Brian Kim

Brian Kim is a professional poker player who has proven himself across both high-stakes cash games and the biggest tournaments in the world. He started his career as a feared cash game regular, developing a reputation for patience, discipline, and sharp decision-making against some of the toughest lineups. That background gave him the fundamentals and confidence to transition into the international tournament scene, where he has earned more than $13 million in live and online winnings.

What makes Brian stand out is his ability to combine solver-based study with live table instincts. In cash games, he became known for his ability to extract value in thin spots and to identify when population tendencies created profitable opportunities. Those same strengths have carried into his tournament career, where he has made deep runs on poker’s biggest stages such as the WSOP, WPT, Triton, and PGT and tested his skills against the very best players in the game.

Having already cashed in the WSOP Main Event in both 2018 and 2021, Brian Kim broke through in 2022 with a 23rd place finish in the Main Event for $323,100. That same year he claimed his first WSOP bracelet by winning the $5,300 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller Online event for $119,000. Two years later he returned to the spotlight with another deep run in the $10,000 Main Event, finishing 7th in 2024 and confirming his reputation as one of the most consistent performers on poker’s biggest stage.

Kim has also built an impressive record on the Triton Poker Series, where he has proven he can thrive against the strongest high roller competition in the world. He made the final table of the $200,000 NLH event at Triton Jeju and finished runner-up in the $50,000 NLH event in Cyprus, results that established him as a regular force on the tour. In November 2024 he earned a career highlight by winning the WPT Global $25,000 Ultimate Slam at Triton Montenegro, capturing his first Triton title in a stacked international field. He followed that with another strong showing the next year, reaching two final tables at Triton Jeju II in September 2025 and further solidifying his standing as one of the most reliable performers on the circuit.

Beyond the numbers, Brian’s presence at the table is defined by calm focus. He does not chase wild plays for the sake of spectacle. Instead, he relies on disciplined strategy and a deep understanding of how ranges interact across streets. This steady approach has made him both a respected opponent and a trusted coach.

As a coach at GTO LAB, Brian’s emphasis is on clarity. He believes that the best teaching is not about showing students how much he knows, but about making sure they can take complex ideas and actually use them in practice. His lessons focus on breaking solver outputs into clear decisions, explaining not just what to do but why the strategy works. He wants students to leave every session with a model they can apply to a range of spots, rather than a narrow script that only fits one exact scenario.

Brian also stresses the importance of confidence. He has seen how even strong technical players can second-guess themselves under pressure, and he works with students on building the conviction to follow through on the right play when the stakes are highest. His coaching often returns to ICM, deep-stage tournament strategy, and the practical differences between what solvers recommend and what real opponents actually do.

Despite his success at the top levels, Brian continues to spend time in both cash games and tournaments to keep his skills sharp and his perspective broad. That balance allows him to coach players who focus on one format or the other, as well as those who want to develop a versatile game.

Brian Kim’s work at GTO LAB is closely tied to his collaboration with fellow GTO LAB Coach Jonathan Jaffe. The two have known each other for years, trading ideas on strategy and sharing their experiences from both cash games and tournaments. Brian’s very first video release on the site was alongside Jaffe, a session titled Deep Stacks in Soft Fields, which set the tone for his coaching style and introduced members to the practical clarity he brings to complex spots.

Ready to Level Up Your Game with Brian?

Study with Brian at GTO LAB, where he shares the same methods and frameworks that allow him to succeed in the toughest games on the planet. His coaching is designed for players who want to move past surface-level concepts and instead learn how to think about poker in a structured, adaptable way.