Phil Ivey Wins His First Live Tournament Title In Nearly Two Years

After dealing with years of legal issues that have kept his focus off the felt, Phil Ivey announced to the poker world that he was still a force to be reckoned with, tearing up the 2020 partypoker MILLIONS Super High Roller Sochi series with four final table appearances for a combined $1,693,550 in earnings, including his first live tournament victory in nearly two years.

The ten-time WSOP bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Famer defeated a field of 55 entries is the $50,000 buy-in short deck event, pocketing $856,050 for the win. The last time Ivey was in the winner’s circle was in May of 2018, when he won another short deck event at the Triton Super High Roller Series Montenegro.

Short deck has been a particular great addition to the mix for Ivey, who had two other cashes in the variation during the series. In fact, eight of Ivey’s last 11 tournament cashes have come in short deck. He now has $29.75 million in career earnings, moving back into 11th place on the all-time money list.

Note: Short deck, or six-plus poker, is played with just 36 cards, removing the deuces, treys, fours, and fives. Aces can also be used as a five to complete a straight, and flushes beat full houses.

Here are the five hands that propelled Ivey to the title.

Tournament: MILLIONS Super High Roller Sochi Short Deck
Buy-In: $50,000
No. of Entries: 55
Prize Pool: $2,750,000
1st Place Prize: $856,050

The Action

With five players remaining, Ivey raised to 300,000 from the hijack, and Reixach responded with a three-bet shove for his last 1,260,000 behind him in the cutoff. The blinds folded and Ivey asked for a count before making the call with A 10. Unfortunately for him, he was dominated by Reixach’s A Q. Given short deck’s peculiarities and the dead cards, however, Ivey was 33 percent to win the pot, with a ten percent chance of chopping. Luckily for him, the board ran out 10 9 7 9 10 to give him a full house and send Reixach home in fifth place. The Spanish poker pro earned $214,010 for his final-table finish.

The Action

Wai Kiat raised to 400,000 and Ivey made the call, as did Soyza. The flop fell 10 8 8, and Soyza checked. Wai Kiat made a continuation bet of 400,000, and Ivey called. Soyza got out of the way and the turn was the Q. Wai Kiat checked, and Ivey bet 800,000. Wai Kiat asked how much Ivey had behind, and then moved all in. Ivey quickly called with pocket tens for a flopped full house, and Wai Kiat saw he was in trouble with just top pair. Wai Kiat needed one of the two remaining queens in the deck, but the river was the 7 to give Ivey the double up.

The Action

On the first hand of heads-up play, Soyza raised to 370,000 and Ivey defended from the big blind. The flop fell 7 7 6, and Ivey checked back to Soyza, who made a continuation bet of 250,000. Ivey made the call and the turn was the J. Ivey checked once again, and this time Soyza checked behind. The river was the K, and Ivey bet 1,200,000. Soyza held K 9 for rivered top pair, and made the call. Ivey showed him Q 6, however, for a runner, runner flush to take the lead.

The Action

After falling behind once again in the heads-up match, Ivey raised the button to 1,000,000 and Soyza defended his big blind. The flop fell J 9 7 and Soyza opted to just move all-in. Ivey held K Q for two overs with a straight flush draw, and quickly called off the rest of his chips. Soyza was ahead with 9 8 for a pair with a gutshot straight draw, but was actually a 2:1 underdog in the hand against Ivey’s 14-out draw. The turn and river fell J A and Ivey made the nut flush to double up to a huge lead.

The Action

With Soyza sitting on less than nine big blinds, Ivey looked down at a suited ace and moved in. Soyza held K 7 and felt he was live enough to gamble, and made the call. The dealer produced a flop of K J 8, giving Soyza top pair, and Ivey the nut flush draw. The turn was the 9, keeping Soyza in the lead, but the river was the 9, once again giving Ivey the nut flush in hearts to scoop the pot. Soyza earned $561,780 for his runner-up finish, while Ivey grabbed the trophy and the $856,050 first-place prize.

Final Table Results

1. Phil Ivey — $856,050
2. Michael Soyza — $561,780
3. Lee Wai Kiat — $374,520
4. Seth Davies — $267,520
5. Sergi Reixach — $214,010
6. Sam Greenwood — $160,510
7. Dmitry Kuzmin — $133,760
8. Thai Ha — $107,000
9. Danny Tang — $74,850