January 2026 marked a major milestone for KKPoker content creator “PocketKyles“, who recorded his best-ever online poker result with a 4th-place finish in the KKPoker $260K GTD New Year Mystery Bounty tournament. The deep run delivered his largest online score to date and his first CAD $10K+ online cash, firmly establishing it as a standout moment in his poker journey so far.

30-year-old Kyle is part of the wave of players who transitioned into poker during the pandemic years, when live entertainment paused and online poker surged. Based in Canada, he began approaching the game with real intent during that period, and describes himself as a ‘pandemic poker boom baby!’

KKPoker spoke to Kyle to share even more about his poker journey, love of live poker and content creation, and of course, the key decisions that helped him achieve his biggest online score yet, including a battle against KKPoker ambassador Jon Kyte!

From Music to the Poker Felt

What makes Kyle’s story unique is that poker wasn’t a leap into the unknown — it was a natural pivot from an already established creative career. Long before online tournaments and final tables, Kyle was already performing professionally. Music had long been his full-time career and when live shows were no longer possible, poker became a new outlet for focus, competition, and growth.

“I’m actually a professional musician away from the tables and that has been my full-time gig since I was a teenager! Of course I couldn’t play live music much when the pandemic started so that’s where room for poker came in.” said Kyle.

That background would later shape both his comfort in the spotlight and his ability to balance multiple careers at once.

Poker quickly appealed to Kyle as more than just a game. With a long-standing love for strategy and competition, it offered something different from music — a space where creativity met calculation.

“I’ve always loved strategy games and trying to best your opponent. Poker had a certain ‘cool’ factor to it as well that drew me in even when I was younger. Music was my creative outlet but poker became my nerdy strategic outlet.”

As his understanding of the game deepened, so did his ambition to push further.

Content Creation and Momentum

A major turning point came in 2022, when Kyle began creating poker content. What started as an extension of his personality quickly became a catalyst for new opportunities across the industry.

“When I started making poker content that really turned my career up with the connections I made in the industry! Led to some surreal experiences that still leaving me feeling so incredibly lucky.“

Those connections would eventually lead to streaming, live events, and commentary roles in locations as far as Asia — expanding Kyle’s poker presence far beyond the tables.

No Such Thing as a ‘Typical Week’

Balancing poker, music, commentary, travel, and content creation means routine is often replaced by adaptability. For Kyle, structure comes second to opportunity.

He jokes that there’s ‘no such thing as a typical week’, and instead focuses on whatever demands the most attention at any given time.

“Between sporadically booked music gigs, online poker sessions, live poker series, and travelling for commentary, life just keeps me on my toes, and I love it that way. I do my best to keep everything going when I can, but that never works, so I often go with the flow of whatever calls my focus that week.”

That flexibility has become one of his greatest strengths, and one of Kyle’s biggest improvements over the past year hasn’t been purely technical. Instead, it’s been about redefining how poker fits into his life. After years of prioritising volume and hours, he’s shifted toward fewer sessions with more intention — a change that’s had a noticeable impact.

“Lately, while wearing so many different hats, I carved out less, but more intentional, time for poker playing and studying, and it might just be good variance, but lately… I’ve been more profitable than ever! I feel more balanced in life lately, and having space outside of it keeps poker incredibly fun.!”

For Kyle, balance hasn’t meant stepping away from poker — it’s meant showing up sharper when it matters.

Love for Live

Despite his online success, Kyle’s passion still lies firmly in live poker, which he sees as ‘the heart of the game’. That said, he recognises the importance of online platforms like KKPoker in building momentum and opportunity.

Being based in Canada has also played a key role in his development, offering access to strong local poker scenes while still allowing him to compete internationally.

“I LOVE live poker. I think it’s truly where the heart of the game is, but it’s not feasible to avoid the online streets, which are much more convenient for grinding the game.

“I feel lucky to be Canadian with the access we have to amazing poker in this country! Of course, it is incredibly exciting to travel the world and get rare experiences playing in different countries or continents. Still, honestly, I think Canada might be one of the best places to live if you want to chase your poker dreams. That doesn’t mean I don’t love the extra flags on my Hendon Mob though 😉“

In recent years, Kyle has also become a familiar voice in live poker commentary, particularly across Asia. Those experiences have given him a different lens on the game — one that often reinforces the value of simplicity.

“I feel very fortunate to have received these opportunities, especially in Asia, and I would have to credit it to connections and some wonderful friends who opened the right doors for me. Shoutout to Greg Goes All In, Bluffalo Sam, and David Ko, who really started a domino effect for me in poker!

