We were on time for tonight's tournament at Lil Kim's Cove. But we sat down "late," because they started the clock about 12 minutes early. Then we didn't stay late, because we were ousted early. Hands like this one didn't help....
BLINDS: 50/100
IN THE POCKET: K-9
We're in the small blind, and waiting for a good hand to play. One early try failed, but we call now. Several players enter the hand.
ON THE FLOP: K-Q-10
We're first in line to act -- and with top pair and a straight draw, we bet 300. It's a modest bet to see if someone with a bigger hand will raise, but no one does.
ON THE TURN: 3
Maybe we shouldn't feel more optimistic, but we do. People chasing straights missed with that card. So we move the bet up to 400. Our poker buddy Harry to our immediate left calls; everyone else folds.
ON THE RIVER: 9
It's amazing how a better hand can make you more cautious about it. Now we have two pair -- but we have to check, given what's on the board. Harry ponders a moment, then bets 2,000.
"Were you waiting on that river card?" we ask in hopes of a clue.
"Sometimes I don't even know what I've got," Harry answers. Well, sort-of answers. Most of the time, his bets reflect what he has -- but he's bluffed us out of pots before.
"I've got to see it. I'll call," we decide.
"Show him the Jack," a man across the table tells Harry.
Harry turns over -- yup, a Jack. He hit the river, and cost us about half our chip stack.
As if that wasn't bad enough, we decided to go all-in later for 2,025 with A-10. A woman called us with A-J. The board brought only a pair of Queens, and we were left with an estimated 35th place -- oh yes, and a basket of fries Harry didn't want after finishing his grilled cheese sandwich.
MINISTRY MOMENT: While we've missed five final tables in a row, we've played well enough since the start of 2010 to place among the top 30 players in Columbus's "Big Dog Poker" standings.
"What does that get you?" someone asked the Tournament Director before Wednesday night's game at Soho Bar and Grill.
"The top 50 get in a tournament, to win 1,000 bucks."
Good news for us -- maybe. "When's that going to be?" we asked.
"April 24th, at noon...."
"Oh, that's too bad."
"Why?"
"Saturday is the Sabbath," we explained. Regular readers know we keep a seventh-day Sabbath -- and it's not merely based on the Ten Commandments.
"Jesus returned to Galilee.... He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom." -- Luke 4:14-16
There wasn't any "Christian church" before Christ walked the earth -- and since "our Lord descended from Judah" (Hebrews 7:14), He followed the proper Jewish religious tradition.
Some Sabbath-keepers would dispute this next point -- but we believe you can worship God and Jesus anytime you wish during the week. But the Sabbath remains the time God set apart as holy, so we make sure to worship Him then. Or as we told the Tournament Director, we put the "King of Kings" first.
The Director understood our reasoning, but said he didn't feel comfortable playing the $1,000 tournament on a Sunday because others might want to attend church then. Hmmmmm -- do you agree with that point of view? Or would most poker players put the opportunity before the worship service?
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 59 final tables in 148 games (39.9%) - 11 cashes.
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 26 point wins in 173 games (15.0%), 10 final tables, no cashes.
POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $15,863, up $75.
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