In the world of elite poker, the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series is considered among the most exclusive. Sometimes referred to simply as the Triton Poker Series, this has been held in various destinations around the world three to four times annually since 2016. What sets this tourney apart from others is not just the caliber of players it entices but the considerable financial stakes it involves. On average, the series’ buy-in is no lower than $15,000.
Earlier this February, the year’s first Triton events in Jeju, South Korea, even reported a record number of entrants. This reflects the growing popularity of the series, which has also spurred the creation of special promotions, such as the High Stakes Poker Korea. Designed to help aspiring participants, this satellite poker event’s winners received packages valued at over $110,000, which would partly be used for tourney buy-ins. Another perk that the winners of this could look forward to was being part of an official player entourage that included none other than Ebony Kenney.
Considered poker’s most winningest female player, Kenney’s presence in professional circles has seen her become one of the most prolific high rollers today. A poker staple for nearly two decades, her rise to fame has inspired countless players and is the focus of a three-part documentary series called “High Stakes: A Woman’s Seat in a $200,000 Poker Tournament.”
Who is Ebony Kenney?
Born in 1978, Ebony Kenney is a multihyphenate businesswoman. Aside from her illustrious poker career, she has also dabbled in modelling, acting, coaching, and writing. Without a doubt, though, the Austin-based 47-year-old is best known for her poker prowess. After first learning about poker from an ex-boyfriend in the early 2000s, Ebony soon started playing regularly in modest games with friends. Realizing her abilities, she began to join cash games, entering her first event in 2007.
From there, she quickly rose through the ranks of budding new players. Fast forward to the 2010s, and Kenney was already named in the World Poker Tour’s Season X Ones to Watch. In the next ten years or so, Ebony continued her successful streak, which included winning first at the 2017 Rio Deepstack event in Las Vegas.
In late 2020, Kenney was officially onboarded as a poker pro for Americas Cardroom. Recognized as the US’ leading online poker site, the operator has become a trusted provider in the poker community since its establishment in 2001. In this capacity, she often represents the site in tournaments and Twitch streams.
Her most notable feat with the operator so far was in 2022, when CEO Phil Nagy brought her to the Triton Poker Series. This marked the first time a woman competed at the prestigious poker event.
Shedding light on the “High Stakes” for women in poker
The aforementioned documentary “High Stakes” covers this Triton run. Americas Cardroom produces the episodes, which are available on their official YouTube channel. In the first episode, Kenney shares how she was initially surprised but honored that Nagy had chosen her to be the official representative to the ultra-luxe $200,000 invite-only series. As a testament to her poker strength, she was soon tasked with playing the entire Triton schedule, which included games with buy-ins ranging from $25,000 to $100,000. Prior to this, the documentary reveals that her highest buy-in was only a few thousand.
However, the heart of the documentary is not just focused on Ebony’s skill, but also on what she represents. This deeper look at her as a nuanced woman is similar to the insights presented in the HBO documentary called “Faye: The Many Faces of Faye Dunaway.” As a whole, poker remains a largely male-dominated industry. In the past, Kenney has even said that her femininity has often been used against her, with many assuming she isn’t as talented simply based on her looks. What’s more, as a single mom, Kenney faces unique struggles that her male peers are not expected to. This includes having to juggle societal expectations concerning childcare. In the documentary, Kenney even took her kids with her, which was the first trip they’d taken in a while. Despite these hurdles, Ebony shares that she wants more women to join the ranks of world-class poker players. At one point in the event, a female Triton employee even tells Ebony that her representation at the event means a lot.
Calling poker “a game for everyone”, Ebony certainly proves this true by ultimately winning big at Triton. Spoiler alert: Ebony ends her time at the poker series in fifth place at the Coin Rivet Invitational. This nabbed her a $1.7 million cash prize and the 16th position in the Women’s All-Time Money List.
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