Phil Ivey Makes Poker History With 11th WSOP Bracelet Win

A decade-long Word Series of Poker dry spell came to an end for Phil Ivey last Thursday, as the poker legend claimed his 11th WSOP bracelet and $347,440 at the $10,000 Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw Championship.

Outlasting a field of 149, Ivey battled through a grueling four days of play, resulting in a heads-up victory against Danny Wong. Not only does this win place him second on the all-time leaderboard – it reignites the age-old debate: Is Phil Ivey the greatest to ever grace the felt?

$10K Deuce-to-Seven Limit Triple Draw: Day 4 Recap

The $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship at the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) reached its dramatic climax on an unscheduled Day 4. 

After an intense 13-hour Day 3, the field of 149 entrants was whittled down to three players: Phil Ivey, Danny Wong, and Jason Mercier. They all returned to the Horseshoe and Paris Casino to battle for another coveted bracelet and a share of the $1,385,700 prize pool. 

Wong entered the final day as the chip leader with 3,730,000, followed by Mercier (2,955,000) and Ivey (2,260,000). The action was fast and furious. Mercier, a six-time bracelet winner, doubled up twice and even managed to force Wong off a premium hand at one point. However, he soon found himself on the short stack later in the day.

Ivey seized the opportunity presented by Mercier’s fluctuating stack. In a massive hand against Mercier, Ivey managed to draw a wheel (7-5-4-3-2), catapulting himself into contention for the chip lead and crippling Mercier in the process.

Mercier, however, wasn’t going down without a fight. He managed to double up once again but eventually got his remaining 170,000 chips all-in with 3-2 against both Ivey and Wong. After the draws, Wong made an 8-7-6-4-3, besting Mercier’s 9-7-5-3-2 and eliminating the six-time bracelet winner in third place for $151,412, adding to his career earnings of nearly $20.9 million. This was Mercier’s 23rd WSOP final-table appearance and 77th cash at the series.

Heads-up play commenced with Wong (5,315,000) holding a slight edge over Ivey (3,630,000). Ivey quickly turned the tables, first by making a wheel against Wong’s 9-8, then by calling Wong’s bluff with a pair of deuces against Wong’s pair of sixes. Wong managed to close the gap slightly by making a 7-6-5-4-2, but promptly lost two big pots against Ivey’s early-patted hands.

In the final hand, Wong was down to his last big bet. Ivey raised on the button with J-J-6-4-3, and Wong moved all in with J-8-8-8-6. After the draws, Wong ended up with Q-8-7-6-2, while Ivey made yet another wheel on the river, securing his eleventh WSOP bracelet and the $308,789 top prize. Wong, falling just short of his second bracelet, earned a respectable $225,827 for his runner-up finish.

Shortly after Ivey won, he said “Anytime winning the World Series of Poker is special, I’ve been playing it for 25 years.”

Photo Credit: Hayley Hochstetler

A Poker Legend’s Redemption

Phil Ivey, the poker phenom we all know as the Tiger Woods of poker, has always been captivating, and for good reason. 

Back in the early 2000s, Ivey was poker’s golden boy: Ten World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets, a reputation for fearless and intimidating play – he was the guy everyone wanted to be, and the guy everyone feared to play against.

But life, as it often does, threw Ivey a curveball – his fall from grace was a tough one to watch. In 2011, Black Friday shook the poker world, exposing financial mismanagement at Full Tilt Poker, where Ivey was a big name. Suddenly, he was facing lawsuits, a far cry from his glory days.

Adding fuel to the fire, accusations of edge sorting in baccarat at Crockford’s Casino in London and the Borgata in Atlantic City surfaced. Ivey maintained his innocence, arguing that edge-sorting was a legitimate advantage play, but the courts ultimately ruled against him, ordering him to repay millions in winnings.

For a while, it seemed like Ivey had vanished from the poker scene. His winnings were garnished, and he had to play internationally instead of on his home turf in the US. But don’t think for a second that he lost his love for the game. Sure, he took a little break but he kept grinding, playing in high-stakes cash games in Macau, Manila, and other poker hotspots. 

