Phil Ivey "More Appreciative" In High Stakes Poker Return

The first episode of the new season of High Stakes Poker premieres on Monday, February 21, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET. Featured on the first episode are some of the biggest superstars in the game, such as the one and only Phil Ivey.

Ivey is returning to High Stakes Poker for what will be his fourth season on the show. He first appeared in Season 3 when he competed against Phil Laak, Antonio Esfandiari, Patrik Antonius, and others over the final three episodes of the season. Before sitting down to film for Season 9, Ivey sat down with PokerGO for a brief conversation about the show, his motivation to play, and how he views his appearances on High Stakes Poker now versus when he was first on.

“I still love to play poker,” Ivey said of his motivation to play high stakes. “I just still love to play, I don’t really have to be driven to it. They asked me to play, and I’m in town, so here I am.”

Ivey has played numerous memorable hands on High Stakes Poker. There was the time he almost made “the sickest call of all time” against Tom Dwan, or the time he busted the great Phil Hellmuth from the game, but we can’t forget about maybe the most memorable hand of High Stakes Poker that Ivey played back in Season 3 against Brad Booth. He didn’t win the hand. In fact, he got bluffed in incredible fashion and laid down two kings, but Ivey has no regrets from his time on the show.

“I don’t have any regrets,” Ivey said. “Poker is poker. You’re going to get bluffed in some big ones and you’re going to bluff some big ones, and that’s just the way it is. Sometimes you get the best of people and sometimes they get the best of you. That’s what makes poker such an amazing game.”

The High Stakes Poker Season 9 lineup features some truly legendary players. Of course, Ivey will be in the mix, and he’ll be battling with Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Tom Dwan, Patrik Antonius, and others. Ivey has a history of playing high-stakes cash games with all of these players and these are the ones he enjoys playing with the most at poker’s most exclusive cash game table.

“These guys right here today,” Ivey said of his favorite players to play High Stakes Poker with. “Patrik, Daniel, Tom, Doyle, all of those guys. I’m really looking forward to the show.”

Although Ivey did have a cup of coffee at the table during Season 8 of High Stakes Poker, the bulk of his play on the show came from Season 3 and Season 6, and both of those seasons took place more than a decade ago. A lot has changed since then, including Ivey’s attitude towards the show.

“I think I’m more appreciative of it now,” Ivey said. “Now that I’m older and can look back at my poker career, I think back then everything was happening so fast. Not that I was unappreciative, but I didn’t really appreciate the moment. Now, I get to play with some guys that some I haven’t seen in a while, haven’t played with in a while, so I’m definitely a lot more appreciative of this situation now than I was back then.”

Ivey is scheduled to appear on several episodes during Season 9 of High Stakes Poker, and you can watch all of the action exclusively on PokerGO. How will Ivey do? Tune in every Monday at 8 p.m. ET to find out.

For more on Season 9 of High Stakes Poker, read the press release.

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