“The one thing commentary has influenced on my own way I see the game is that quite often even the top players in this game can play some pretty straightforward poker most of the time. It seems so simple when you can see everyone’s cards and I try to remind myself at the table that plays aren’t always as tricky as you level yourself into thinking.”

Seeing hands unfold from the booth has helped ground his own decision-making when he’s back in the player’s seat.

Creating Content With KKPoker

As a KKPoker content creator, Kyle approaches poker with an entertainer’s mindset, without losing sight of competitive integrity.

He openly describes himself as ‘first and foremost an entertainer’, and when streaming or producing short-form content, looks for moments that resonate beyond hardcore poker fans.

“I think first and foremost I’m an entertainer, so I definitely hold myself differently, and while it’s not a fake persona, it’s a more enthusiastic one than when I’m not in the spotlight. I wouldn’t say it affects how I play poker, still trying to play my best game, but I might pick out more entertaining highlights to focus on, like all-in runouts, big wins, fast money, and content that can be entertaining to even people who know little to nothing about the game.”

Entertainment in poker has become a huge factor in today’s age of social media and streaming. So how important does Kyle think content, personality, and storytelling are for modern poker players compared to pure results?

“Poker is one of those games that is sold as a dream, but in reality becomes an all-consuming grind in a field of players that are getting smarter and harder to beat all the time.

“I think poker content and everything that comes with it can supplement the grind and help you enjoy the journey to becoming a crusher a lot more! For many people, it can lead to other opportunities, jobs, sponsorships, or even a fan base.

“Of course, there is always a trade-off between where you want to spend your time and energy, but I think it’s well worth it to do both if you have it in you! It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, though, and I think that’s okay, no need to force yourself to be consumed in this perpetually online world, just do it when it feels right for you 🙂

“I’m honestly just grateful to be recognized by KKPoker as a content creator, and that helps keep one of my many, crazy, silly dreams alive! The platform has been a blast to play on. Personally, the KKLIVE series in Canada has been my favourite; grinding it out online to make the money, then playing live for the final day, brings so much more excitement to the game! Of course, it also helps that I recently set a personal biggest cash record on KKPoker.“

The $260K GTD Mystery Bounty Deep Run

Kyle’s deep run in the Mystery Bounty is a story of preparation, calculation, and high-pressure decision-making. He entered Day 2 with a strong stack, confident yet cautious, aware of the unique volatile dynamics of the formats.

“Historically the mystery bounties I have streamed in the past usually ended quickly with minimal results so I was a bit skeptical of my luck going into this one, but entering Day 2 with a 5th place stack did lead me to believe this one could be a big one!”

Throughout the tournament, Kyle juggled chip EV, bounty value, and survival under ICM pressure — a challenging balancing act even for experienced players.

“Mystery bounties are a whole other beast compared to normal MTTs or even PKOs. Constantly keeping track of the average bounty remaining to estimate the value of knocking out an opponent with a mystery prize can get a little chaotic. Still, the good news is that it’s chaotic for everyone else, too.

“I do have a method of converting a mystery bounty, into an average bounty, into chip EV, and then into a situation regarding $EV (ICM) and future EV of a play but to actively be doing this on the table while everything is in play seems nearly impossible so I try to do my homework before the tounrnament starts and the make small adjustments as we go along especially considering if a lot of big bounties are left as the feild narrows… and boy was there a big bounty left late into the game in this one!

“The nature of that value can find yourself in positions where you are supposed to call off way lighter than you think you should. You have to quiet the thoughts of “am I punting” to make some of those calls.“

Even with a career-best result, Kyle reflects honestly on hands where he could have done better. One pivotal spot involved ATs against multiple jams, where bounty value made a call tempting but time pressure forced a cautious fold.

“ITM, 42 left, locked up $640, $93k left in bounties including the big $26k amongst a few others. We’re in 8th place with 33bb and our table is currently 6-handed due to some bust-outs. UTG short stack jams 7.5bb, we are in the HJ with ATs and we call. BTN jams 32bb, then BB jams 60bb covering everyone. Normally in a regular MTT I’d be more than happy to fold here but the Mystery Bounties make this complicated…

“I cover two stacks, so if I come out with the best hand, I will get two mystery bounties. Most players will get excited about the prospect of gambling for a $26k bounty, or even the 12 other big bounties that ranged from $2k to $16k, but if we wanna do this like the pros, we’ve got to do the math…

