Phil Ivey Cracks Top Ten At BLUFF

When Phil Ivey enters a poker room people automatically focus on him, the eight-time WSOP bracelet winner snuck into the top ten of the BLUFF Player of the year race. A huge year for some poker players is just a break-even for Ivey, whose results for 2010 include a runner-up finish in the Aussie Millions High Roller event, a WSOP bracelet win, and a third place finish at the WPT Bellagio Cup. Irrespective of all the silverware, Ivey would need to more than double his points by December to catch POY leader Sorel Mizzi who is sitting comfortably with 1,473.07 points.

 Tom Marchese is second in the ranks and scored a few points for his final table appearance at the Empire State Poker Championship Main Event at the Turning Stone Casino. Marchese finished fourth in that event, which was won by Christian “charder30” Harder. Marchese pocketed over $30,000 in the $2,300 buy-in event and should cross the 800-point mark once those points are added into his tally.

Carlos Mortensen is in third position, with Frank Kassela and Tomer Berda featuring in the top five. Shawn Buchanan is currently in sixth place with Ivey just .13 points behind him. Ivey had a chance to overtake Buchanan and possibly Berda with cash in the WPT London Main Event. Ivey ended Day 1A fourth in chips, but was eliminated late in Day 2 well before the money.

On the bright side for Ivey the big cash is waiting for him at forthcoming events like the WPT London High Roller event and the WSOPE. With the Partouche Poker Tour getting underway Thursday and the WSOPE just around the corner, there are still plenty of opportunities for players to narrow Mizzi’s massive lead. While the ranks doesn’t indicate it since his WSOP Main Event results have not been factored in yet, Michael Mizrachi is Mizzi’s closest competitor and is within reach if he can manage a win in November, so don’t underestimate his current 21st place.

 Here are the current top twenty in the BLUFF Player of the Year race:

1. Sorel Mizzi – 1,473.07
2. Thomas Marchese – 773.57
3. Juan Carlos Mortensen
4. Frank Kassela – 727.30
5. Tomer Berda – 717.05
6. Shawn Buchanan – 699.83
7. Phil Ivey – 699.70
8. Samuel Stein – 698.90
9. Jason Mercier – 685.80
10. Scott Clements – 684.80
11. Daniel Shak – 664.08
12. David Peters – 634.58
13. Eric Baldwin – 629.02
14. Daniel Alaei – 627.30
15. Chris Bell – 595.63
16. Mike Beasley – 591.08
17. Michael Binger – 566.44
18. Men Nguyen – 561.75
19. Allen Kessler – 555.43
20. Kevin MacPhee – 550.35