For professional poker players, the thrill of live poker tournaments comes with inevitable challenges. KKPoker ambassador David Dongwoo Ko has gone from strength to strength since 2022 but recently navigated a tough stretch of live poker events, competing at the WPT Playground in Montreal and the NAPT Las Vegas.
The event in Montreal was a chance for David to relive the glorious memories of his Main Event victory in May and aim to defend his title.
Despite the ups and downs, David’s experiences highlight the mental fortitude and strategic thinking required in high-stakes tournament poker.
Read on to gain valuable insight into maintaining a postive outlook on your poker journey!
DAVID’S DIARY: UPS AND DOWNS IN LIVE POKER
Hey everyone, David Ko here! I’ve just wrapped up an intense couple of months on the tournament circuit, traveling to Montreal for the WPT Playground and then heading straight to Las Vegas for the NAPT series. Let me tell you, it’s been a rollercoaster ride of emotions. As a poker player, facing downswings is inevitable, but those downswings can feel even more brutal when traveling to play a new live poker tournament event.
At the WPT Playground, I played three major events:
$1,150 Prime Event: I fired nine bullets and managed to cash for $3,600, which was a small win in an otherwise tough series.
$3,500 Championship Event: Four bullets here, but unfortunately, no cashes.
$10,500 High Roller: Despite three entries, I didn’t make it to the money in this one either.
This was one of the roughest series I’ve ever experienced. Even though the results weren’t great, I felt good about my overall play and mindset. Having a companion with me during this downswing made a huge difference—it helped me step away from the negativity and come back fresh for the next day.
When I travel for poker tournaments, I always prepare to fire the maximum buy-ins, as long as it’s within my bankroll and I believe I have enough edge to justify it. I wouldn’t have fired so many rebuys if I didn’t have confidence in my game each time I bought in.
That said, there are exceptions to this approach. If I’m playing above my usual buy-in range, I set a specific number of buy-ins I’m comfortable using. Additionally, if I believe the edge is too small or too difficult to realize, I stop rebuying. For example, if the tournament structure is too fast or offers too few big blinds on a rebuy, it becomes increasingly difficult to realize an edge due to higher variance, even if I have a skill advantage over the field.
From Montreal, I flew to Las Vegas, ready for a fresh start. Things kicked off on a high note:
In the $600 NLH UltimateStack at the Venetian, I finished 3rd for $18,292, a much-needed confidence boost!
During the NAPT series, I played the $1,650 Mystery Bounty Event, finishing in 28th place and collecting nine bounties worth $14,000.
However, the bigger buy-ins later in the series weren’t as kind. The $5,300 Main Event, with a $3M guarantee, drew 543 entries, creating a $4.34M prize pool. I fired five bullets but couldn’t make it past Day 2. I also played the $5,300 Mixed Game Event but didn’t cash there either.
TOUGH DECISIONS IN TOURNAMENT POKER
During the NAPT series, I faced some interesting decisions regarding game selection.
When you travel for a poker tournament series, you often have to decide which events to play and which ones to skip. One of the main decisions I faced was between the $5,300 8-Game Mix and the $10,300 NLH High Roller. Both events started on November 8, with the 8-Game Mix being a one-day event (potentially extending to two days) and the NLH High Roller being a three-day event. For the NLH High Roller, registration remained open until the start of Day 2.
So my options were:
Play the $5,300 8-Game Mix, which I’ve been really enjoying lately.
Play the $10,300 NLH High Roller, a three-day event with a larger field and prize pool.
Play the 8-Game and register late for the High Roller if I busted early.
I went with option three because I didn’t want to miss the 8-Game. Mixed games are quickly becoming a passion of mine, and I’m eager to improve my skills. However, looking back, the High Roller probably offered better value, given its larger field and higher payouts.
Another similar dilemma came up earlier in the series. I had to choose between the $550 H.E.R.O.S. event and the $2,200 NLH event. I opted for the H.E.R.O.S., but in hindsight, the NLH would have been the better choice, as it offered significantly better value because small-field, lower buy-in events like the $550 Mix Game rarely carry enough value compared to larger buy-in tournaments with bigger fields. These decisions taught me just how crucial game selection is during a tournament series.
KEEPING THE RIGHT MINDSET
Ultimately, these experiences served as a reminder of how crucial game selection is in poker, especially during a tournament series. The ability to objectively assess which events provide the best value can have a significant impact on overall results.
While the series didn’t go as planned, I walked away with valuable lessons that will help refine my approach moving forward. I’m now in my second year as a full-time tournament player, and series like this remind me of an important truth: poker is not just about the cards. It’s just as much about managing decisions, emotions, and expectations outside the game.
The key is to keep learning, be humble, and, most importantly, never give up!"
JOIN THE ACTION ON KKPOKER
David’s story is a testament to the resilience needed to succeed in live poker tournaments. Whether you’re chasing titles or just starting your poker journey, KKPoker offers you the chance to qualify for some of the world’s biggest events.
With live poker satellites available on the KKPoker app, you can take your shot!
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