It might not be the biggest score of his career, but Bryn Kenney is back in the winner’s circle after taking first place in the $25,500 High Roller event in the Seminole Hard Rock’s Rock ‘N Roll Poker Open.
Kenney took $354,565 after agreeing to a deal with Brock Wilson during their heads-up clash.
45 Play in Festival’s First High Roller
Kenney entered heads-up play with a massive chip lead, and appeared ready to play out the match to claim his victory. But after Wilson was able to score an early double up, the two men agreed to a deal with Kenney holding a little more than two-thirds of the chips in play. Wilson took home $301,215 for his runner-up finish.
The high roller attracted a solid field of 45 players, with the top seven making the money. It was the first time the Rock ‘N Roll Poker Open decided to hold a high roller during the festival, and Kenney said he hopes it won’t be the last.
A $25K tournament could run every time you guys have a festival,” Kenney said, via the tournament website. “There are enough people in Florida who will play and enough pros who come.”
Jason Mercier was among the names who reached the final table, and even had the chip lead for a while. Ultimately, however, he would go out in fourth place, earning a $111,150 payday. Jerry Robinson went out soon after him to take him the third-place prize of $161,170.
Also cashing were Anthony Zinno in fifth place ($77,805), Andjelko Andrejevic in sixth ($61,135), and Lazaro Hernandez in seventh ($44,460).
“It was a fun time,” Kenney said after his victory. “Two days, 45 players, in a nice city. Great weather and I’m going to the beach now. It’s perfect.”
Rock ‘N Roll Poker Open $25K High Roller Standings
- Bryn Kenney – $354,565*
- Brock Wilson – $310,215*
- Jerry Robinson – $161,170
- Jason Mercier – $111,150
- Anthony Zinno – $77,805
- Andjelko Andrejevic – $61,135
- Lazaro Hernandez – $44,460
*Prize money after players agreed to deal
The win adds just a little bit more to the legacy of Kenney, who is the all-time leading money winner in live tournament play. According to the Hendon Mob, Kenney has now won over $55.8 million in his tournament career.
Kenney Wants to Shatter Poker Winnings Records
$20.5 million of that figure came in his last cash. This summer, Kenney finished second to Aaron Zang in the £1 million Triton Million for Charity in London, but walked away with the largest prize having already agreed to a chop of most of the remaining money during heads up play.
Kenney has already made it clear that he has no intention of giving up his spot at the top of the money list anytime soon. Kenney currently has a nearly $7 million lead over Justin Bonomo for the top position, and at 33 years of age, he figures to have a long poker career ahead of him. That’s why he has set lofty goals for his final career winnings, saying that even $250 million may not be out of the question.
“Who knows how many million-dollar buy-ins there will be in five or ten years from now?” Kenney said to CardPlayer Magazine after his Triton Million score. “If they just start popping out bigger tournaments and start having more $300K re-entries and $500K and $1 million tournaments, then we could start hitting a number like a quarter billion.”
