Phil Ivey wins 2009 WSOP Event 25Apparently, Phil Ivey’s motivation to win WSOP bracelets is back! Days after winning Event 8, he followed his performance up last night winning 2009 WSOP Event 25 ($2,500 buy-in Omaha / Stud – Hi/Lo Split) to both capture his seventh career WSOP bracelet and to join Brock Parker as the only 2009 World Series of Poker multiple bracelet winners.

Phil Ivey certainly considered by his peers to be among the best players, and believed by many to be the best period, is now sixth all time on the career WSOP bracelet list (tied with Billy Baxter) and is now just one bracelet behind Erik Seidel.

“It’s nice to catch people,” Ivey told Nolan Dalla. “This is poker history, as you like to say. And so, to have the chance to catch someone like Erik who is fifth in the bracelets, to get into his category would be nice.”

Phil Ivey has almost half the Series left to go after a third 2009 WSOP bracelet. While three bracelets in one year might seem improbable, he happens to be the last player to have done so (2002) and his focus has noticeably changed. The past few years Ivey’s appeared to have no interest in winning bracelets. Now with Ivey entering as many events as he can and having momentum on his side: who is to say he might not win another, or even two or three more for that matter, this year?

“Well, before last year I pretty much skipped a couple of years at the World Series,” said Ivey. “I didn’t play in as many tournaments as I used to because I figured, it’s doesn’t really make much difference, you know. But then, as I started getting older I started to realize this does matter. Winning bracelets, it does matter. Just having the chance to put myself in poker history and I know I have the chance to win and be the all-time bracelet leader if I can continue at this pace. So, I’m looking forward to the opportunity.

“I think last year I really wasn’t into it,” he continued to the WSOP. “I don’t know, I am just feeling good right now. I think last year I had a lot of distractions, especially in my personal life. And there were a lot of things going on outside of poker. I wasn’t able to focus as well. Also, I think I am a better tournament player now than I was a year ago.
Ivey’s victory came against a very tough field. In addition to Phil Ivey the final five players included the likes of 2001 WSOP main event champion Carlos Mortensen, fomer crew member and bracelet winner Dutch Boyd, internet sensation John “PearlJammer” Turner. It was Ming Lee who ended up being his final opponent, but Ivey had a big cheap lead and never gave Lee a chance to get back in the game. In the end Ivey captured the $220,583 top place prize and his seventh career WSOP bracelet.

2009 WSOP Event 25 Final Table Results:

1. Phil Ivey -$220,538
2. Ming Lee – $136,292
3. Carlos Mortensen – $89,342
4. Dutch Boyd – $61,919
5. Jon “PearlJammer” Turner – $45,237
6. Eric Buchman – $34,747
7. Thomas Koral – $27,993
8. Peter Gelencser – $23,600