Stars of the 2002 World Series of Poker

Two "stars" are shining brightly at the 2002 World Series of Poker. They are Phil Ivey and Layne Flack. As I write this column (a little more than halfway through the WSOP), they have won five events between them! These guys are the real deal and are "wowing" everyone.

Ivey and Flack are two members of poker's youth brigade. They may have different personalities (Ivey is laid-back and Flack is more flamboyant), but when it comes to poker, they have many similarities. They are top-notch professional players whose poker style is the same – aggressive, no-mercy poker.

These guys know how to accumulate chips. They are not afraid to play pots, and they play lots of them. They can do so because they have tremendous "feel" for the game. They are excellent at putting an opponent on a hand, they know when they can pick up a pot, and they are capable of making a big laydown. They also possess great confidence in their abilities – something that is a "must" to be successful at the highest level of any profession, especially poker.

Ivey is now known as Phillip "Tiger" Ivey because he is fast becoming the Tiger Woods of poker. He is 25, black, and possesses the killer instinct to put an opponent away. He has made five final tables so far at the 2002 WSOP and has captured three titles. This is a feat that has been done only three times before in WSOP history – by Puggy Pearson, Ted Forrest, and Phil Hellmuth. Ivey captured gold in the following tournaments: $1,500 buy-in seven-card stud, $2,500 buy-in seven-card stud eight-or-better, and $2,000 buy-in S.H.O.E. (stud, hold'em, Omaha eight-or-better, and stud eight-or-better). Ivey's record performance thus far at the Series has pocketed him more than $350,000!

"Tiger" Ivey has now won four bracelets in three years at the WSOP, which is impressive. His results are better in the stud games, but he plays everything extremely well. His focus at the table and perception of what's going on around him are as good as anyone's in poker. To play in the "Ivey league," you'd better bring your "A+" game, because he doesn't miss a trick. Like Woods in golf, Ivey has raised the bar for everyone who plays tournament poker.

Flack has won three WSOP bracelets in three years. His performance at this year's WSOP is also one for the history books. Incredibly, he won the tournament's first two no-limit hold'em events, giving him his new handle – Layne "Back-to-Back" Flack. And these events had fields of 449 and 528 players! To capture his second title this year, he had to defeat as tough a field of final-table opponents as you could ever find: The final four players consisted of Flack, Carlos Mortensen (the reigning world champion), T.J. Cloutier (the most successful tournament player in history), and Johnny Chan (two-time world champion). Phew! Talk about beating the best to earn your bracelet. With those two wins, "Back-to-Back" Flack earned nearly $600,000!

Flack, who hails from Montana, was 32 when he captured those titles but turned 33 on May 18 (nice birthday presents for himself). He came to Vegas in 1997 and promptly won a Hall of Fame tournament that year. Soon thereafter, he won at the Rio's Carnivale of Poker and captured the Best All-Around Player award at Commerce Casino. He won his first WSOP bracelet in 2000 in pot-limit hold'em. Flack prefers playing high-stakes cash games, but really likes to play tournaments at the WSOP. (Can you blame him?)

Flack lives in Las Vegas and enjoys life to the fullest. His hobbies include golf, watching TV, and fine dining. The pride of his life is his 7-year-old daughter, Halie. (She wants to be a veterinarian and a poker player.) When asked which players Flack admires most, he said, "Ted Forrest and John Hennigan (who captured the initial H.O.R.S.E. event – hold'em, Omaha eight-or-better, razz, stud, and stud eight-or-better – at this year's WSOP)." He likes them because they are creative, aggressive players who are "as good as they want to be when they want to be."

Congratulations, Phillip "Tiger" Ivey and Layne "Back-to-Back" Flack. Garnering this much gold at the WSOP is truly an amazing accomplishment.

Take care.