Once the lawsuit dust settled, Ivey made a triumphant return to the WSOP in 2022, a clear signal that he wasn’t going down without a fight. He made a deep run in the Main Event, which showed his hunger for a WSOP title hadn’t diminished in the slightest.

Fast forward to 2024, and Ivey has cemented his comeback in the most spectacular way possible – by winning his eleventh WSOP bracelet in the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship. After moving past Johnny Chan and the late great Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey now holds the second-most World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets of all time. Only Phil Hellmuth, with 17 bracelets, stands in his way.

Although, it’s not only about the wins for Ivey these days. He’s been open about finding a better balance in life, prioritizing his family and well-being while still pursuing his passion for poker.

So, what’s next for Phil Ivey? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure: he’s not done yet. And who knows, maybe he’ll even surpass the Poker Brat one day.

Photo Credit: Hayley Hochstetler

Is Phil Ivey the GOAT? 

The debate over who takes the crown as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) in poker is never-ending. Names like Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, and Daniel Negreanu are often thrown into the ring, but there’s one name that consistently rises to the top of the conversation: Phil Ivey. 

For decades, Ivey has been considered the front-runner in this GOAT debate, and for good reasons. 

Whether or not Ivey truly is the best to ever play, there’s no denying he’s one of the greatest.

Why? Let’s break it down.

Ivey has raked in a staggering $45 million in live tournament earnings throughout his career. And that’s not even counting the untold millions he’s scored in high-stakes cash games around the globe. Oh, and did we mention his biggest single cash? A cool $3,582,753.

The fact that Ivey crushes and adapts to any game should put his name at the top of the GOAT debate alone. Eleven WSOP bracelets, won across a vast range of games – from Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) to Limit Seven-Card Stud, Limit Seven-Card High-Low, H.O.R.S.E., mixed game events, and more – is a testament to that. He’s made it to the final table of the WSOP a mind-boggling 36 times, proving time and time again that he can adapt to any challenge thrown his way.

And let’s not forget the other shiny trophies in his collection. Ivey’s won Triton High Rollers, the World Poker Tour, and other respectable tournaments like the Monte Carlo Millions, with a total of 36 recorded tournament wins.

Another huge aspect of why Ivey is the GOAT is his ability to read his opponents. Take, for instance, that famous hand against Doug Polk at the 2015 Aussie Millions. Polk raised with A♠4♦, and Ivey called with 10♣9♦. The flop of 3♠10♥2♦ gave Ivey top pair but offered Polk an overcard and a gutshot straight draw. The turn brought the 2♥ and the river the 6♣. Polk raised Ivey’s bet on the river. Ivey, after a moment of contemplation, called with just top pair and scooped a massive pot. That hand is a textbook example of Ivey’s skill to read his opponents and see right through their bluffs.

Even the poker elite themselves can’t help but sing Ivey’s praises. Daniel Negreanu, arguably the most famous poker player, boldly proclaims that until someone dethrones Ivey, he remains the GOAT. “He’s won in every arena,” Negreanu says, “high-stakes cash games, mixed games, online against the wizards… he’s won millions.” 

When some of the biggest names in the game are singing your praises, it’s not just hot air. And when those names are saying Phil Ivey is the GOAT, well, that carries some serious weight.

Phil Ivey has had a truly lasting impact on the poker world. For over two decades, he’s been known as the GOAT. Even during his decade-long break from winning his last bracelet in 2014, his reputation as one of the game’s greats never changed–that says a lot by itself.

We could go on and on about how Ivey is Poker’s GOAT, but these points say enough. If you remotely follow poker, you would have heard most of the poker community label him the best to ever do it.

Ivey’s Back and He’s Still Got It

Phil Ivey has done it again! After a decade-long wait, he’s back in the winning circle, scoring his 11th World Series of Poker bracelet in the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship – he’s reminded everyone why he’s hailed as the “GOAT” of poker.

The poker world is buzzing about this incredible comeback, with many wondering if this is the beginning of a new chapter in Ivey’s career.

Congratulations, Phil! We can’t wait to see what you do next.