Kevin Ramsay

Phew!  What a day!  10 hours of intense poker.  

I started off well, winning a few hands and bringing my chip count up from the initial 20,000 to as high as 30,000.  But then my luck turned and I lost three times in a row with great cards (AK, AQ, QQ) and this decimated my chips.  After 8 hours of play, I was down to about 5000 chips.  Then I had pocket jacks, waited for a flop with a 10 high, and went all-in.  A New Yorker with K-10 called and doubled me up.  This gave me a bit of breathing room as I was back up to 13,000.  I didn't win another hand after that though.  I folded 33 and 77 and

Tomorrow is my big day, the first (hopefully) of many at the tables.  I can feel the anticipation building.  I overheard one guy yesterday who was out in the first hour.  There is always next year, he says.  I really want to avoid being like him.  

Yesterday, I went to the Rio to check out the gaming expo.  Here you can get all kinds of poker related gear (energy drinks, personalized chips, books, etc.) and meet a few stars as well.  Doyle Brunson (poker legend) was there giving out autographed copies of his latest book.  We also saw Chris Moneymaker and Michael the Grinder.  These names won't mean

Well, it has been 7 days since I was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy.  I'm still bound and determined to use it to my advantage at next week's world championship poker tournament in Vegas.  I'm very optimistic.  I think I will have the best pokerface there.

My wife has been commending me on my positive outlook.  I tell her I can't sit around and cry about it - it's too hard when you can only blink one eye.

Funny thing about Bell's Palsy - it's tough to say Bell's Palsy when you have it. 

Business is going good with three deals shaping up in the last week. 

On June 1st, I won a seat at the World Series of Poker Championship playing poker online for $85.  The tournament starts July 3rd in Vegas, my $10,000 buy-in and travel expenses are paid.

  On June 23rd, I became Pokerface.  Shortly after lunchtime, my wife came home and only half my face could smile.  It had only happened moments before she arrived and I was a bit shocky from the realization that something was dreadfully wrong. She immediately drove me to the hospital.  I thought I was having a stroke - basically writing my epitaph in the car.  I was clinging to the fact that both my arms and legs were still working