Phil Ivey "I`ve never read a Poker Book in my life"

So he says ?? anyone believe him? i mean its nearly impossible to not get into poker and not read up on it, i know he wants to keep his strategy private or whatever ?? back when he was playing before the internet boom there was only mayby a hand full of books Super system etc

do you really reckon he honed his skills playing live casino or?? ive never seen many tips or essays on poker by the Tiger Woods Of poker

I'm not sure if he read or not, but one things for sure, he got to where he is now by experience not by reading.

Playing as much poker as Ivey probably does, it gets hard to not stumble on some good poker literature.

I don't know why he would lie about it. I know a lot of people who have played a lot of poker and win regularly who say they haven't read any poker books. I have no reason to think any of them are lying either.

It's possible, some peeps are successful with just actual application vs reading about theory & than applying. I read somewhere (CardPlayer, Bluff...?) that Phil Ivey, John Juanda, Allan Cunningham, & Daniel Negreneau formed an alliance group (calling themselves 'The Crew') in the 90s, when they were up & coming together, to discuss strategies & hands.

I heard that Phil Iveys grandfather taught him to play poker when he was young(not sure how true). So I dont see why he would lie, not as if people would think less of him for reading books.

I've never read a poker book ever, either... I'm no Phil Ivey, though.

i believe it,but i will bet he will write one though

And what is so surprising ? This man is the best poker player of the moment ( I think he won 3 WSOP events this year ) And why he would lie ? I don't see any reasons to do this...
@zjohnzzz
Of course that he will write a book about poker

Why might he lie? Sponsership.


His sponsers may have conducted some market reserch and discovered that 25% of the population are idiots.

Idiots dont like to read, study, whatever so Phil Ivey saying he never read a book waves a green flag to the idiots of the world to have a go, they might become the next Phil Ivey.

I mean seriously, Phil Ivey is surrounded by poker, do you really believe that he has never once picked up a book and read it?

I could understand if he said he read a few books and found that they didn't offer him anything he didn't already know and since then he just hasn't bothered... but why would someone who obviously aspired to be the best purposely cut him self off from a source of information?

I just makes no logical sense. Therefore there must be an alterer motive and I would suggest its to portray poker as being easier than what it really is in order to attract more players.

Hrm. Through hand discussion and a lot of hands you can get your own poker knowledge. While it is VERY unlikely the accomplished pro has never been curious enough to pick up a book and see what people are saying, it is not impossible.

Maybe he would consider it a waste of time. When I read a poker book I try to take away a couple of interesting bits to apply to my game, or at least think about. It's just another weapon in the arsenal. And since he's in the business of making money from poker, it would be a good proffesional investment for him to read books... Of course, time spent reading could be spent at a table. And with his fortunes I'm pretty sure he'd rather spend time at the tables.

Not inconcievable, but not likely either.

Patrik Antonius has made the same claim.

They probably did learn their trade by playing ALOT...but im sure they picked up some material on the web or in a book.

Ivy started playing when he was too young. He used a fake ID with the name Jerome Grahm in Atlantic City.
It's no surprise that someone doing that before the poker boom didn't read poker books.

Once he came upon his own personal formula for success, why waste time reading books (by less successful people)?

As far as him writing articles, yeah, he's pretty tight lipped. He has one Full Tilt article, and that article is *about* not reading books but learning through playing. He believes that people should learn from experience, and develop their own strategies that fit their own personal strengths/weaknesses/personality types. Trying to adopt a game style that conflicts with your strengths just because you read it in a book is counter productive.

You bring up an interesting point here--there is reading and there is reading. Judging from your number of posts, you've done quite a bit of reading about poker, right here at CC. The format is different, is all, because the wealth of information in the forum could comprise more than several books.

Then there are people who just plain aren't into reading at all, including joining a forum for that very reason--my guy Mike is one. He learns by playing and discussing the game. Everyone thinks that's ironic, btw, because I am the total opposite.

Moving right along, I agree that some day a book will come out purported to be "by Phil Ivey". Will he actually do the writing? My money would be on a ghostwriter or a "co-author".

For the most part there are some people that should read books, and, there are those people who write books. Phil is a writer, nuf said.

You do have a bit of a point there. But I got into poker, first when my grandfather taught me when I was 5.. and later actually got into poker when my ex-roommate showed me Texas Hold' Em and Omaha about 3 years ago. 3 months later, I played in my first tournament at a bar, and won it.. I was hooked ever since then.

I'm a forum guy, so I tried to find the best poker forum I could find, and found CardsChat (about a year after I started seriously playing poker), and you're right, I did do some reading on this forum that did help improve my game.

But as far as grabbing a poker book to get me into it, that I did not do.

What about Darvin Moon that took 2nd place in the 2009 WSOP Main event? He said he never read any poker books either.

SP naild this one.Why read a book by ppl that your better than makes no sence to me.

I'm in the camp that finds it unlikely, given he's spent his entire adult life around poker, but at the same time I guess it's certainly possible.

