Way to go Ronnie Mac.

So the last time I was in LA for the Mini Series and found cash game gold and no love in the tournament series, I saw an old tournament buddy and Live At The Bike team member, Ronnie MacMillan.

Ronnie was at the event doing some cleanup for the now defunct show and was about to head to Australia to do some similar work and I offered to loan him some cash to get into a cash game and the Seven Stud 8/ob tournament running that day. Well, none of it went well as a runner runner donkey popped his cash game and, despite brilliant play echoed by his tablemates, eventual card death shut Ronnie down. I was confident that he would pay me back as he had a good reputation amongst our old tournament rat group (and there are a lot of shifty SOBs out there) even though I was nervous as A) I don't lend money. B) I was already at the bottom of my bankroll and the tables were being nice...for now.

Then Ronnie has a lung collapse. (Sound familiar to some of you?) This is right before he is about to get on a plane to Australia...which is semi fortunate since had he been on the plane, it probably would have killed him. However, now he is stuck to his surgeon, his backers, landlord, etc. and his boss who fronted money for the job. Ronnie is in deep doodoo. But, dauntless, and with his honorable reputation in tact and a network of friends, Ronnie kept pushing forward. I told him to take his time with the cash, the clock wasn't running and to get himself set up.

Fate turns around and Ronnie thinks there is a heavenly hand in place. Based on the above and the bit to follow, maybe you will agree.

Ronnie gets a heavy leverage stake for some of his better games in event 8 of the Legends of Poker (Omaha 8/ob) and wins it at the chop with a table that included top LA players and Amir Vaheedi. That almost gets Ronnie out of the muck.

Ronnie then plays again, similarly leveraged into the Stud 8/OB Event 12 and again, wins that. Ronnie is now smelling daylight.

We talked after the first win and I was one of many people blowing up his phone after the second win once I saw it posted on CardPlayer.com. I however, was more interested on how things were rolling that my cash. Ronnie was doing good, and the story rolls on. Having locked up his cash at home after paying off his many debts, Ronnie went into the Bike with enough money for the game and some spending money when a friend approached him to borrow for a $120 satellite. Ronnie only had $64 but gave his buddy $60 so he could get in with the promise that they were 50/50. His friend returns later with a wad of tournament chips having won, and goes to buy into the $1000 NLHE event. At 3am, he was in 8th at the final table when Ronnie went home after one player refused to chop. Turns out, the objector went out in 3rd and the stake-friend got the first place chop. Ronnie cleared more out of that deal than either of his wins.

Today, the full loan amount appeared in my PokerStars account. Ronnie is payed back in full with everyone and sitting pretty, full of confidence and ready to take down the Main Event. Personally, I want to see him whip some ass in the E.O. World Championship. Why not, since he won both of the single events that make up this one. In an age of Dustin "Neverwin" Wolfe scandals and Jamie Gold lawsuits, its good to see one of the old hands stand up for honor and the unwritten gamblers code.

Way to go Ronnie, keep taking it down.