Shawn Buchanon won the most recent WPT title. The first of Greg FBT Mueller’s two WSOP final tables aired on ESPN recently. I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to write about the third of the poker-playing trio from Vancouver. After watching him end Day 1D with a well-above-the-average stack of 100k, Kyle Wilson seems to finally have caught the breaks he has been looking for. (Part 1 - Part 2)
While he has enjoyed cheering on his best friends, Kyle has endured a rough series. With only one cash this summer, the amiable Canadian has been growing unusually frustrated. It looks like the powerful starting hand 10
5 has helped ease some of that frustration.
I noticed a large pot brewing at Table 2 between Kyle and the player in Seat 10 late on Day 1D. On a board reading J10
35, Kyle was all-in for just under 40k. After a few moment’s thought, his opponent called most of his chips off with A
J
. A blank fell on the river and Kyle suddenly had 80k, and a spot near the top of the leaderboard.
Kyle didn’t start playing poker until the end of his basketball career. He was called “the next Steve Nash” as Canada’s top high school recruit during his senior year. After playing college ball in the states, Kyle found poker to be a natural fit for his competitive nature. He quicly rose to the top of the ranks as one of the best online cash game players in the world.
Using the name “krisqueen” (a tribute to his wife), Kyle dominated no-limit when it was introduced online (remember the 50 big blind days?). A constant winner, Kyle has two great strengths: the ability to think like his opponents and bankroll management.
“I’m very competitive, so it’s natural for me to try to think like my opponents. It’s really what I’m best at.” Kyle doesn’t think so much about his hand or even his opponent’s hand. “It’s about getting into the mind of your opponent to see the game from his perspective.” Although he’s known primarily for his cash game play, Kyle does have a highly respected World Championship of Online Poker victory under his belt as well.
When most poker players get a hold of a bit of money, they naturally start moving up to the next biggest game. After a few rough lessons, “krisqueen” has decided that putting too much money on the table at once just isn’t worth the risk. With a beautiful wife and three young children, this very young “family man” has his priorities squarely in line. He plays a few tables of $25-$50 online for no more than five hours a day. This may not seem like much playing time to the poker junkies, but when you consider this 25 year-old has had several million-dollar years you may find yourself rethinking bankroll management. If you measure the best poker players in the world by their ability to not just make money but hold onto it, Kyle ranks among the elite.
If you want to get Kyle talking, all you have to do is ask him about his current business endeavors. Kyle has invested in five restaraunts in the Vancouver region, but it’s the newest one that has the most potential. “It’s called Player’s Chophouse & Lounge. I own it with several pro hockey players and some big-time athletes. We are having a big opening party when I get home—it’s exciting because it’s right across the street from the Canucks’ stadium.”
Another investment Kyle enjoys come WSOP time is buying pieces of players. Along with FBT (and sometimes Buc), they have bought a small percentage of—get this—28 players in the main event. It gives them both rooting interest and the opportunity to win a big chunk of money for a very small price.
With several hours of play before players even reach the money, Kyle still has his work cut out for him. As long as he can get those ten-fives to hold up, I’m sure we’ll be hearing more from “krisqueen” soon.
