include a third place finish at the FoxwoodsTunica, and third at the World Poker Tour Final. In season three, he finished 6th at Borgata, 3rd at Reno Hilton, and third again at the World Poker Tour Championship. He has several World Series of Poker bracelets. In 2000, he won the Pot Limit event, in 2002 he won the S.H.O.E, 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo Split, and the $1500 7 Card stud event and in 2005 he won the Pot Limit Omaha event. Other notable finishes are his first place finishes at the 2004 Championship at Turning Stone and 2005 Monte Carlo Millions.

When I talk about Phil, people sense how enamored I am with him. One person said, “you have a crush on him, don’t you?” To which I responded, “I have a crush on his poker mind.” You can play with Phil at his own table at Full Tilt Poker.

Profile by Shirley Rosario got from www dot poker-babes dot com

Phil The Unabomber Laak

Phil Laak is definitely a person people remember in the poker world. He received his nickname, “Unabomber“, because he always wears a hooded sweatshirt (hood up) while sitting at the poker table.

He started playing poker in 1999 but before 2003 he only entered eight tournaments, including the main event at the World Series of Poker three years in a row. His appearances on the World Poker Tour have made him one of the most popular players on the circuit and has also helped him land many television gigs. At one time, he was the host of E! Hollywood Holdem. He has also appeared on GSN’s Poker Royale, High Stakes Poker and NBC’s Poker After Dark.

I saw him win at the Hollywood Celebrity Invitational in 2004 and he kept me entertained. I got the impression he is always the life of the party and I asked him about that. He said, he has his moments, but on that particular day, he was having too much fun to take it easy. He didn’t have to make adjustments since he was doing okay while he was having fun.

Phil was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1972. For several years he lived in the Bay Area with another well known player, Antonio Esfandiari, before moving to Los Angeles.

I asked Phil if there are any players that he tries to learn from. He said, “Yes… anyone and everyone… from the POWS (Pay Off Wizards) to the GWIDS (Genius Wizards In Disguises) there is something to learn all the time. Sometimes it may come in the form of what NOT to do… but I am always trying to develop my skills.” I also asked if No Limit Hold’em was his favorite game and he said, “I like Pot Limit Omaha and Ultimate Frisbee more than No Limit Holdem.”

He became interested in tournament poker because of the competition, test of patience and the many various strategies that come into play during the different phases of tournaments. He believes one of the key features that helps him play poker (live action and tournament) is he is very good and getting better at not being too involved in the actual outcome - win or lose. He examines whether he is playing well, not if he is winning or losing. This is something I admire about him and something I am continually working on. He said, “Playing well is what drives me. Not winning. Of course, it is hard to avoid being a winning player if this is your focus.” One of my favorite things he mentioned was, “When the session is over, or even between hands, I allow myself (sometimes liberally) the pleasure (but rarely the pain) of wins and loses. It is hard for me to see anything in poker as bad beats. Christopher Reeve (Superman) falling off his horse and ending up paralyzed — that is a bad beat. Runner runner flush is not a bad beat. That is just poker.”

Phil has had a variety of past jobs, including being a repo man. He legally stole cars and said it was a bit dangerous and somewhat unstable. He also used to broker sports bets. Besides being a poker player, he is a part time stock market speculator and single family home real estate investor. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Phil placed sixth at the World Poker Tour at the Bicycle Casino in 2003, but the finish that will be remembered is his first place victory at the WPT Invitation 2004 (It is a must see program. I promise you will be entertained). One of Phil’s mottos for life is “Living well is all about optimizing, and achieving a balance between fun, freedom and fulfillment.”

won the Phil finished second to Johnny Chan in the 2005 World Series of Poker Pot Limit Holdem event the same day as girlfriend Jennifer TillyLadies No Limit Hold’em event.

Phil Laak and Ali Eslami made big news in July 2007 when they narrowly beat the poker-playing computer program, Polaris.
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Phil sent me the following story about his first experience playing poker that he could remember. This story was also sent to Ron Rose to use in his book about the best poker players:

I remember playing poker on a camping trip with family friends. There were probably 4 or 5 of us ranging from 7 to 12 yrs old. We were playing “Between the Sheets” (everyone antes into the pot and then, in succession, each player is dealt two random cards. Each player in turn, then declares the amount he wants to bet and if the next card is between the two he was dealt, he wins that amount from the pot. Otherwise he loses and his loss is added to the existing pot, now larger for the next guy. Table stakes. You could only bet what you had with you. Sometimes the pot would grow to, lets say 5 dollars, and a player only had 3 to his name. Well then invariably one of the players with more money could join in the action and take a part of the players bet.

Ridiculous, of course, but what did we know? Anyway, the more heavily financed players would make out like bandits, swooping in when the bet was a near lock. King Deuce, for example.

So there I was, seven years old and seeing how powerful it was to have money. I could see the dripping equity then. I did not have a name for it but I knew it was a good thing. At the time I was hooked on a chocolate bar called the “100 Thousand Dollar Bar”, and knew that I needed to have these guys covered if I was going to be living large in the chocolate world.

Think more, work less

God, that sounds good, working less is definitely important for human kind. Why? Becouse we are reasonable animals, we decide that meanwhile we earn more, working less is ok.

Why would I spend time thinking, instead of working?

• Often if you don’t think properly the situation before starting to (play poker for example) work you miss the point and you need to start all over. In some cases, this situation have no end, looping for ever.
• Sometimes when you don’t think first, you do things that actually you don’t want. Thinking what we want requires time, it varies depending of the fastness of reasoning on that peculiar situation. (and with the person)

This should be enough reason for everyone to start thinking first and then working.

Anyway, I just remembered this is a Poker Blog.

THINKING MORE WORKING LESS

IN POKER

Think in poker about all aspects of it. You don’t need to memorize superb calculae mathematics to be a respetable winner of poker; Don’t you agree?

Would you be happy if you earn your life playing poker, without being noticed by the media, still having the chance to become a real pro by the time?

Of course you would. But do you have the guts?

Poker is a game that require guts, this doesn’t mean cowards can’t play this game, everybody have their chance, as cowards they should never risk their lifes on the game. You’ll lose every penny.

Rule 1. Don’t be a coward

We’ll quickly add another rule related to the first one. You need to understand that folding is an option, raising it’s another option and you’ll probably never use check.

Rule 2. If you can’t RAISE, FOLD or…bluff

Bluffing it’s a piece of cake, the hard thing is to acomplish is perfect timing. If you bluff on an incorrect time you are risking to much.

Rule 3. Be Patient, don’t get past hands affect you.

There are many other tips on poker, I promise we’ll continue later.

STAY TUNED FOR PART II