John Kim Turns an 80-Cent ACR Ticket Into $42,700
A pocket-aces call near the bubble flipped the Mini Phil’s Thrill final table after a run through the Venom Vault ladder.
John Kim turned an 80-cent promotion reward into a $42,700 first-place finish in ACR Poker’s Mini Phil’s Thrill on August 9. The event drew 61 entries, paid seven spots, and built a $152,500 prize pool.
According to a PRNewswire release and Americas Cardroom’s news site, Kim is a 47-year-old sales consultant from Chicago who joined ACR Poker in 2021. His path started with a Venom Vault Survivor Flip Step ticket worth $0.80, which he kept winning forward until it became a $2,650 Mini Phil’s Thrill seat. That route also reflects the broader Venom Vault setup, where the promotional ladder can start at $0.80 and lead to a $2,650 ticket.
The biggest swing came near the money bubble, with nine players left and only seven paid. Kim had about 680,000 chips and pocket aces when another player shoved roughly 700,000 with pocket sixes. Kim called, the aces held, and his stack jumped to around 1.5 million, which put him in the chip lead by seven-handed play.
Kim said he was starstruck while keeping an eye on Chris Moneymaker, Alex Foxen and Kristen Foxen. He said the tension eased once the event got three-handed and he started playing his spots again.
Kim said his previous best online result was about $1,400 in a $21 Hyper. He also said his car had recently been repossessed, that he had moved in with a family member, and that his priorities were getting transportation back, finding a place to live and caring for his three dogs. The Venom Vault remains open through August 30.
