Bryn Kenney is the latest winner of a gold bracelet at the 2014 World Series of Poker. The New York poker pro topped a field of 445 players in the $1,500 buy-in Ten-Game Mix Six-Handed event which concluded on the 4th of July. He collected first-place prize money totaling $286,976 and his first WSOP gold bracelet. With fireworks exploding over the Las Vegas skyline at his moment of triumph, it all turned out to be quite a celebration.“It feels great. I would have been really upset if I didn’t take this tournament home,” Kenney said moments after the victory. “I’m happy I could win it for me, my family, and all my friends.”The three-day tournament posed a real test for those who survived the longest. Kenney was challenged on occasion, but breezed at times, as well. He was the chip leader after the first day and then hit a few trouble spots on Day Two. Then, he gathered serious momentum once final table play began at six-handed.
Kenney built up a 2 to 1 chip lead over his closest rival when the action played down to five. Then, he steadily applied pressure until his opponents were eliminated one by one. Kenney was comfortable with every game and even noted that he felt he was at an advantage in skill and experience at certain stages of play.
“I almost always get deep in the Six-Max tournaments, so it’s great to finally win one,” Kenney said. “The last time I was this close I [was drawn out on]. It’s nice to get some redemption back.”Bryn Kenney is a well-established and highly respected poker pro with career tournament earnings in excess of $3.7 million. Prior to this victory, he’s posted three major tournament wins, all of which took place in Europe. This was Kenney’s fourth cash at this year’s series, and third final table appearance. His previous showings in 2014 included 4th- and 5th-place.The runner-up spot went to Jan Suchanek, from New Zealand. He proved to be a constant thorn in the side to Kenney, but could never climb into the chip lead once play became short-handed. Second place paid $94,618.Ten-Game Mix requires participants to play a rotation of ten poker variants, consisting of Razz, 2-7 Triple-Draw Lowball, 2-7 Single-Draw Lowball, 7-Card Stud, 7-Card Stud High-Low Split, Pot-Limit Omaha, Omaha High-Low Split, Badugi, Limit Hold’em, and No-Limit Hold’em. Action tends to be accelerated because of shorter-handed play.This was Event #63 on the WSOP schedule. The total prize pool amounted to $600,750, withthe top 48 players earning a payout. Among the more notable players to cash were Denis Ethier (48th), Jeremy Ausmus (47th), Scott Clements (46th), Phil Laak (44th), Chris Klodnicki (40th), Bruno Fitoussi (37th), Mark Gregorich (25th), Justin Bonomo (24th), Victor Ramdin (23rd), Mel Judah (22nd), Jose Luis Velador (20th), Marcel Luske (19th), Brett Jungblut (15th), and Allen Cunningham (13th).The final table included only one gold bracelet winner, Randy Ohel, who finished sixth. Here’s the official breakdown of final table finishers:1st: Bryn Kenney - $153,2002nd: Jan Suchanek - $94,6183rd: Fabio Coppola - $61,3964th: Dan Zack - $40,5505th: Andrey Zaichenko - $27,033 6th: Randy Ohel - $18,923