Ebony Kenney Bio and Poker Profile

Meet @Ebony Kenney - model, poker pro, and single mom of two!

'My goals are to be proud of who I am and to be happy with every decision I make'

Ebony (and yes, it is her REAL name) is from Fort Myers, Florida and was born on April 25, 1978. In-between raising her son and daughter (aged 13 and 10) she has worked as a make-up artist, dancer, casino dealer, actress, model, and most recently - PokerTube Girl and TV co-host for Fighters Source (mixed martial arts league). She came into modeling at what she jokingly calls the 'senior citizen age' of 28, when she moved to North Miami Beach in 2010. By that time her live poker career was also picking up speed and Ebony was playing more and more tournaments, with a notable first place in the Florida Poker Championships.

"Sometimes people consider me to be overtly sexy, but I don’t care because I am who I am. I’m not going to change my appearance because it makes people uncomfortable. I don’t think it matters how the attention comes. I think it’s what you do with the attention that matters most."

Ebony learned poker from a former boyfriend and has been playing for 12 years, of which the last six professionally, in terms of relying on poker as a source of income. Her first recorded cash dates back to 2007, when she final tabled an NLHE event at the  @Bellagio. She has since built herself an impressive tournament resume, with 32 ITM finishes, 4 first places, and earnings totaling $212,000.

"Honestly, if I can continue to play poker and have some success along the way, while spending time with my kids and traveling the world, then I don’t have any complaints. I’m very blessed to be doing what I love."

Ebony came into the spotlight as a player when she became part of the WPT Season X Ones to Watch (ironically enough she didn't cash in any event that year), along with pros like @Maria Ho and @Dan O'Brien. She has since found an undisclosed 'wonderful backer' and has been travelling the live circuit, adding several deep runs and final tables to her record.

Most recently, Ebony Kenney was among "the #womenINpoker to watch" in the WPT Borgata Poker Open, where she finished 91st for $7,064.

Ebony on poker and motherhood, and ladies events in a 2013 PokerNews interview:

With you as a mother, do you think poker is a positive lifestyle choice for those thinking about doing poker full-time or already in the industry thinking about having a family? With anything, you can turn it positive or you could turn it negative. My children (Jadyn, 12 and Cade, 9) have known poker their entire lives, so they think it’s cool. My daughter recognizes that people know who I am. From my realtor who sold me my home in Fort Meyers to the plumber who came in to fix the water heater, they all recognize who I am and are excited. It’s all very humbling. As long as I am happy and proud of what I am doing, then my kids will pick up on that and there will not be any shame with it.

What are your feelings towards ladies events? I love them. I’ll tell you what, I don’t have an ego when it comes to poker and I think a lot of women tend to hate on ladies events, but for some it's their start into the game. It can be very intimidating for a woman to come in and sit down at a table full of guys and play. There is a camaraderie amongst women, and sure there are the caddy female players, but for the most part it is a welcoming environment. People should realize that a lot of women play for fun and are still learning. Besides, I would rather sit and play a softer tournament than a harder tournament any day of the week. Anyone who says that they disagree with that is lying straight through their teeth.

Sources, videos, interviews:

http://www.ebonykenney.com/

http://websta.me/n/ebonykenney

PokerTube Podcast Livestream with Ebony Kenney

PokerNews, 2013: Ebony Kenney Discusses Her Love for the Game, Modeling, Acting, and Women in Poker

PokerWomenNews: WPT Borgata Day 2: Miraculous Survival and Sick Bad Beats

All photos from Ebony Kenney's website gallery and Twitter feed @Ebony_Kenney

#RKHbio #womenINpoker