Bryn Kenney barely missed out on 2017 Player of the Year honors and the overall GPI lead when Adrian Mateos overtook him in the dying days of the year. The Long-Island-born pro, however, isn’t deterred from chasing big money, big wins and proving to himself and everyone that wants to hear it, that he’s the best in the world.
The Number 10 on poker’s all-time money list puts his money where his mouth is in this interview, and opens up about the Player of the Year race, his results in 2017, what he expects for 2018 and how he accepts anyone willing to challenge his dominance.
On a board reading , Cary Katz checked from the small blind and Sam Simmons bet 20,000 into a pot of around 40,000 from the big blind. Katz check-raised to 70,000 and Simmons shipped all in. It was met with a quick call from Katz and the cards were tabled.
Katz held and was in a great position to double up against Simmons' . The river paired the board with the but Katz still held the best hand with a queen-kicker.
The eliminations have been coming fast and furious and some of the pots have been monstrous. At one table, Isaac Haxton opened to 11,000 and was met by an all in for around 110,000 from Richard Kirsch. Haxton quickly made the call and tabled against Kirsch's . The board ran out and Haxton slightly had Kirsch covered.
Across the room, Bryn Kenney opened to 12,000 from the hijack and Dan Shak three-bet to 60,000 from the cutoff. Daniel Negreanu was in the big blind and four-bet shoved all in for 322,000. Kenney quickly got out of the way and Shak made the call. Negreanu turned over and Shak was behind with .
The flop came and Negreanu was still in good shape to win the hand. The on the turn gave Shak a flush draw and the on the river completed the flush for him. Shak had Negreanu covered by a couple thousand and took down a huge pot to move into the chip lead.
Hellmuth returned during the last break of late registration for his second bullet of the day and it lasted about as long as his first one did. On a board reading , Hellmuth was all in for around 40,000 with and was up against the of Ryan Riess.
Hellmuth held a straight and flush draw but the on the river awarded him a consolation prize of a pair of sixes, not good enough to beat Riess' pair of kings.
The action folded to Erik Seidel on the button who announced all in for a little over 100,000. Andy Park took a look at his cards in the big blind and quickly made the call. Seidel turned over but ran into Park's .
The flop came giving Park top set and Seidel was left with a gut-shot straight draw. The changed nothing on the turn and the on the river only improved Park's hand to a full house.
Three players went to the flop of and the action was checked to David Peters on the button. Peters bet 13,000 into a pot of 40,000 and Andy Park folded from the small blind. Bryn Kenney was in the big blind and called to see the on the turn.
Both players checked to the on the river and Kenney checked one more time. Peters pushed forward what looked to be a bet of 36,000 and Kenney check-raised all in. Peters called for his remaining 92,000 and Kenney tabled for just a pair of fours. Peters showed for two pair and earned himself the double up.
, Cary Katz checked from the small blind and Sam Simmons bet 20,000 into a pot of around 40,000 from the big blind. Katz check-raised to 70,000 and Simmons shipped all in. It was met with a quick call from Katz and the cards were tabled.
and was in a great position to double up against Simmons' 
. The river paired the board with the 
but Katz still held the best hand with a queen-kicker.
against Kirsch's 
. The board ran out 
and Haxton slightly had Kirsch covered.
and Shak was behind with 
and Negreanu was still in good shape to win the hand. The 
on the turn gave Shak a flush draw and the 
on the river awarded him a consolation prize of a pair of sixes, not good enough to beat Riess' pair of kings.
but ran into Park's 
.
giving Park top set and Seidel was left with a gut-shot straight draw. The 
changed nothing on the turn and the 
on the river only improved Park's hand to a full house.
on the turn.
for just a pair of fours. Peters showed 
for two pair and earned himself the double up.