Phil Ivey has launched a website that he hopes will change the landscape of social media poker.
He has enlisted Greg Merson, who started the 2012 WSOP Main Event final table third in chips, and will return as chipleader when play resumes three-handed. Jennifer Harman and Patrik Antonious have also signed on as Team Ivey coaches.
Currently, iveypoker.com offeres little more than a subscription to a mailing list and a link to Merson’s personal site.
But Ivey told ESPN that he wants to “teach the world how to play better poker.”
The sites slogan: “It’s more fun when you win.”
There is a teaser for “free bonus points for the Phil Ivey poker game” for those who join the mailing list.
The site will offer video instruction with interaction through online games, which Ivey said will be free.
“People aren’t learning how to play,” he told ESPN. “You see people just going on there and playing, but not really learning how to play the right way. What we’re doing here is teaching people how to become a winning poker player. I think a lot of people really don’t know how to play poker, and I think this is going to be an opportunity to play with the best players in the world.”
Ivey said he carefully selected his coaching staff. He considers Antonious the second best player in the world (with the assumption that Ivey is number one).
“He’s one of the best no-limit players in the world. I’ve played a lot of poker with him, and especially if he’s the deep stack, he’s a very tough opponent to play against.”
Merson’s site offers a brief bio, links to his blog and Twitter feed and facebook page. He also offers coaching for $500 per hour.
Just a few hours before the start of the Main Event final table, Merson tweeted: “Team Ivey takeover starts today.”
In a wide-ranging interview with ESPN, Ivey declined to discuss Full Tilt or Howard Lederer, citing “legal ramifications.”
“There’s a lot I’d like to say to all of the poker players who were on that site. ... when the time is right — and it should be soon — I look forward to all the questions.”
