Nationality
American
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Born (date and place of birth)
December 18, 1963, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Residence (current location)
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Education (institution, specialization)
Studied drama in college
Year started playing poker
1996 (started playing poker during job as dealer)
Age when started playing
Began serious poker involvement around age 33
Year turned professional
1999 (officially turned professional poker player)
First major win (amount, tournament, year)
2002, $200 Limit Hold'em Grand Slam of Poker, won $65,740
First important tournament
Early 1999 low buy-in tournaments in Southern California; first WSOP cash in 2001
Main motivation for turning pro
Passion for competition, aversion to 9-to-5 job, fascination with poker
Initial bankroll
Started playing low-limit Hold'em moving up stakes gradually; specific bankroll undisclosed
Poker education (courses, coaches)
Self-taught through playing and tournament directing experience; coach and personal development expert later
Total live tournament winnings
Over $3.7 million in live tournament earnings
Number of tournament wins
Over 20 tournament titles
Number of final tables
Over 100 final table appearances
Largest tournament win (amount, tournament, year)
$700,000 for 2nd place at 2006 PartyPoker Million Cruise $10,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em event
WSOP cashes (number)
36 money finishes, earning over $500,000 total
WSOP final tables
2 final tables (4th in 2003 $2,500 NLHE and 6th in 2009 $2,500 Razz)
Best WSOP Main Event result
44th place in 2005 WSOP Main Event, earning $235,390
Main cash game limits
Plays mid to high stakes No-Limit Hold'em cash games regularly
Highest stakes played
High stakes cash game involvement suspected but not specifically documented
Country ranking
Among top American tournament professionals during mid-2000s peak
Statistics by year (best/worst year)
Significant earnings and performance peak in 2005-2006 with consistent cashes in subsequent years
Main discipline (Hold'em, Omaha, Mixed games)
No-Limit Hold'em and Limit Hold'em specialist
Format specialization (tournaments/cash/online/live)
Primarily live tournaments and cash games
Preferred table size (6-max, full ring, heads-up)
Prefer full ring and 6-max tournament tables
Known formats (NLHE, PLO, HORSE, others)
No-Limit Hold'em, Limit Hold'em, Razz
Specialization limits
Mid to high stakes tournament and cash game buy-ins (up to $10,000+ tournaments)
Favorite casinos/locations
Wynn Las Vegas, Bicycle Casino, Bellagio, Crystal Casino (LA), Cosmos Casino Moscow
Style characterization (TAG, LAG, nitty, aggressive)
Analytical with a competitive edge; known for adaptability and solid fundamentals
Known for bluffs/traps
Balanced; known to use strategic plays rather than overly aggressive bluffing
Mathematical or intuitive approach
Combines mathematical strategy with situational intuition
Style adaptability
Highly adaptable to different opponents and game conditions
Playing strengths
Tournament experience, hand reading, mental toughness, coaching insight
GTO strategy usage
Applies modern poker theory and GTO concepts in coaching and play
Poker software usage
Uses poker software and training tools for analysis and coaching
Television appearances (list of shows with specific episodes/dates)
Televised WPT final table (2005 Legends of Poker); Poker Parlor show participant
Major publication interviews (publication names, article titles, links)
Featured in PokerListings, CardPlayer, ESPN interviews
Podcast appearances (podcast names, episode titles, dates, links)
Appeared on "Keith and The Girl" podcast, March 2025 episode
LinkedIn profile (link)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenna-james-2535057/
Posting frequency in social media
Regular social media postings related to poker coaching and lifestyle
Type of content in social media
Poker coaching insights, tournament updates, motivational content
Poker site ambassadorship (site names, contract details)
Partnered with Ape In Poker for player development and coaching since 2022
Own business (business names, descriptions, websites)
Runs poker coaching and group training services such as "Poker Night with Kenna James"
Coaching services (availability, platforms used)
Provides personal and group coaching via Zoom and seminars
Educational materials (book titles with ISBN, course names with platforms, video series titles with links)
Created poker education videos and training series
Training series participation (series names, platforms, links)
Participates in personal poker training series online
Coaching work (platforms used, student testimonials)
Intensive coaching with positive testimonials, focused on strategy and mindset
Poker publication articles (publication names, article titles, publication dates, links)
Authored and featured in poker publications like CardPlayer and PokerListings
Special achievements (achievement descriptions, recognition details)
Multiple final tables, consistent high-level finishes, and influential coach
Contribution to poker development (specific contributions, recognition)
Major contributor to poker education and player development community
Charity tournaments (tournament names, amounts raised, beneficiaries)
Donates 1% of tournament winnings to Wounded Warrior Project
Legacy in poker world (specific legacy aspects, community impact)
Respected poker veteran and coach with impact on poker education
Industry influence (specific influences, changes attributed)
Helped popularize poker coaching and training
WSOP (World Series of Poker) - all events all years
2005 | USA | WSOP Main Event | Rio All-Suite Hotel | No Limit Hold'em Main Event | 10000 | 44 | 235390 | | | |||| 2003 | USA | WSOP | | Limit Hold'em | 2500 | 4 | | | | |||| 2009 | USA | WSOP | | Razz | 2500 | 6 | | | | |||| 2001 | USA | WSOP | | | | | ITM | | |
EPT (European Poker Tour) - all seasons
2005 | Monaco | Monte Carlo Millions | Monte Carlo Casino | No Limit Hold'em | 25000 | 7 | 100000 | | |
Bellagio Cup
2003 | USA | Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic | Bellagio | Limit Hold'em | | 1 | 156168 | | |
Aussie Millions
2006 | Australia | Aussie Millions | | No Limit Hold'em | | 9 | 61271 | | |
Wynn Classic
2017-04-23 | USA | Wynn Signature Weekend | Wynn Las Vegas | No Limit Hold'em | 600 | 1 | 55345 | 704 | |
Other platform results
nationality: American
Provided poker commentary and analysis for TV productions