Local Arizonan June Kim claimed a career-defining victory at the Major Series of Poker: The Tour (MSPT) Diamond Poker Championship at Talking Stick Resort, outlasting a massive field of 3,220 entrants to take home $397,350 and a $3,500 seat to the MSPT Championship Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open.
Dominating the $1,100 Main Event
The $1,100 Diamond Poker Championship featured a prize pool of $3,121,900, smashing its $1 million guarantee three times over. Kim, who now sits tied for seventh in the 2026 Card Player Player of the Year standings, earned 1,200 POY points for the win, marking his first major live tournament triumph.
“Feels incredible,” Kim told MSPT reporters. “It was a wild ride all day long, and just a really amazing experience to be able to win in my hometown casino. I want to keep playing, I don’t want this to be over, it was so much fun.”
This victory more than triples his previous best live score, a third-place finish at the 2022 Wynn Summer Classic.
The Final Table Battle
Zilong Zhang, already an MSPT winner earlier in 2026, began the final table with a significant chip lead. Eliminations came quickly as the night wore on, with several accomplished players—including Kyna England, Steven Jones, and Chad Holloway—falling short of the final nine.
Kim stayed resilient, and the pivotal hand came against Zhang:
- Kim held K♠7♠, Zhang had A♣10♥
- The board ran 6♠6♦4♥–4♥–7♦, giving Kim a winning pair of sevens
- Kim took over 60% of the chips in play, leading to Zhang’s elimination on the next hand
Following that, Kim and Carlton Taylor reached an ICM chop, concluding the tournament with Kim officially declared the winner. Taylor earned $345,649, his career-best cash by far.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June Kim | $397,350 | 1,200 |
| 2 | Carlton Taylor | $345,649 | 1,000 |
| 3 | Zilong Zhang | $185,000 | 800 |
| 4 | Lawrence Goldstein | $140,500 | 600 |
| 5 | Jonah Labranche | $117,100 | 500 |
| 6 | Johnny Watson | $93,700 | 400 |
| 7 | Anastassios Leotsarakos | $70,200 | 300 |
| 8 | Douglas Jacoby | $58,500 | 200 |
| 9 | Brett McCollum | $46,800 | 100 |
A Milestone Victory
June Kim’s triumph at MSPT Diamond Poker Championship not only cements his status as a rising force in live poker but also highlights the growing popularity of MSPT events. With his hometown win and massive prize, Kim is poised for an exciting 2026 season, looking ahead to the MSPT Championship in Hollywood this November.
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