Bryn Kenney: "I Am Like the Lone Wolf in this Poker World"

Samuel Cosby

Jul 30, 2018 7 min read Last updated Jul 31, 2018

Bryn Kenney has long been one of pokers’ best, sitting on top of the GPI Player of the Year Leaderboard for most of 2017 and locking up more than $8.5 million in tournament earnings to become the player with the most winnings in 2017. But he’s not finished yet. Kenney still has some poker goals that he wishes to achieve; he’s just not done grinding.

We caught up with Kenney at the Triton Super High Roller Series in Jeju to talk about what’s next.

"I just play poker by myself and play my own version of street poker."

“Number one all-time winner,” Kenney said about his goals. “I just like it. I have fun. I have fun traveling the world, flying business, staying in nice hotels, playing the highest stakes in the world versus the smartest, best players. It’s just really fun. Of course, the money is cool, but I don’t even really think about the money. Just as long as you have money to spend, as long as I can help my family out too. That’s what I care about the money for. Here I’m just in the ring, like fighting. I don’t think about the money ever.”

That goal has been something that just nearly eluded Kenney in the past, but it’s a goal that’s becoming harder and harder to achieve after this year where Justin Bonomo pulled well ahead of the pack. Kenney currently sits at #9 on the All-Time Money List with over $24 million in live earnings, just inches below Dan Smith.

For a long time, Kenney’s considered himself to the best player in the world. Earlier in 2018, he issued a challenge to the poker world, saying that he would take himself in the U.S. Poker Open against any other player, yet found very few takers. This mentality hasn’t changed.

“I’ll bet on myself anytime,” Kenney said. “I’m always confident in myself. Of course, there’s a lot of really good players in the tournament like Stephen Chidwick, Sam Greenwood, Mikita [Badziakouski]. And that’s the thing, in high roller tournaments, it’s usually the best players in the world and only a few amateurs. Here [at Triton Poker Jeju] they get more amateurs and VIPs to play. And even if I’m just not doing great, I feel like my game against the entire field is the strongest. I’m just confident in myself.”

So confident, in fact, that Kenney finds more value in keeping his strategies to himself rather than share them with the world. He said he doesn’t have a group of poker friends that he talks to, no one he talks hand histories with.

“Actually, I’m like the lone wolf in this poker world,” he said. “All these other guys talk hands, sit around, have Skype groups, talk on WhatsApp, share strategies, share reads, look at charts together all day. I just play poker by myself and play my own version of street poker.

“To be honest, I was talking more poker with people some years ago, maybe like five or seven years ago, and I actually realized fast that my approach to the game and my thought process is a lot different, and I feel like the most important thing is not to give up your thought process. I don’t talk to anyone about my hands or ask advice or anything.”

"I don’t talk to anyone about my hands or ask advice or anything."

If Kenney is somewhere to play poker, he’s there to play poker. One bad beat doesn’t send him back to the hotel room.

“Not me,” Kenney said. “I play. If I’m here, I’m never not re-entering. Maybe if the tournament is not great I’ll wait until like the end of registration or something. Let’s say if I were to bust right now again, I’d probably wait like a bit too and not want to be in for more than three bullets. I usually don’t really buy in for more than three, so if I’m out on my second bullet I’ll just wait until the last minute to re-enter. Take a little breather for a little bit. Chill out.”

And Kenney seemed chill as ever despite being eliminated early in the day, and perhaps that could have something to do with his attire. For Day 1 of the HK$2,000,000 Main Event he came decked out in a bathrobe. Something to keep him Zen and comfortable. Kenney’s fashion has been something of a hot topic after showing up to the Aria Super High Roller bowl in full kimono. It’s a part of an effort by him to stay comfortable and focused.

“So like the GTO bathrobe strategy, you know like a bathrobe usually you get for cheap or whatever,” Kenney explained. “But this is like the finest material bathrobe right here. It fits as like everything. Let’s say you’re having a nice bender, like you’re in Ibiza or something, you walk around naked with this thing on. It feels nice. You cover yourself up if you need to. For a poker tournament, it’s nice and comfortable. There’s just so many version for it.

“It’s all about how you feel. You gotta just go with the flow. Like how you’re feeling in the day. Today I’m feeling like Japanese so I came with the robe. The kimono is for special days. Stuff like that.”

"Today I’m feeling like Japanese so I came with the robe. The kimono is for special days."

Some of it has been influenced by the scene in Asia, but Kenney said he’s always dressed for comfort. He has at times asked Triton Founder Richard Yong for advice on where to shop though.

“I’ve always dressed like really comfortable,” he said. “When I was younger, I used to wear Nike shorts and big white shirts and stuff. And then you’re like ‘Ok, I gotta start dressing a little bit better.’ I’m just all about comfort. I asked Richard on this trip, ‘Where do you go to for this stuff?’ And I have the store on my list for places I need to go to on my next trip to Japan which is as soon as this tournament is over, because any time I can go, I go shopping or eating in Japan. I love it.”

On Triton Hold’em and Jeju

Kenney’s been in Jeju for almost a week now but it’s been a full poker trip, with not much time outside to explore. He kicked his week off by firing a bullet in the HK$1,000,000 Triton Hold’em (Short Deck) tournament, which didn’t go quite as planned. But he’s still intrigued by the game and looking to play more and learn more about it.

“I played it in Montenegro too and I busted in one hand,” Kenney said about Triton Hold’em. “So I’ve played three bullets of HK$1,000,000 [Triton Hold’em] and I’ve played a total of eight hands.”

Despite the lack of success, Kenney’s confidence carries over between games as well, not deterring him from coming in fast and strong.

“I’m coming in with the strategy that I’m just better than these guys at tournaments,” he said with a smile. “And even if they think they understand this game better than me, I’m gonna catch on fast. If there’s any game of cards that’s like tournaments that a bunch of people are playing, I’m just in.”

"We actually have a lot of big cash games sometimes running. Like $100/$200 no-limit. People playing $100/$150k deep, which is kind of unheard of."

And despite not doing much in Jeju this trip, Kenney has been to Korea several times before.

“I’ve been to Seoul a few times and I actually like it a lot. I like the nightlife, the people, some of the food. And here is a cool place to play poker. I wouldn’t necessarily go out and do anything in Jeju but to come here and play for like four, five, six, seven days, it’s nice and comfortable, you’re in a resort. I feel like it’s perfect. I’d rather come here than a place like Macau.”

Kenney’s been doing a lot of work with GGpoker, trying to get games running the best they can with the best software they can offer, and for him, it’s more than just being the best place where he can play. He wants to create an environment for the players, something that everyone will be happy with.

“We actually have a lot of big cash games sometimes running,” he explained. “Like $100/$200 no-limit. People playing $100/$150k deep, which is kind of unheard of to see people from Israel and Malaysia to come on and play huge games. We don’t allow any software to use when you come and play on the site, so the pros don’t have as big of an edge. It’s more of a fun site that’s geared toward the amateur players.

“The thing is I always listen to what people want for poker. I’ve always advise tours on what kind of changes they should make. I got PokerStars to make their one day tournaments which run everywhere. The thing is I’ve always just tried to do everything for the players. Not like for myself or anything. I just want more games and for people to be happy. I just love the game and want to be able to play more.”