With the postponement of the World Series of Poker, and live poker taking a back seat in general, we decided to check in on some of the 888poker ambassadors to see how they are coping with quarantine, how they are passing the time away from the live felt, and what they are most looking forward to when the coast is finally clear.

Normally right about now long-time 888poker ambassador Kara Scott would be preparing to spend the summer at the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in preparation for her high-profile assignment as the lead sideline reporter for ESPN’s coverage of the World Series of Poker Main Event. Instead, Scott is currently quarantined with her immediate family in Italy but she is still in the habit of creating poker content. Her new podcast, The Heart of Poker, launched in late January and in recent weeks has featured high-profile poker personalities that include fellow 888poker ambassador Dominik Nitsche, Danielle Andersen, David Williams, Brad Owen, and Maria Ho.

Other than poker, what activity have you missed the most since the lockdown began?

I’ve really missed wandering around our city every day, going to the market to buy fresh food, or having a drink outside with friends. We’ve been living on the family farm since February which means we’ve been really lucky to have access to fresh food now that it’s spring, but not being able to just buy the things I want has been aggravating. I have some serious food allergies so I don’t do well when I can’t buy my own food!  

What’s the best TV show or movie you’ve discovered during lockdown?

I didn’t discover it during lockdown but I’m re-watching Killjoys which is just fantastic. I’m a big sci-fi buff and this show has really great action but also a lot of heart and humor and I love that. 

What is the biggest frustration you’ve had during lockdown?

No Wi-Fi! Can you imagine months with no Wi-Fi? The phone signal in most of the house is so poor that I have to turn airplane mode on and off again just to kickstart it into downloading every photo on Instagram. I think it’s been the number one reason for my blood pressure raising over these months. Plus, it’s just ridiculously hard to work and every file I send takes an hour. 

What’s the one thing about live poker that used to tilt you that all of a sudden you miss?

The late nights. I’ve always been really bad at playing poker after midnight so tournaments that start late just crush me. But now… I’d LOVE a chance to be up at 1 am playing live poker and then going for a drink afterward.

What have you found to be a silver lining surrounding quarantine?

I really hope that people generally remember and keep some of the good habits we’ve gained through this. Food preservation and reducing food waste are huge issues for the world and when you don’t have easy access to the shops, we all have to be better and using everything in the fridge before it goes bad. 

How are you using this time to work on your poker game?

Oh boy. My poker game has NOT improved in this time. See my above lack of Wi-Fi. 

What is something new that you have learned or are trying to learn during lockdown?

I’ve been working on learning more about online marketing and using social media (specifically Instagram) better. I really love photography and I’ve recently been trying to schedule time to go outside and take more pictures. The farm is one of the most beautiful spots in the world so I have a lot of choice for photos! 

What’s the first place you’re going to travel to once we’re able to?

Canada! I’m not sure when I’ll be able to but I really want to go home and see my family. My father had a heart attack last month during the quarantine and it was terrifying to be so far away and not able to help or be there to support my Mom. Thankfully, he’s doing a lot better now and is recovering well. It definitely focuses the mind though and has given me a real drive to go home to spend time with them all.  

Scott’s The Heart of Poker podcast is available to download through Apple iTunes and to keep up with her live chats, she can be found on Instagram under her own name, karascott.