Phil Ivey is on Fire, Winning the Fulltiltpoker.Net Invitational Live From Monaco

Sunday, November 27th, 2005

MONTE CARLO, Monaco -- Phil Ivey gave new meaning to Thanksgiving Day, taking the top prize at the FullTiltPoker.Net Invitational Live from Monaco on November 24th, only 24 hours after winning the $1 Million top prize at the Monte Carlo Millions. During the first, live, televised tournament held at the legendary and opulent Casino De Monte Carlo in Monaco, Phil Ivey was on fire, beating out seven of the world’s best players vying for the top spot in this $1 million purse tournament.

The FullTiltPoker Invitational Live From Monaco aired on FSN in the United States and in 13 other international territories on various broadcasters, reaching 120 million viewers. The show will eventually reach 250 million viewers as additional international territories are added.

In addition to his two wins in Monte Carlo, Ivey collected his fifth World Series of Poker bracelet earlier this year, winning the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha tournament. With four additional final table appearances to his credit in 2005, Ivey has collected more than $3.3 Million in tournament winnings for the year.

Team Full Tilt member and three-time WSOP bracelet winner John Juanda collected $280,000 for his second-place finish in the invitational tournament. Making Juanda’s performance even more impressive is the fact that a day earlier he won the Monte Carlo Millions Consolation tournament, earning $100,000 and a seat at the Monte Carlo Millions Main Event. WSOP bracelet winner and WPT champion David “Devilfish” Ulliott finished third at the FullTiltPoker.Net Invitational Live from Monaco, collecting $120,000.

The high-stakes, invitation-only poker tournament – the first of its kind, attracted seven of the finest players in the world, including nine-time WSOP bracelet winner and 1989 Main Event champion Phil Hellmuth, 2000 WSOP Main Event champion Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, 2005 WSOP Main Event finalist and winner of $2.5 Million in the past four months, Mike “The Mouth” Matusow, and three-time WPT title holder and winner of the inaugural Poker Superstars Tournament on FSN, Gus Hansen.

“Phil Ivey had quite a week,” said fellow Team Full Tilt member Howard Lederer. “First he wins $1 Million in the open event and then he wins $600-thousand in this very tough invitational event here in Monte Carlo.”