Ivey Poker Launches As Ivey Inks Californian Online Deal

Originally, Ivey Poker was expected to launch way back in January but six months on and the training site has now officially gone live after its Facebook app was launched on July 6th. The poker game available is similar to Zynga Poker in that it is aimed primarily at recreational players, although Ivey Poker actually offers participants the opportunity to compete against a top class stable of pros, which includes Phil Ivey himself, Patrik Antonius, Greg Merson, Andrew Lichtenberger, and Jennifer Harman, to name but a few.
In addition to free play, Ivey Poker also offers real-money games with players able to purchase a variety of chip packages, as well as various icons, badges and graphics to enhance their gaming experience. Complimenting the site’s free training video section, credit can also be purchased for more advanced insights into the game.
Meanwhile, this week it was further announced that Phil Ivey was to become the face of Internet gaming for the southern California Pala Indian Tribe, which operates one of California’s most successful tribal casinos just outside the city of San Diego.  Up until now, just Delaware, New Jersey, and Nevada have offered legal online poker within their borders but should regulation pass in the Golden State, the Pala venture could see it taking a pioneering position in what is likely to be the largest online gaming market in the United States. Nevertheless, Ivey’s success with Pala Interactive, a joint venture between the Pala Band of the Mission Indians and former BwinParty CEO Jim Ryan, depends first on how online gambling laws shape up in California.
Phil Ivey is considered one the best all-round poker players on the planet, but has gone through some turbulent times lately, including a a costly divorce, some fallout from the Full Tilt Poker debacle, as well as being accussed of cheating by Crockfords Casino, who have since witheld his $12.1 million Punto Banco winnings.
Phil Ivey has also placed a hefty bet on himself to cash several times at this year’s WSOP, but with the series already into the Main Event, Ivey has cashed just once in the competition at the $1,000 No Limit Hold’em (Event #18), where he finished 14th for $15,544. Ivey will now be  aiming  for a strong finish in the ME as he returns to the action on Day 2c, hoping to progress through to its communal Day 3.