Getting It Straight

Saturday night was our best Heads-Up tournament showing at The Red Barn so far. We won our first three matches -- and had we won the fourth, we would have been guaranteed prize money (given to the top three finishers). Alas, we lost that fourth match and were eliminated in the losers bracket after that.

But one incident in the second match stood out for us -- and we hope it will for the man we played:

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: 9-9

We're in a healthy chip lead. Since we're not dealing, we post the big blind. And when a pocket pair comes, we jump on it -- but not too much, lest we scare our opponent away. We raise 400, and get a call.

ON THE FLOP: 9-8-7

With three of a kind, we decide to go for it -- putting our opponent all-in. After a moment, he calls and shows A-6. "I need a straight," he admits. (Or perhaps running Aces.)

ON THE TURN: Q

So much for the running Aces.

ON THE RIVER: 5

"I didn't get it," our opponent says with resignation. Do you agree?

"But look -- you did get a straight," we point out. He was looking for the 6-10 straight, but hit a 5-9 straight instead!

Our opponent obviously was thankful that we pointed that out. "Honesty is the best policy," we told him.

"What?!?!?" some of you may be screaming at this point. Honesty -- in poker?? A game filled with bluffing? And in a format where bluffing probably works better than any other? Well, there's a Bible verse describing people like that....

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. -- Titus 1:15

Keep a "poker face," shake hands with the alleged loser and start snickering after he walks out of the room -- and you probably have a corrupted conscience. But the Christian poker player is different. He realizes a "God-conscience" some call the Holy Spirit will nag at him later.

Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. -- Hebrews 13:18

Honor to us means fair play -- even if it hurts us. A heads-up game which could have ended in 30 minutes wound up being a 45-minute marathon. But winning honestly made things worthwhile.

A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. -- Proverbs 12:17

Oh, by the way -- did you notice the winning hand we helped our opponent see?

Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. -- Psalm 27:11