Five for Five

More than 500 players regularly enter the National League of Poker's weekly video poker championships on Sunday evenings. The top seven win money, so the odds of cashing are steep. Yet we've now done it three times in seven months!

After making second place in October and first place in early January, we finished fifth this past Sunday to earn five dollars. We actually tied in points, but apparently won a tiebreaker with a bigger single hand. (Sixth place also won five dollars, so there's no real disappointment either way.)





So how are we doing this -- especially since a computer deals the cards to every player, presumably at random? This big hand offers a clue. We were dealt three Aces, and held them over. Four Aces earns you 2,000 points if the "kicker card" is a 2, 3 or 4. (Higher cards mean a smaller payoff, such as 800.)

You can watch the "leader board" on the screen, and see what the target numbers are as the 100-hand tournament moves along. If someone makes a royal flush (and it happened very early Sunday), it's time to "go for broke." We only save cards which can bring us maximum scores. After all, eighth place earns the same as 508th -- nothing.

But we'd add this: we also pray for God's will to be done before a weekly championship....

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you. - I Peter 5:6-7 (KJV)

Does it always lead to a payday? Nooooo -- remember, we've missed the money 90 percent of the time since last October. But ten percent is well ahead of the overall odds. And as some preachers would say, we're glad about it.