Kelly Kim

Kelly Kim

  • Name: Kelly Kim
  • Current Residence: Whittier, Calif.

Kelly Kim has been playing poker since 1995. Still, in all his years at the felt nothing could compare to the sheer joy of making the November Nine at the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event.

"I've already hit my goal," he confessed to PokerListings.com in a post-tournament interview. "And everything else is just gravy."

Kim's goal was to make it to the final table. Guaranteed nearly a million dollars if he busts out in ninth place in November 2008 - which many think is likely given his well-below-average chip stack coming into the final table - Kim would still rack up by far the largest payout he's ever collected in a tournament.

And he's cashed in quite a few since he took them up in 2003.

The Grand Slam of Poker, Bellagio Festa al Lago and the Five Diamond World Poker Classic, to name a few. And lest we forget, his 17th-place finish in the WPT L.A. Poker Classic in 2006, two WSOP cashes in 2007 and one in the WSOPC Caesars Palace main event the same year.

Kelly is intelligent and experienced, and knows when to pick his spots at the felt. He excels in short-stack play and dominates games with his tight-aggressive style. In short, he's no rookie. And before 2008, he was playing a lot of tournaments, including every Main Event since 2003.

So, while the bookies lay heavy odds against Kim winning the final table, don't bet against him just yet. This poker pro still has a shot at taking down the top pot in poker.

Trivia

  • Is a pro player
  • Was born in Korea
  • Bought in to the 2008 WSOP Main Event with cash
  • Is a former business analyst
  • Earned a college degree from the UCC-San Diego
  • Stayed with friends in Vegas during WSOP 2008
  • Is buddies with fellow 2008 November Niner, David "Chino" Rheem

Notable Tournament Cashes

Tournament Place Winnings
2009 WSOP, Event 57 - $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em World... 423rd $27,469
2009 WSOP, Event 32 - $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em 69th $6,309
2009 WSOP, Event 28 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em 122nd $3,528
2009 Special, 2009 Aussie Millions Main Event 22nd 50,000 AUD
2008 WSOP, Event 54, Main Event No-Limit Hold'em 8th $1,288,217
2007 WSOPC, Caesars Palace Las Vegas 29th $6,441
2007 WSOP, Event 52, No-Limit Hold'em w/re-buys 57th $8,067
2007 WSOP, Event 19, No-Limit Hold'em 28th $12,348

Kelly Kim Photos

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David Rheem, Kelly Kim, Craig Marquis

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