Keep in mind too that Ivey is a mixed game player - NLHE is not his main game and he started out playing stud. That drastically reduces the number of books that are available, let alone the ones he's actually read. Aside from Super System, most of the applicable ones would've been written by David Sklansky and who could blame someone for not wanting to read Sklansky - snoozefest!

Yeah I heard somewhere I frgot that he started real young, and te fake id thing. And supposedly he was just really sucessfull, and started playing ALLLL THE TIME. I heard he was playing in many home games, and casino alike. My step-grandfather was a big gambler, and poker player. Did they even have books back then about poker, maybe a few, but not like today probably?? AND I don't think my gfather learned frm a book, but from other players? Also like someone said about Ivey and the other players getting together to talk strategy.... thats pretty much like CC, but a live version isnt it? So I think it is very possible he has not read a book for his own strategy, but think that maybe he has talked strategy with other players alot? Also if I were him i'd be a lil bit curious as to what was in a poker book, so maybe like someone said he has picked one up and skimmed it at least? BUT who knows for real? only him...

He did talk to other poker players, if given the opportunity that is how I would like to learn. I did like everything else I do, read books by people who know a lot more than me. I also read blogs and posts in forums such as this.
This is also how I learned how to work on computers. I took courses and read books and read a lot from different forums. It is easier for computers, just like chess, if you got the right answers. You got it, of course in poker you have to rely on a lot of other things, besides being right.

Hmm... interesting theory, I guess that could be it lol

i read that he used to play upto 14hours sessions in casinos lol. U gain alot more expeirence doin this than reading a book.

hard to say. what it seems like to me is ivey like to gamble ALOT! he likes to shoot dice , play chinese poker, play golf for money(even tho he sucks at golf) and im sure there is more he likes to gamble with. so he has to do all that when hes not playing poker at a casino, online or a tournament. and then he even had a wife as well untill recently. i find it hard to read books cause i work 45-60 hrs/wk and play poker when i can so finding the time aint to easy. i think its quite likely he has never read a book about poker or about anything for that matter. he likes action. he might have someone ghost write a book for him, i find that likely and it would sell really well too but it will probs be more a life story then a strategy book or something like Barry Greenstien's Ace on the River.

I don't think he needs to read books about poker (something he has already perfected). He probably isn't interested in folding a hand when his break even odds are against him and it's close. He reads his opponents and gets his money in the middle. No book gives you balls.

I think the experience he has is what taught him to play. He doesn't play a traditional style, so I can believe that he has never read a poker book.

Well i believe. Some people are predestinade and have more facility to make thinks then others. He's a phenomenon.

^^^I agree with both these posts, plus I want to add in 2 more points:

1. Some men refuse to read a road map - or an instruction manual - so I do believe it when Phil says he never read a poker book.

2. My grandfather was a pro. He did read some books when they became available, but before then, he practiced. My grandfather literally spent 20+ hrs a week sitting on the floor in his living room or in the motel room he was staying at, watching tv and dealing out practice hands on the floor to calculate odds. That's some serious dedication and it's not completely unfathomable that others would self-study as well without the use of a book.

*As a side note, if you are struggling with your game and not improving in this day and age, then it would be silly to not take advantage of all the material that is now available to players.

Does it matter? Hes just plain good. Lets say he has read a few books and he he reveals what books they were. Lets see what would happen.
1. Those book sales take off. I would buy them.
2. After reading them I think I have the same info as Ivey
3. I blow my roll.
4. I think Phil Ivey is crazy and doesn't know how to read.

I like this post.................. I have read poker books...I'm no Phil Ivey though.

he might not have read poker books but he sure as hell must've discussed strategy with his friends and fellow pros. the crew, interesting, i have to check out that bit of trivia.

I've got to agree with those who say hes lying.
Why the heck would he purposefully shut himself off from such a big source of information about the game?

Two obvious reasons

1. He wasn't born the best poker player in the world. When he first started playing and was completely inexperienced there would have been loads of people better than him, so why not speed up his learning process by reading some books by them.

2. People who aern't as good as you can occasionally come up with the some good ideas to improve your play that you can't. Just because you're a better player than someone overall doesn't mean there can't be a couple of aspects of their game which are better than yours.
Top players in sports are often coached by people who were never as good players as them.

All in all I reckon Ivey's too intelligent to have never read a book.

Personally, I think what he says is true. The guy has been gambling since he was a kid and I think experience is the best teacher. Also, he had to sleep on the streets a couple times at a young age when he went bust. I think that had to sharpen his instincts 'cause his back was against the wall and he needed to win. I don't think Doyle Bronson, Moss or Stu had any books to rely on. If they did, then I stand corrected. Poker is second nature for guys like Stu and Phil who grew up in the game, and through experience developed "card sense". I do think he had a few mentors along the way though.

He problably read some. No way that he have never checked any in his life.

Strategy books are the only books worth reading. I received a Danny N book for Christmas and one of the main thing it tries to get in your head is when to get out of a hand, not much use online when your playing a tool who plays aggressive ATC and doesn't know how to fold a blanket.