June Kim

June Kim, a poker player from Prescott, Arizona, has been a fixture on the live tournament circuit for years, steadily building his resume with consistent cashes. Before his breakout win, Kim had accumulated modest results, including a 150th-place finish for $3,020 at the 2026 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and a 122nd-place cash for $1,702. His earlier WSOP appearances, such as a 1,399th-place result in 2023, showed his persistence in chasing deep runs at the game's biggest stages.

Kim's career reached a new peak in late January 2026 when he won the inaugural MSPT Diamond Poker Championship at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. The $1,100 buy-in event, which carried a $1,000,000 guarantee, shattered expectations with 3,220 entries—an MSPT record for a stop outside Las Vegas—creating a prize pool of $3,121,900. Kim outlasted a massive field to claim his first MSPT MAJOR title and a career-best $397,950 first-place prize.

"Feels incredible," Kim said after his comeback victory. "It was a wild ride all day long, and just a really amazing experience to be able to win in my hometown casino. I want to keep playing, I don't want this to be over, it was so much fun."

The win also earned Kim a $3,500 seat into the MSPT Championship Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open at Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida, a $2,000,000 GTD Main Event scheduled for November 18 through December 2.

Kim's path to the title was anything but smooth. He entered the final table near the bottom of the chip counts, but his determination to play for the trophy rather than a financial safety net defined his run. When the final four players discussed an ICM deal, Kim was the only one to decline, despite being the shortest stack.

"I wanted to keep playing," Kim explained. "This opportunity doesn't come along very often, and I've made deals in the past where it ended up biting me, so I just wanted to play for the trophy."

That decision proved pivotal. Kim won all-in after all-in, eventually taking the chip lead after eliminating Golden State Poker Champion Zilong Zhang in third place for $185,000. He then defeated Carlton Taylor heads-up, with Taylor earning $345,649 as runner-up. The final table also included Larry Goldstein ($140,500, fourth), Jonah LaBranche ($117,100, fifth), Johnny Watson ($93,700, sixth), Anastassios Leotsarakos ($70,200, seventh), Doug Jacoby ($58,500, eighth), and Brett McCollum ($46,800, ninth).

Kim's victory showcased a style built on patience and calculated aggression. He demonstrated a willingness to gamble when necessary, winning crucial all-in confrontations to climb from the bottom of the counts. His decision to decline the ICM deal reflects a mindset focused on long-term achievement over short-term financial security—a trait that has served him well in high-pressure situations. Kim's ability to stay composed during a marathon final day, combined with his knack for finding spots against aggressive opponents, marks him as a dangerous competitor in large-field events.

With the $397,950 payday, Kim's lifetime tournament earnings now exceed $684,000, placing him among the more successful Arizona-based grinders on the circuit. The victory at his hometown casino added a personal touch to the achievement, and the accompanying MSPT Championship seat gives him a chance to build on this momentum later in 2026. While Kim has yet to win a WSOP bracelet or ring, his total earnings of $97,724 from WSOP events alone demonstrate consistent performance at the game's highest level. As he continues to compete in major tours, Kim's name is now firmly on the radar of poker fans and fellow players alike.