"Cowboy" Kenna James is an American professional poker player who currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Kenna James was born December 18, 1963 in Chicago, Illinois. James is recently divorced from fellow poker professional Marsha Waggoner.
Kenna James works with the Screaming Eagle Poker League and The Wounded Warrior Project. Kenna James donates 1% of all his tournament winnings to the Wounded Warrior Project in the name of the Screaming Eagle Poker League, and in 2006 he hosted a charity poker tournament that raised $70,000 for the organization.
Kenna James got his introduction to cards dealing at Hollywood Park Casino in Los Angeles in 1996. At that time he started playing $1-2 limit hold’em. In six months he became a tournament director for HPC and had moved up to the big game…$3-6! It was the beginning of 1997 when Kenna started playing in $20 to $100 buy-in tournaments around southern California.
A jack of many trades Kenna James decided to become a master of one, poker. With only a few years of experience playing in low limit games, Kenna James decided to turn pro and took a job as a proposition player at Crystal Park Casino in LA in1999. More then a few times Kenna went to the felt and came up with nothing but lint in the pockets. “I surrounded myself with good people and developed good friendships and that was the key for me in surviving some tough times.”
Kenna James has traveled the world many times over playing and directing poker. Kenna James has traveled to Austria, Amsterdam, England, Russia, Spain, Australia and Germany to name a few. Winning over a million dollars in major tournaments around the world he is considered one of the top pros on the Professional Poker Tour today. Kenna is on a hot streak right now.
Kenna James recent finishes are 2nd in a WP T event, The Legends of Poker, at the Bicycle Club Casino for $588,000 , 7th in the Monte Carlo Millions for $100,000 and 9th at the Aussie M illions for $85,000 Down Under in Australia, $242,000 1st place win o ver the "Grinder" at the LA Poker Classic and 2nd in the Party Poker Million worth $700,000 .
Kenna James has been on television numerous times both as a player and as a commentator but perhaps is most remembered for burying his head in his jacket and zipping up against Howard Lederer on ESPN’s coverage of the 2003 World Series of Poker.
Kenna James has finished in the money at twelve World Series of Poker events as of 2006. Of these, the only final table appearance was 4th place in the 2003 $2,500 no limit Texas hold'em event, for which he won $36,140.
Kenna James was the only player to win two satellite tournaments for the first season of the Ultimate Poker Challenge. Kenna James was eliminated from the semi-finals by Jennifer Harman when his pocket Kings ran into pocket Aces.
In August 2005, Kenna James finished in second place behind Alex Kahaner at the World Poker Tour Legends of Poker $5,000 No Limit hold 'em tournament, earning a $588,210 prize.
In March 2006, Kenna James finished second to Mike Schneider in the fifth annual PartyPoker Million Cruise. Kenna James received $700,000 for this finish.
Kenna James most recent victory came in February 2006 at the LA Poker Classic when he won $242,251 playing no limit hold 'em.
As of 2008, Kenna James total live tournament winnings exceed $3,100,000.
Official site
American Poker Player Magazine feature
Hendon Mob tournament results
PokerListings.com Player Profile
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