A qualification run that started with an $0.80 Venom Vault prize at ACR Poker ended with John Kim at the top of Mini Phil's Thrill. Playing as DotardEatLysol, the Chicago sales consultant won $42,700 after advancing through Survivor Flips to secure the $2,650 entry.
The Sunday, August 9 event drew 61 total entries, creating a $152,500 prize pool with seven paid places.
Kim's route connected three parts of the current tournament lineup. The Venom Vault awarded the entry-level $0.80 Survivor Flip Step ticket. The fast all-in Sit & Go format, which begins as soon as eight seats are occupied, gave him a path through progressively higher ticket levels, ultimately winning a $2,650 ticket. Mini Phil's Thrill then provided the stage for his largest result.
Kim has played poker for more than two decades and joined ACR Poker in 2021. The 47-year-old said he is most comfortable in smaller fields. His previous best online score was about $1,400 in a $21 Hyper, a result he had matched more than once.
His tournament approach emphasized patience and premium starting hands. The defining pot came with nine players left, two spots from the money. Kim held around 680,000 chips and pocket aces on the button. He called a short stack's shove before the player to his left pushed roughly 700,000 with pocket sixes. Kim called again, won the pot and climbed to about 1.5 million.
That stack helped Kim enter seven-handed play as the chip leader. At first, the practical value of the final-table payouts weighed on him. As players fell away, he returned his attention to the decisions in front of him and felt the pressure ease by three-handed play.
Kim plans to direct the payout toward immediate priorities, including transportation, a home of his own and caring for his three dogs.
The Mini Phil's Thrill Final Table Replayer presents the completed action with hole cards shown, while the Venom Vault page explains the ticket promotion running through Sunday, August 30.
About ACR Poker
ACR Poker has been a leading force in online poker since 2001, delivering premier tournament experiences, innovative promotions, and player-focused offerings. As the company celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026, it continues to expand its tournament schedule and provide world-class online poker action to players around the world.
— WebWireID358956 —
