Blind Poker Player Heads to Main Event of the World Series of Poker

The Main Event of the World Series of Poker is like the World Cup to soccer players or the Super Bowl to US football players, but to Jason Holbrook, who was blinded just before his 21st birthday in a near-fatal car accident, it is a chance to "show people that you don't need your eyes to come and play this game."

Holbrook won a satellite tournament at Golden West Casino in Bakersfield June 18, earning the $10,000 seat for the World Series of Poker Main Event beginning July 6, with the final table set to start at noon July 17 at the Rio Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas.

Entries to the Main Event this year are already in excess of 9,000 players, so first place prize money is expected to exceed last year's $12 million.

"I am super, super excited," said Holbrook, a 37-year-old Dawson Creek, British Columbia, native who has lived in Bakersfield California since 1989. He told the Bakersfield Californian paper that ran his story, "I think I'm the first blind man to make it [to the WSOP]."

Holbrook has played poker since he was five and grew into a very good player. But his card playing days were nearly cut off in 1991 when after a near-fatal accident he awoke from a month long coma without being able to see. He has not regained his sight, but that has not slowed him down.

He learned Texas Hold'Em a little more than a year ago. Since he cannot see what people bet, or what cards he has or what the community cards are, Holbrook uses a card reader. This person whispers the information to him, but nothing more. All play decisions are made solely by Holbrook.

Holbrook is excited at the opportunity to play with the world's best. He says he is definitely not intimidated, and that there even might be a thing or two he can teach the other players. But he also knows there's also a good deal of chance involved.

One might think that not being able to see other poker players and their expressions and body language would be a handicap, but Holbrook disagrees.

"I got my own sixth sense that's come in since I lost my sight," he said. "I have to do it with my mind, since I can't see their eyes or faces. I think that's an advantage to me because I believe they can't see me either."

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