SpadeClub Poker Winner: David 'dkhunky' Kim

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David “dkhunky” Kim is one of SpadeClub’s two recent World Series 40K Giveaway champions, snagging his $12,000 World Series main-event prize package on June 29. Kim is a graphic design student whose only source of income right now is the game of poker. He has done well on other online poker sites and continues to practice his game. Kim believes SpadeClub is not only a great place for beginners but is also excellent for experienced players also to try new things and practice different strategies. When asked what he would be doing over the Fourth of July weekend if he hadn’t won a seat in the World Series, he replied, “Honestly, I would either be playing poker online or at a casino.” Kim recently sat down with Card Player to talk about his win and his hopes of taking home the World Series bracelet.

Card Player: How did you hear about SpadeClub?

David “dkhunky” Kim: I have been a subscriber to Card Player magazine for a couple of years now, and I saw the promo ad in there and it sounded like a good deal. You are not getting value like this on any other website. You only have to pay a low monthly flat rate and you get to play in all of these tournaments.

CP: Do you have a story behind your screen name?

DK: My nickname is “chunky” because I use to eat a lot of Chunky Monkey ice cream from Ben and Jerry’s when I was growing up. When I made the ID, I used my initials and thought I would put chunky in there, but I found out I left the ‘C’ out. After I created my account, I tried to log in, and when I couldn’t, I got frustrated until I found out I forgot the ‘C’ and only put in “dkhunky.” I was like, “Oh, now my ID is ‘hunky,’” and thought that sounded so corny. So, that is how I got that.

CP: How long have you been playing poker?

DK: I started about three and a half years ago just playing with friends as a recreational player. I started really studying the game about a year and a half ago, and that is when I picked up the books and started reading the forums and asking players about different hand situations. So, I guess I really seriously started playing about a year and a half ago.

CP: How did you get started playing poker?

DK: I use to go to a friends house, and a lot of my friends were DJs, so we would listen to music and play pool. And one of my friends had a six-handed poker table that we all use to play at. They are the ones who taught me the game.

CP: Do you consider yourself a recreational, amateur, or professional poker player?

DK: I would say amateur; it is my only source of income at the moment.

CP: Do you think SpadeClub is a good learning ground for people who are looking to start playing?

DK: I think it is a great place for not only beginners but experienced players, too. Players are able to try new things and different strategies with no risk. It is great to be able to play in all of these tournaments for only the flat $19.99 a month. When you’re playing with money on the line, you tend to play a little differently, but on SpadeClub, if you get knocked out for trying some new move or strategy, you can just sign up for a new tournament. For only $19.99 a month, you could win thousands.

CP: What’s the most money you’ve ever won in a poker tournament?

DK: I play mostly online and recently won the $17K on Full Tilt, for which I received just over $4,200, and the Midnight Madness, where I received about $3,000. At a live casino, I think the most I have won was in a rebuy for just under $4K.

CP: If you weren’t playing in the WSOP, what would you be doing for the Fourth of July?

DK: Honestly, I would be playing poker at home or at the casino.

CP: Was there a particularly key hand that you played in the tournament that helped lead you to victory?

DK: At the final table I think I got down to three or four blinds and we were down to a three-handed, and I thought my chances were pretty slim. Then I picked up a Q-J offsuit [and got all in], and the flop came with a 10-X-X. Then I caught a runner-runner to get a straight to crack fugetaboutit’s aces. [Read fugetaboutit’s interview]

CP: What advice can you give to other SpadeClub members looking to go deep in these tournaments?

DK: For only 20 bucks, you can make so much profit, but people will play way too many hands. If you just focus and take it more seriously and realize you can make a huge amount of money each month, you can do really well on this site.

CP: Have you participated in any of the community features on SpadeClub? What do you think?

DK: After I won, a few people left comments, and that was nice to hear from other players who were watching the final table and congratulating me. No other site has a profile section where people can actually network and talk to people with a web page like that.

CP: What do you think sets great players apart from merely good players?

DK: Great players put the time into the game and are always studying the game and talking about different hand situations to hear about players opinions on what to do. They are always willing to work hard at improving their game. Good players will think they are good enough and stick to what they know and never change. Great players are always striving to get their game to the next level.

CP: Who was your toughest opponent last night at the final table?

DK: Fugetaboutit! He was tough because he ended up being my heads-up opponent, and at one point we were both dominating the table with really big stacks. In most situations, when there are two big stacks at the table players try not to get into many pots with each other, so I tried staying out of his way, because I didn’t want to risk giving up my chips when there were two short stacks at the table. He wanted to play pots with me, and at one point I had top pair and a nice kicker and he came in over the top of me, and I didn’t want to get into too much trouble, so I let it go, but we kept bumping heads with each other.

CP: Going into the main event, which is more important to you, winning the money or the bracelet?

DK: Obviously the money would be great, but, in my opinion, the bracelet has a lot more value to it. With the bracelet, you get sponsorships and, of course, the bragging rights. The bracelet is what sets you apart from all the other players. Any poker player dreams about getting a World Series bracelet.

CP: Tell me a little about yourself.

DK: I am a graphic design student and I play poker for my income. I have had a bunch of jobs, but I didn’t like someone telling me what to do, and there were a lot of hours, so I decided to give poker a try. I have a long-time girlfriend, and she has always supported me and been there for me and doesn’t bug me about playing poker all of the time and not spending enough time with her. I try to separate my poker life from my personal life. I think it is important to do that or you lose what is important to you. I grew up on the East Coast and came to California about eight years ago. I am the youngest of five children and am 100 percent Korean. I like to think I am a pretty laid-back guy who likes to have fun.

CP: Anything else you would like to add?

DK: Yes, even if you only play in the $40K on SpadeClub, you are getting so much value out of your Exclusive membership. SpadeClub has so many tournaments, so if you play on a daily basis, your return on your investment is a huge profit margin. It is great to learn and improve on your game. I would like to suggest to poker players to take it to the next level and try watching videos and reading books about how to play and what to do. I think you need to just keep practicing and improving on your poker skills and you can be a great poker player.

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