BLINDS: 50/100
IN THE POCKET: K-J offsuit
While we've been waiting for good hands to play, other people have been betting with semi-good hands and winning big pots. A couple of players have much bigger stacks, but we're thankful to see them simply call here. That's what we do.
ON THE FLOP: Ac-Kd-Js
Two pair looks like the break we've been waiting for! But there's a potential problem -- other players are betting ahead of us, calling a lead of 500. We join in calling, but wonder what gives here.
ON THE TURN: 6d
The players ahead of us don't slow down, now betting 1,000 from their bigger stacks. They can't all have three of a kind, can they? A man to our immediate right thinks for a long time, acting like he might go all-in. Eventually he calls, as do we.
ON THE RIVER: 2d
The big bettors at the front of the line now check -- and "Big Daddy" two seats from us bets 3,000. But he's acted at times like he's "on tilt," and throwing chips at anything.
The man to our right now thinks even more. A call would put him all-in. If we call and lose, we'd only have about 900 chips left.
While that man is deep in the tank, other players talk as if they have two pair. Hmmmm - OK, but do they hold an Ace to top our two pair? In addition, three diamonds are showing. (We don't have one.)
The man to our right finally folds. "I'm going to believe you," we say to the players across the table," and I'll fold. One or two remaining players call. Too bad for them -- Big Daddy shows 8-3 of diamonds, and wins a massive pot with a runner-runner flush.
Take-home lesson for us: raise the two pair even if others bet ahead of us. Big Daddy knows our style well enough that he likely would have folded, and the rest might have run away as well.
We never recovered from that loss -- finally pushing all-in with 5-5 and 2,500 chips, losing to two pair and finishing sixth at our table of eight.
MINISTRY MOMENT: One woman at our table apparently is studying mortuary science. We learned tonight from her that only five U.S. states have laws prohibiting you from burying someone in your backyard.
We met our end (in poker, that is) as people around the table discussed their possible funeral plans. "May you think about what happens after you die," we said to a woman next to us, "as much as what happens when you die." Why?
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment -- Hebrews 9:27, KJV
Christians believe death is not the end of it all. Just as poker players on television have "exit interviews," everyone eventually will face Jesus the Judge. Jesus said so:
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. -- John 5:28-29
Notice carefully the wording of those verses -- as they speak of two resurrections. We'll dig deeper into that in another post. But in the meantime, how can you end up in the "done good" (pardon our Southern) resurrection of life? Go back to that verse in Hebrews, and keep reading.
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. -- Hebrews 9:28
In other words: If you're looking for Jesus, you'll see Him eventually -- and be saved for eternity. Isn't that word preparing spiritually now?
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 83 final tables in 197 nights (42.1%) - 15 cashes.
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