Have you ever sat down to play poker, and felt like someone had a target painted on your shirt? We felt that way at times tonight at Lil Kim's Cove. A man sitting to our immediate right seemed intent on intimidating us. A couple of big bets chased us off promising hands. But the time came for taking a stand....
BLINDS: 200/400
IN THE POCKET: A-4 offsuit
We have yet to win a hand, and begin with 3,900. We'd prefer to get in small with this, but a man across the table raises to 1,025. The man to our immediate right calls, and we decide to join him.
ON THE FLOP: A-K-2
It's top pair, but we have a weak kicker. That man to our right bets 1,000. We smell an attempt to bluff us off the pot, and decide to call. Another player is pushed all-in by this.
ON THE TURN: 5
That man bets 1,000 more -- and we stare at our stack. If he had more, we might have folded on the theory he has A-K for two pair or a higher kicker. But we decide to call again.
ON THE RIVER: 3
Wow -- the unexpected happens! The man to our right bets 3,000.
"All I have is 1,875," we say -- but with no flush threat showing, this call is a no-brainer. "And I think I'm about to get a rebate, because I hit a straight on the river."
"You have a straight," the intimidator says quietly. "You win."
The first player to go all-in surrendered already, with J-6. Our other opponent later admits he had an Ace -- but he didn't say what else he had.
Sad to say, that was the only hand we won all night. K-K was corrupted by a player with three Queens. A-J fell short to a player with 2-2. And when we finally pushed all-in with A-6, a 6 came on the flop -- but a woman had two pair with 5's and 4's to eliminate three players at once. By our figuring, we finished tied for 15th place.
MINISTRY MOMENT: "What's up with the nail?" a woman asked us late in the tournament. We took a simple long metal nail to use as a card protector -- and of course, more.
"This reminds me of what Christ went through," we answered. "It's the time of year to think about that, you know."
"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were.... I will not believe it." So said the famous disciple "doubting Thomas" in John 20:25. A few days later, the resurrected Jesus ended his doubts by making a personal appearance (verses 26-27).
"Because you have seen me, you have believed...." Jesus told Thomas in verse 29. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
The woman who asked about the nail believes in Jesus as her Savior. "Always," she told us. No one else at the table spoke up. So we have to ask -- do you believe? Especially as the season marking the crucifixion of Christ approaches?
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 59 final tables in 144 nights (41.0%) - 11 cashes. Online poker action is still suspended, but we hope to resume that in a couple of weeks.
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