An Orbit w/ the Best Poker Player in the World -- Phil Ivey

Chad Holloway

Level 7 : 250/500, 50 ante

It's ironic that Phil Ivey is yawning in the picture. That's because we're accustomed to our orbits being rather boring, but the ten hands we just spent with Ivey were anything but.

Ivey is largely considered the best poker player in the world, so we thought it wise to spend some time observing him in the hopes of discovering what makes him so good. Well, when you win 40% of the hands we watch — and 100% of the hands you play — it helps explain a lot.

Here are the ten hands we spent with Ivey just before the dinner break on Day 1b of the 2014 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo? Casino EPT Grand Final €10,600 Main Event.

Hand #1 (Middle Position): Ivey opened for 900 when action folded to him and Vasili Firsau, who was in the big blind, decided to defend. The flop saw Firsau check-call a bet of 1,300, and then both players checked the turn. Action repeated itself on the river and Firsau showed he had missed a straight with the . Ivey then tabled the to win the pot.

Hand #2 (Middle Position): Once again Ivey opened for 900, and the player to his left called. Firsau came along from the small blind and three players took a flop of . Firsau checked, Ivey bet 1,500, and both his opponents folded. Back-to-back wins for the superstar.

Hand #3 (Early Position): Ivey folded.

Hand #4 (Early Position): Sam Cohen raised under the gun and Ivey folded.

Hand #5 (Under the Gun): Ivey folded.

Hand #6 (Big Blind): A player in early position limped, Oliver Price raised to 1,100, and Ivey folded when action reached him.

Hand #7 (Small Blind): Price opened for 900 under the gun and received two called. Ivey then three-bet to 5,000 from the small blind and inspired all his opponents to fold.

Hand #8 (Button): Ivey folded to a raise in front of him.

Hand #9 (Cutoff): Action folded to Ivey and he followed suit.

Hand #10 (Hijack): Action folded to Ivey and this time he raised to 900, which Team PokerStars Pro Ville Wahlbeck called from the big blind. The flop came down and Wahlbeck ended up check-folding to a bet of 1,000.