Kyle Keranen is a poker player from Santa Monica, California who was relatively unknown in the poker world before his recent success in the 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event. Keranen was the chip leader going into Day 6 with 6,935,000 chips and 97 players left and finished in 38th place for $191,000.

Although the WSOP Main Event was the first cash of the 2012 Series for Kyle, he has had two other cashes in WSOP events in prior years. He cashed for $15,148 in a $2,500 No Limit Hold’em event in 2011 and for $3,516 in a $1,500 No Limit Hold’em event in 2010. His biggest cash prior to the 2012 WSOP was for almost $25,000 and came by virtue of winning a $335 tournament in 2010 at the California State Poker Championship.

A catalyst for his chip lead was a hand against Luke Brereton on Day 5 during Level 22. The action folded to Brereton on the cutoff, who raised to 45,000 with J-J. Keranen 3bet with Q-9 of diamonds to 105,000 and the blinds folded. Brereton then 4bet out of position to 245,000, which led Keranen to 5bet all-in. Brereton called off his remaining 1.3 million in chips to create what was believed to be the largest pot of the first five days of the 2012 WSOP Main Event.

The flop came Q-7-4, which led Keranen to start celebrating, and with the turn and river of no help to Brereton, over three million newfound chips catapulted Keranen into the lead. After Keranan was finished celebrating, he attempted to show sympathy for his devastated opponent. “Good call man. That’s how you win poker tournaments,” Keranen expressed while bringing his chip count at the time up to 4.5 million.

Another key hand came against Marcia Topp during Level 24 when Keranen min-raised under-the-gun to 60,000 with A-Q offsuit. Topp called from the big blind with K-Q of clubs. The flop was all spades – Q-T-3 – giving each player top pair. Topp bet 100,000 and Keranen called. The turn was harmless to Keranen, a deuce of diamonds, and he called Topp’s bet of 175,000.

Topp fired out another 175,000 when a blank hit on the river and Keranen raised it to 475,000. After Topp tank-called Keranen’s river raise, Keranen increased his chip lead to 6.8 million.

In the 2014 Main Event, he was back at it. Near the end of Day 5, with the blinds at 20,000/40,000, Keranen 3bet Lee Taylor from the small blind to 250,000 in chips. Taylor 4bet to 685,000. Keranen went deep into the tank and 5bet to almost 2,265,000 in chips, putting maximum pressure on Taylor. Taylor mucked his hand rather than put his tournament life at stack, giving a huge pot to Keranen.

Another key hand for Keranen occurred earlier on Day 5 with the blinds at 15,000/30,000 when he was battling it out with Curtis Rystadt. The latter was drawing dead with Ks-4s on a Kc-6c-Qc-2h board when he checked the turn. Keranen, holding the nut flush with Ac-Tc, fired out a value bet of 125,000 and Rystadt raised to 400,000 chips. Keranen opted to disguise his hand by just calling Rystadt’s bet, setting up some big action on the river.

The 4h appeared on the river, giving Rystadt two pair. Rystadt fired out a bet of 400,000, which sent Keranen into the tank before announcing he was all-in. It was now Rystadt’s turn to go into the tank, and while doing so was witnessed muttering “Hollywooding” and also noting he would still have plenty of chips if he folded. Despite his initial thoughts about folding, Rystadt eventually called and exited in 100th place.

Keranen finished the 2014 WSOP Main Event in 24th place for $286,000.