Come on, don’t lie: you missed Phil Ivey at the 2011 WSOP. We all did! Whether or not he makes the money, as long as he’s in a tournament, he’s headline news, absolutely fascinating to watch, and easily makes his table the most interesting in the tournament. Although internet poker certainly has a dominant place in the modern world poker scene, there’s no replacement for the excitement of watching a player like Phil Ivey live.

Who knows when the great poker pro will turn back up on the scene? Likely only himself and his representatives. It may take the Full Tilt fiasco to boil over, a few hundred million returned to Full Tilt players, or, if we’re lucky, he might just decide to resurface anyways. In the meantime, as we await Ivey’s return, let’s take an entertaining look at some of Ivey’s more celebrated plays:

6) The stone cold read

 

5) Even the great Phil Ivey needs a miracle every now and then

4) Bluff vs. bluff

3) Durrrr takes on Ivey, fireworks of course ensue

2) Now THIS is how you value bet

1) Where the best hand doesn’t hold up to the best player