David's Poker Diary
KKPoker ambassador David Dongwoo Ko is a professional poker player on a journey to the very top! The 23-year-old only achieved his first recorded live poker tournament cash in December 2022, but since then, he has earned over $760,000 in prize money and become a WPT Main Event champion!
So, what's it like to be a professional poker player traveling the world? At KKPoker, you can learn all about David's journey and pick up some top poker tips along the way.
David will share key moments from his poker adventures, including his thoughts on performance, strategy, hand reviews, and more.
In the first edition of David's poker diary, he discusses his first full summer at the World Series of Poker, where he competed for some of the biggest honors in poker and played in his highest buy-in tournament yet!
VIVA LAS VEGAS
Hey guys, David here, and I'm so happy to be sharing my poker journey with you all on the KKPoker blog!
I recently spent an exhilarating six weeks in Las Vegas, from May 30 to July 11, playing in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and other events. It was a rollercoaster ride of tournaments, big wins, and valuable lessons. I wanted to share some highlights from my experience, including a few specific hands that stood out.
Tournament Highlights
First Tournament: I kicked off my journey with Event #5: $1,000 Mystery Millions No-Limit Hold'em.
I only fired one bullet and managed to finish 43rd out of a massive 18,409 entries, taking home $24,000, plus bounties worth $18,000, for a total of $42,000.
The Mystery Millions is one of the series' most anticipated tournaments — it's a mystery bounty tournament. A $1 million bounty is guaranteed for the biggest bounty, which makes it very exciting when you pull a bounty! No gold chest bounties this time, but it was a fantastic start to the series!
David playing alongside Phil Ivey and Niall Farrell
Favorite Tournament and Memorable Hand: My favorite event was Event #41: $1,500 Mixed NLH / PLO Double Board Bomb Pot.
This format was super fun, with the game changing every eight hands and a double board bomb pot after each switch. It was the first time WSOP hosted this event, and it was my first time playing a bomb pot tournament. The bomb pots are such an understudied game where not many people really know what they're doing — myself included. I wasn't really sure what I was doing, so there's definitely a lot to study. But it was a great tournament, and I'll definitely be back for it.
I had an especially exciting hand in a Hold'em bomb pot:
My Hand: Jh7s
Position: Hijack (HJ) with a 520k stack
Board 1: JdJc2s
Board 2: 9s6c5d
The action checked to me, and I bet 24k into a 40k pot.
The Button, with a 350k stack, raised to 75k. Everyone else folded, and I called. In hindsight, I think check-calling this flop would have been a better move.
Turn:
Board 1: JdJc2s Kh
Board 2: 9s6c5d 5h
I checked, and the Button jammed 275k into a 190k pot.
I was faced with a tough decision and ultimately decided to fold. The Button showed J9o.
Analysis: Having a 7 in this hand was actually a bad blocker, as we would prefer our opponent to have 78, so we could win Board 1. If we ran into a better Jack, we were drawing very slim on both boards, and in a double board bomb pot, getting scooped is the last thing you want!
Biggest Tournament: The biggest buy-in event I played was Event #21: $25,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em (6-Handed).
This tournament held a special place in my heart as it marked a significant milestone in my poker journey. Last year, I won a satellite online for a $25k Triton event in London but didn't cash, which left me determined to return stronger. This time, I was playing to win, not just for the experience, and the mentality, game understanding, and attitude were completely different.
Best Placement Result: At the Aria Poker Classic: $800 No-Limit Hold'em, I finished 4th for $24,000. Although it was disappointing not to walk away with a trophy, I can't complain about the deep run, even if it was in the smallest buy-in of the series.
Best WSOP Tournament Result: My deepest run came in Event #68: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em, where I finished 14th for $31,000, my biggest cash of the summer. Reaching the final two tables was a huge accomplishment, though falling short of the final table stung a little.
Last Tournament: The last event I played was Event #87: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em (8-Handed), where I managed to cash out in 123rd place for $9,952. It was a bittersweet ending to my summer, leaving Vegas with no gold but happy to have finished on a high note.
Tips for Surviving a Vegas Summer
Explore All Poker Rooms: Beyond the WSOP, there are amazing tournaments at Wynn, Venetian, Aria, and MGM poker rooms. Make your schedule based on what suits you best.
Understand the Tax Rules: Be aware that there is a 30% tax on tournament winnings in Nevada if you win more than $5,000 after buy-ins. Every country will have different Tax rules for its residents however.
Stay Healthy: It's tough to find healthy food in Vegas, and the summer heat is intense. Stay hydrated and maintain a healthy daily routine.
Keep Your Mental Game Strong: Playing poker every day for six weeks is exhausting. It’s easy to burn out, so stay motivated and manage your energy wisely.
I think it's important to find motivation every day. Some people say meditation helps; maybe find a friend, have a nice dinner, or hang out. Exercise is also very important. It's hard to stay healthy in Las Vegas. I’ll be working on this for next year!
You need to try to maintain a consistent lifestyle and manage your daily patterns. This is really important as a poker player, especially if you're trying to play for an extended period like six weeks. I found it very important and very difficult at the same time. Next year, I'll be more prepared and try to win one of the bracelets!
Overall, it was an incredible summer in Las Vegas, full of unforgettable experiences, highs and lows, and valuable lessons learned. I’m already looking forward to coming back next year stronger and more prepared!
NEXT STOP BARCELONA
David has since continued his poker journey by heading from Canada to Europe to play the PokerStars EPT Barcelona for the very first time!
The next edition of David's Poker Diary is coming very soon! No spoilers, but it is one not to be missed!
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