The Ivey Room Opens in Las Vegas

Phil Ivey hard at work in his own poker room. (Photo: Tom Donaghue)

Phil Ivey is both the most successful and the most popular poker player in the world, so it’s really no surprise that the Aria poker room in Las Vegas named its new high-stakes area after him. But if there’s anyone who is taking it for granted, Ivey isn’t among them.

“I don’t think anyone in the world could have any idea what this means to me,” Ivey said at the opening of the new poker room. “It means

the world to me. I come from nothing, and now I’m here. It’s very exciting that I’m able to share this with my family and friends. I feel very honored tonight.”

Plenty of Ivey’s friends were on hand for the opening of the Ivey Room, with some of them taking part in the VIP $1 million freeroll and others hanging around to get involved in the cash game action later in the evening. Among those on hand were Johnny Chan, Vanessa Rousso, Mike Sexton, Doyle Brunson, Jennifer Harman, David Williams, Sammy Farha, Barry Greenstein, Jennifer Tilly, Phil Laak and Erick Lindgren.

Former November Niner David “Chino” Rheem grabbed the $100,000 bounty on Ivey’s head in the freeroll, while Larry Litton won the tournament and the chance to take on Ivey heads-up for $250,000. In a turn of events that everyone saw coming, Ivey easily handled Litton and kept the spotlight centered firmly on him.

It looks like the Big Game will now be moving over to the Ivey Room, so there should be plenty of big games making headlines there during the WSOP.