The Moment Phil Ivey Stunned the Poker World With a Bluff Against Paul Jackson

Images courtesy of the World Poker Tour

There are very few poker players who enjoy the kind of reputation that Phil Ivey does. The man who they used to call “No Home Jerome” has pretty much done it all, seen it all, and he continues to be one of the most respected players among the fans and his peers alike.

There are countless stories featuring Ivey as the main character. Some of them we had a chance to witness firsthand, while many more we heard over the years as they were told and retold by the man himself and those who know him more intimately.

Of those many moments, there is one that really stands out even today, more than 20 years after the fact. It is a crazy bluff that Ivey pulled off in the heads-up confrontation against Paul Jackson in the 2005 Monte Carlo Millions event.

There aren’t many hands that are still being mentioned two decades later, but this particular one was so off the charts that it left the commentators and the fans who saw it later equally as stunned.

Who Will Blink First?

The year was 2005, and Phil Ivey made it all the way to the final two players in the $25,000 Monte Carlo Millions. Back then, $25k tournaments didn’t happen on a daily basis like they do today, so this was a pretty big deal.

Sitting across from Ivey was Paul Jackson, a fairly experienced player, but not the Ivey league experienced.

The winner would take home a cool million, while the runner-up was guaranteed $600,000. Both players locked up a sizeable payday by this point, but there was still a significant gap between the first and the second, which makes the whole hand that much more insane.

The action started with Jackson limping on the button with 6♠5♦. Ivey then proceeded to raise it up 60k with Q♥8♥, and Jackson called in position, bringing the pot to 176,000. So far, nothing extraordinary, but the fireworks are about to begin.

The flop came J♥J♣7♣, and Ivey fired a continuation bet of 80k. His opponent, holding two under-cards and not a single club, decided to go for a min-raise, making it 170k.

Ivey took a few moments, sized up his opponent, and then proceeded to 3-bet to 320k! You probably won’t find this line in any of the modern solvers. This is more along the lines of what’s known as “street poker.” But, wait, there is more.

Most players in Jackson’s position would give up at this point. They tried to bluff, but the opponent did not buy it, and now they have six-high and are facing a raise. Not to mention that the opponent in question is Phil Ivey, who already had the reputation of one of the best poker players in the world.

But he just wasn’t ready to give up yet. So, instead of doing the reasonable thing, he went for a 4-bet, making it 470k.

At this point, the commentators were almost certain Ivey had to fold. What else was there to do? Jackson was seemingly willing to pile chips into the pot like there was no tomorrow, so could he really be bluffing?

And then, Phil Ivey pulled a move that showed the world that he wasn’t the GOAT for nothing. Somehow, somewhere, he was able to read Paul Jackson like a book and moved all-in, asking him the ultimate question for his few remaining chips.

Naturally, Jackson folded, as there was nowhere else to go. And everyone watching what had unfolded at that table was left speechless. Ivey then proceeded to finish off his opponent some hands later and win the tournament.

It’s Ivey’s World

At the time of winning the Monte Carlo Millions, Ivey was 28 years old. By that point, he’s already established himself as one of the best all-around poker players.

At that point, he had already amassed a number of six-figure tournament wins, but the 2005 score was the highest one of his career at the time. Today, Ivey’s Hendon Mob is showing over $54,000,000 in tournament cashes, and there are a fair few million that will be added to that number before he’s done.

Ivey’s bluff against Jackson (although he technically had the best hand) was one of the most talked-about poker hands for a long time. It was often said that Jackson made it too obvious with min-raises and that it wasn’t that hard to pick him off.

But these comments usually come from Monday-morning quarterback types. It’s one thing to figure things out after the fact. But to be able to read the situation perfectly at the moment, under all the pressure, and actually act on your read, that’s a true trait of only the best of the best.

Was this the best play of Ivey’s career? Probably not – the man has played countless thousands of hands over the years, and he’s been in some really difficult spots that he was able to navigate perfectly. But it is certainly one of the funniest and most entertaining ones.

You Don’t See Moves Like This Anymore

This legendary hand is a real throwback to the time when poker was played differently. You’ll hardly ever see a hand play out like this in today’s climate, especially in a tournament with a five-figure buy-in.

The game is now largely about math, solvers, and precise calculations, and physical reads, tells, and crazy moves make up a much smaller, almost insignificant part of poker.

This is all natural development, and it is no surprise that the game has evolved the way it has. But it’s hard to look back at a hand like this and not feel at least a little bit of nostalgia.