“$93k total bounty prize pool left with 42 players remaining, that’s an average bounty of $2.2k per person. We know what each bounty is worth, but we need to turn that into chips to make an informed play. $2.2k nearly makes 10x the buy-in that went into the normal prize pool, so we can assign that value to a starting stack, meaning if we round it, the average Mystery bounty is worth 10 starting stacks right now, or 250k in chips, or 12.5bb. Great! Now we know that if we win the pot, we win approximately 25bb in value for our KOs…

“But wait, how does that help us make a decision? First, there’s the obvious pot odds. We have to call off our remaining 25.5bb into a pot of 105bb plus the added value of KOs 25bb, so we’re getting approximately 5:1 odds, not bad odds even 4-ways. Still, you have to account for how tight or loose you think their ranges are, the future value of still having a fairly large stack if we fold, and, of course, ICM is always at play in surviving the tournament. Now, do you really have time to go through all this in every spot live in the tournament? No, you’d be out of time banks early on, but the more you study it, the more you get a feel for it.

“However, we caved under the restricted time pressure in this spot and decided a fold would be a safe bet in a spot we felt unsure of. In hindsight, a call here would be fine even with tighter jamming ranges, but the real mistake was not re-jamming after the short stack went in. Results-wise, we would have beaten everyone but the short stack, gotten one bounty, and chipped up to a monstrous 75bb stack, so lost out on a small bounty and a chance to run even deeper, but making mistakes in poker will always be a part of it!“

Another particularly memorable moment came when Kyle eliminated KKPoker ambassador Jon Kyte, securing his only bounty in the tournament.

“This was shortly after the ATs hand misplay. I was beating myself up over it for a minute or two, trying to move on quickly and refocus on the game, especially with a few people watching on stream, and then I got moved to a different table. There is Jon Kyte all in for his remaining 1.5bb. We woke up with AKs, and the hand played itself. We picked up our first and only mystery bounty of the tournament, but hopes of winning an instant $26k were shattered by a small $750. The relief of landing a bounty after just missing one definitely helped our mental game for the rest of the tournament. So thanks, Jon!“

Reflecting After a Big Result

Kyle’s finish brought US$7,400, his largest online cash to date, a major personal milestone, and validation for his approach to life and poker balance. But when did that achievement really sink in, and will it change his confidence moving forward?

“I’d say about 5 minutes after I busted. Poker must be the only game in the world where most of the time, winning a bunch of money feels like a loss at first. (unless you win the whole thing of course!)

“Seeing the top prize of $20k, and the top bounty of $26k still in play when you sitting at the final table, you always have your eyes on the prize. So when you lose, it takes me a second to remind myself and say, ‘Hey! You know you just won 10 grand, right?!’ And then it kicks in.

“I try not to let the wins and losses affect the mental game, especially regarding your confidence for the future, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t affect it somewhat despite my best efforts. We all know there’s a ton of variance in this game, and the droughts feel unfair, and the wins can get to your head. I think it’s a little fun to think you’re top shit for a moment, as long as you come back down to earth shortly after, haha.“

Looking ahead, Kyle plans to study more, build routines, and continue chasing both online and live milestones, combining his strategic mindset with the fun and flexibility he’s cultivated over the past few years, especially when making high-pressure decisions.

“For KKPoker players grinding towards their own breakout run, study. It’s one of the few things you can control in this game; make sure you’re smarter than your opponents by working at it off the felt. Prep and study are the foundations of your poker game. You need to have studied enough so that things are second nature, and you don’t have to overthink every spot. That foundation can then transition to the fun of in-the-moment instincts.

“My general rule of thumb is to rely on your foundation until you get a sense that there is a way to exploit someone specifically, or you find yourself in a spot where you don’t know what to do, and have to play a bit of old-school poker to make up for it. So there are definitely both styles of play happening at almost every hand in high-pressure situations.

“My simple goals for 2026 are to study more, implement more regular routines for when I play live and online, and build a bit of a scheduled grind again. Also, a WSOP Ring, an APT Lion, or the fucking massive KKLIVE trophy would be cool! Sorry for cursing, but that is the biggest trophy I’ve ever seen. I needed to make that clear lol!”

Community & Gratitude

Kyle also thanked the KKPoker community for their support during his deep run.

“Thank you to everyone who has liked my posts, followed my accounts, watched my streams, taken selfies with me in person, and to anyone who is in any way a part of my journey with KKPoker! It was certainly cool to see a bunch of people watching the final table and having a few people railing in the chat. Shoutout to King Lazar!”

With his best online result now secured on KKPoker, PocketKyles’ journey is clearly still gathering momentum — and this Mystery Bounty run feels like a significant step forward rather than a final destination.