Phil grew up in New Jersey, where he started his pro poker career in Atlantic City.

 Phil won his first World Series of Poker title at the age of 23 when he beat Phil Hellmuth and Amarillo Slim in the Pot-Limit Omaha event. Two years later in 2002, he won three more WSOP titles. Phil also won two Bellagio tournaments, one World Poker Open tournament, two Commerce tournaments, and has made his share of World Poker Tour final tables.

 2005 was a good year, with two more WPT final tables, a second place finish in the WSOP Circuit Event at Harrah's Lake Tahoe, and the addition of his fifth WSOP bracelet in the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha tournament. Phil won $1 million for his first-place finish at the Monte Carlo Millions tournament. Amazingly, only 24 hours later, he won an additional $600,000 for his first-place finish at "The FullTiltPoker.Net Invitational Live from Monte Carlo."

 In January 2006, Phil received three incredible honors, being named Player of the Year by All In Magazine, Bluff Magazine, and the UK Gaming Awards.

 Most recently, Phil placed second in the Omaha Hi/Lo event and third in $50,000 HORSE event at the 2006 WSOP. With these two events, he was able to cash for more than $800,000. In February 2008, Phil won his first-ever WPT Championship, taking down the title at the Los Angeles Poker Classic. It was Phil’s record-setting eighth appearance at a WPT final table, and the victory moved him into the top-10 on the all-time tournament money list.

• Considered the best poker player in the world
• 5 WSOP Bracelets before his 30th birthday
• 1 WPT Championship