Over the past week, the poker world has paid tribute to ‘Miami John’ Cernuto, who sadly lost his brave battle with colon cancer in February. One of the many hundreds of friends ‘Miami John’ had over the years was his favorite student of the game and a PokerStake player who plays in his spirit every time she sits down – Kathy Chang. We spoke to Kathy to find out what winning a favorite event of John’s in his honor this week meant to her.
Meeting a Friend for Life
“He was amazing at all the games and was always so generous with his time.”
When Kathy met John, he was already a legendary player who was on his way to setting a record for tournament cashes, which stood at 597 when he passed, an unbelievable accomplishment. Kathy told us that she met him at Commerce Casino where they played many tournaments, often in different formats of the game.
“We played many mixed game events together in Los Angeles and Las Vegas,” says Kathy. “A few years ago, John offered to take me on for mixed game coaching. We spent a lot of time discussing the various games and tournament strategy. We would meet at Starbucks and review hands, he’d answer all my questions and talk about life. Soon after I began coaching with John, I went on this crazy hot streak.”
Kathy describes herself as a player who specializes in low and mid stakes mixed game tournaments. She started playing poker about 2008 and has had many poker coaches over the years. But Miami John is the one who made the most significant impact on her poker journey.
“John was an incredible poker coach and friend,” Kathy tell us. “He was amazing at all the games and was always so generous with his time. I started playing poker not knowing anything about poker or anyone in the poker world. My first result on The Hendon Mob was a min cash of $255. I didn’t even know what The Hendon Mob was back then”
When Kathy found out that Miami John was the all-time leader in cashes, she decided that she wanted to learn from the best.
“I told John I wanted to be the woman with the most cashes,” she smiles. “To date, I have 206 career cashes, many of these made while with John. For my birth country of South Korea, I am currently the top woman and sixth overall in cashes. I could not have done all this without John’s coaching.”
Winning at the Wynn
“In March, John said I would win a WSOP Circuit ring and on May 15th his prediction came true.”
When the opportunity came up to take part in this week’s $400-entry H.O.R.S.E. event at the Wynn in Las Vegas this week, Kathy admits that she was still grieving for her friend while doing so. After all, John had won there himself and Kathy wanted to do him proud. She did more than that, winning the tournament for a result worth $6,287. To a player who sells action to $400-entry events, it was big money but winning it like John had meant more to her than any return on her money.
“In March, John said I would win a WSOP Circuit ring and on May 15th his prediction came true. I won my first WSOPC Ring in HORSE which was my best score on PokerStake. Nine stakers won part of $13,286. Since then, I’ve won a RunGood Ring in 2-7 Triple Draw and had a win in a WPT Big O event at Thunder Valley – my career best year so far.”
Since joining PokerStake in October 2023, Kathy has won over $74,000 for stakers in her action, with big wins at Thunder Valley, in Las Vegas, at the Wynn, and at her and John’s old hunting ground of the Commerce.
“I have sold about 20-25% in most mixed game tournaments with buy-ins above $400. Most events I’ve posted on PokerStake have sold out. I really appreciate all of my stakers – it is amazing to have that kind of support from people that believe in me.”
The Personal Legacy of Miami John
“You’re my legacy for teaching. Make me proud.”
After building her career, Kathy played a lot in 2024 and cashed 27 times, with three outright victories winning big profits for her stakers on the site. In this week’s H.O.R.S.E. event at the Wynn, four stakers won 20% of Kathy’s $6,287. Kathy is delighted with victories like these but also wants to represent her friend in a giving way to the community like he did with here.
“I have been coaching and mentoring players new to mixed games to pay it forward and help grow the mixed game community,” she says. “John sent me hundreds of texts, emails and handwritten notes over the years. I saved all of them and read through them this week. One of my favorites was “You’re my legacy for teaching. Make me proud.”
Kathy intends to do just that with her years left playing the mixed games she and John loved so much.
“I will be playing my tournaments with John’s guidance [in mind]. I will hear him say ‘throw it away’ to marginal holdings. John was always so kind, supportive and encouraging. I hope to continue to make him proud.”
Along with hoping that his friends and family make it through this grief with her, Kathy will be meeting others who were close to him at the Miami John Celebration of Life this summer at WSOP in Las Vegas. Before he died, John signed a copy of his book Make Better Poker Tournament Deals to Kathy with the inscription: ‘Kathy, to my friend and one of the most fiercest competitors I have played against, hope to make a deal at our next final table together, “Miami” John Cernuto.
Kathy has plenty more to win in Miami John’s honor until that day, but the seat is booked.
