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SAINT JOHN - Jeff Kennedy won $17,000 at last year's World Series of Poker.

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Peter Walsh/Telegraph-Journal

Jeff Kennedy, owner of J.K.’s Corner Pocket pool hall in Saint John, is off to compete in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. It’s a six-week tournament that includes 55 events. Kennedy has paid $1,500 to enter a no-limit Texas hold’em contest.

The 35-year-old from Saint John is hoping to haul back even more from the 2008 tournament. He left Tuesday for Las Vegas, the site of the 55-event spectacle that can wear down even the most experienced card players.

"It's a six-week saga with 55 events,'' Kennedy said before boarding a plane bound for Toronto and then Vegas early Tuesday evening. "The top pros play in 16 or 17 events. It's a grind.''

Kennedy, however, admits he's not in that category. In fact, he's one of several Saint Johners making the trip. If you pay the buy in for a particular event, you're in.

And in Kennedy's case, he'll shell out $1,500 to play in a no-limit Texas hold'em contest. The competition also includes other games, such as Texas hold'em limit, Omaha high-low, Seven-card stud, horse and razz.

"I'm just strictly playing hold'em for now and I'll go from there,'' Kennedy said. "I would expect anywhere from 1,200 to 2,000 entrants in Event 2. That's based on last year's numbers and the numbers haven't declined. ..."‰I'm just basically going down to test the waters and we'll go from there.''

Part of testing the waters for Kennedy means playing in smaller satellite tournaments that only require a $150 buy in.

"If you win one of those, you can pay your entry fee (for a bigger event) or cash in the tournament chips for cash,'' he said. "There's a wide range of entry fees into the 55 events. I played in two events last year and did fairly well in one of them. There's a lot of money to be won.''

Kennedy, who owns J.K.'s Corner Pocket pool hall on the Port City's west side, has about $4,000 to "play with'' as he prepares for his first games this weekend. The bigger money starts getting tossed around as the event goes on. He said the no-limit Texas hold'em competition on June 28 has a $10,000 buy in.

Kennedy said last year's winnings come in gradual payments due to his being a Canadian citizen.