The year is 2022, and Ebony Kenney sits at a star-studded poker table surrounded by well-known personalities, from Seth Davies and British pro Sam Grafton to Finnish player Elias Talvitie. Kenney is one of the few women in the tournament, and the only woman at the final table.
She entered the tournament after receiving an invitation from online poker site Americas Cardroom’s CEO, Phil Nagy. By the night’s end, Kenney won a $1.7 million prize after finishing fifth place in the Coin Rivet Invitational at the Triton Super High Roller Series in Northern Cyprus. Nagy himself was eliminated early in the tournament. This big score was Kenney’s largest win of her poker career, and the fifth-largest cash win for a woman in poker history, placing her 16th on the Women’s All-Time Money list.
Kenney joined the Americas Cardroom Pro team two years before this big win after years of playing high-stakes poker. The leading online poker site is a flagship of the Winning Poker Network group, and has led way for online poker in New York by providing a safe and secure experience while the state is yet to support in-state operators. Offering huge tournaments and cash games, Americas Cardroom aims to make online poker more accessible for players across the US and around the world.
Kenney’s work with the online poker site also involves live streaming on the biggest streaming platform, Twitch, under the username CinnamonPardy. Viewers who tune into Kenney’s streams regularly enjoy the poker pro’s insights into her top strategies, unforgettable poker moments, and a mix of competition, fun, and community.
Ebony Kenney and her poker journey
Ebony Kenney’s poker career is headlined by over $2.4 million in tournament winnings. She had started her poker career in 2007, but it was a decade later that her career met its much-deserved big break. In 2017, Kenney bagged a $34,637 first-place victory at the Rio Deepstack event in Las Vegas.
Still, Kenney maintains that high-stakes poker is just one of her life’s many facets. In her 2021 appearance on the Heart of Poker podcast, Kenney highlights her entrepreneurship, her job as a women’s advocate and life coach, and her role as a single mother to her three children, all of whom she considers her biggest teachers and supporters. In our “5 Reasons Why Women Should Be Selfish… Financially” post, we highlighted the importance of financial well-being, especially for women with many dependents. Practicing financial wellness helps boost self-reliance while reducing stress, and Kenney upholds this belief to support her children.
Kenney has been distinctly aware of her position in professional poker throughout her career. In an interview with Poker.org, Kenney acknowledges that she was the first woman professional player invited to a huge buy-in event like the Coin Rivet Invitational and, more importantly, the first Black woman. The potential influence of her place in the poker industry as a queer Black woman is not lost on Kenney. Speaking on her experience at the Invitational, she states she wants “four women at the final table next time.”
Charity and philanthropic work with Americas Cardroom
Aside from bringing in winnings, Ebony Kenney’s work with Americas Cardroom also involves charity and philanthropic work. In 2020, Kenney came in first place in the All-In for America Charity tournament, which boasted a star-studded lineup of Hollywood A-listers. The tournament was hosted virtually in partnership with Americas Cardroom to raise money for Feeding America. Kenney beat out a top three consisting of comedian Andy Milonakis and actor Kevin Pollak to get the win.
Participants were required to donate $10,000 to secure their spot at the poker table. Hosted by professional poker commentators Justin Kelly and Michael Loncar, the tournament raised over $1.2 million, thanks to participants like Kenney and familiar Hollywood names like Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Jon Hamm.
Tobey Maguire, notorious for being great at the card game, and celebrities like Adam Sandler, Jason Bateman, Sarah Silverman, and Tom Brady were also present. Breaking Bad lead Bryan Cranston was among the high-stakes players and managed a deep run in the tournament. He came in fifth place and was part of the final two tables.
Given the level of play (and fame) Kenney experienced here and across other tournaments, fans are eager to see her career propel her to new heights.
