Instagram user Eric James (nemoplayspoker) posted a short video of Ebony playing online while having breakfast and watching something on GTO Wizard at the same time:
– ACR Poker pro Ebony Kenney had added this story and eventually blocked me for calling this out. Here is a video that appears to show GTO Wizard (or similar solver) being used while playing in the 2024 ACR Venom. I reached out to ACR for comment who has continued to stay silent.
Am I just overreacting here? 🤔 This was January 2024 in the ACR Venom. Looking for the community’s response since I never got one from ACR, Doug Polk, or PokerNews.
The video quickly spread across social networks, on 2+2 and Reddit.
“Another one 🤣,” the MTT Database Review account reposted the screenshot.
"I can't wait to see what ACR says this time, lol," one commenter wrote.
One of Phil Nagy's most vocal critics, Matt Berkey, has compiled a list of all the scandals that have recently taken place in the ACR room:
PR Time Line for ACR Poker
- Jonathan Little banned for saying site isn't safe
- Nagy/Site inquires about betting on Perkins/Tice outcome despite being the host site
- Nagy outed for numerous accusations of sexual harassment
- Bot farms -- stole in excess $10 mil
- Influencers go public over non payment
- Pros go public over minimal bot refunds
- Not 1, but 2 Site Ambassadors self report using RTA.
You are a FOOL if you continue to contribute to their bottom line!
– I've been playing highstakes PLO on ACR for about 10 years, – wrote one of the strongest Omash players AmSoGood in the comments, – While there are clearly lots of issues with the management of the site, they are the best option out there if you want to put volume in.
Ebony Kenny paused and only published her response two days later :
– I want to address the screenshot recording that's been making the rounds. This clip was posted by me more than a year ago, which was also circulated during that time. After losing a big hand, I opened GTO Wizard to run the spot while I was not in a hand.
Let me be absolutely clear: I have not, and have never, used RTA software in real time to gain an unfair advantage while playing.
While I do use GTO Wizard, it's rare because I don't study nearly as much as I'd like to. When I do use it, it's strictly to review past hands or run drills-never during play. I fully understand how this looks and the weight of my actions, not just as a poker player but also as an ambassador for the game. I take full responsibility. I love poker with my whole heart and stand firm in doing my part to uphold the integrity of the game.
– Additionally, I know there's been speculation surrounding my recent Venom run and bounty pull. I'm more than willing to share my hand histories with anyone who wants to review them.I stand by my play and guarantee you'll find no evidence of RTA use.
I remain committed to transparency and to keeping this game one we can all continue to love and respect.
In early February, Kenny won a $150k mystery bounty in Venom.
Ebony's explanations were not received very kindly in the comments.
"Full responsibility would be quitting.," Vanessa Kade said sternly.
– Ya, ok sure, – Beriuzy noted. – Also Lance Armstrong only doped after all his wins to make sure he has a good recovery & nice skin.
– BenCB left a traditionally lengthy post — I don't understand why people still believe that analyzing a spot after a hand is justifiable.
It is not as bad as doing it during a hand, but it is still very bad.
It gives you an unfair advantage. You get to see real-time results for a situation on your table.
You get to see the perfect solution for preflop and postflop, which gives you an unfair advantage for upcoming hands that will likely be in similar situations.
It doesn't matter if you use it during or after a hand. Both give you an unfair advantage; during a hand gives you a bigger advantage of course.
Imagine you are CO vs BU, and you play eff. 40bb.
BU checks a spot after a hand you played. Especially preflop, BU now gains an unfair advantage because they can see what to do preflop.
Imagine if one player at a table did this after every hand. This is obviously not okay.
It doesn't matter whether it happens in one hand or across multiple hands.
I really don't understand why people believe that checking spots after a hand in 2025 is a legitimate excuse. Why would anyone use this to defend their wrongdoing?
It just shows that too many people still believe that analyzing hands afterward is okay. It's not.
– Hi Ben, – Jesse Martin appeared in the comments. – I think everyone agrees with you. Pro Tip : Not every post has to be 7 paragraphs
A couple of hours after Kenny's statement, the room stated its position :
– We are aware of a recently resurfaced screenshot showing ACR Poker Pro, Ebony Kenney, with GTO Wizard open while playing The Venom tournament in January 2024. This image first circulated on social media at that time and there was no evidence that the software was used in real-time to gain an unfair advantage.
Following the recent concerns, we re-reviewed the facts and reached the same conclusion. We want to assure players that we take all concerns about game integrity seriously.
ACR Poker remains commited to maintaining a fair and competitive environment for all players. We continuously implement and refine security measures to uphold the highest standards of integrity in online poker.
Even direct competitors have joined in the active trolling of ACR.
The CoinPoker account has published a sensational video of a man who recently started flipping tables in the middle of a WSOP-C tournament.
– When you wait three days for an ACR response, and you get this.
And ClubWPT Gold released a humorous video based on a joint statement Ebony Kenney and Chris Moneymaker made during the height of the bot scandal.
“I think I can speak safely for all of the team at ACR,” Ebony says with a smile. “We are all using GTO Wizard.”
“Yes, we wouldn’t be ambassadors of ACR if we didn't have special privileges,” Chris supports her.
Then Ebony lists all the latest scandals (which Matt Berkey had thoughtfully collected a little earlier), and Chris replies to them all: “We don’t have a problem.”
– If you'ew running your mouth on Twitter, you will be banned.
– We understand your frustration, especially when you don't hear from us, but we really really really don’t care...
– We don’t have a problem.
– People say that we scam influencers and don't pay them...
– We don’t have a problem.
– There are numerous allegations of sexual harassment…
– We don’t have a problem.
– Also that report of bot farms stealing $10 million from our players...
– We don’t have a problem. We will continue to use GTO Wizard and have a complete lack of accountability for ambassadors.
– It is really wild back here and we are doing everything that we want.
A little later, the same account posted a music video called “Criminal Clan ACR”.
As events unfold, Doug Polk announced that he was finally returning online:
– Finally playing some online poker again.
Not only did Doug launch several banned programs, but he also had a Google search running for "Where can I find RTA in poker".