"Yes. A few times," we answered. But it's admittedly been a while -- and from the tone of that player during the evening, we think he asked the question as a semi-insult. To prevail at this table tonight, the big guns needed to come out early.
BLINDS: 25/50
IN THE POCKET: A-Q
The first round of blinds is about to end, and an early loss has knocked us down from a 7,000-chip start to 6,325. Here's a chance to make a comeback, so we raise in mid-position to 250.
"I know what you've got," the skeptic across from us says -- then he folds.
But this is a table where players are tossing 1,000-chip pieces around like frisbees in the park, and a man to our right raises to 1,500. We feel compelled to call. A second man calls as well.
ON THE FLOP: A-Q-3
A marvelous flop for us -- but the raiser plows on like nothing ever happened. He bets 2,000. After pondering for a moment, we see no need to wait.
"I'm all-in," we announce with 2,825 left. The raiser calls; the third player folds. As usually happens at Lil Kim's Cove, no one turns over cards yet.
ON THE TURN: A
Jackpot! But we still wait.
ON THE RIVER: 8
"I've got a boat," we say as finally show and tell. Our opponent simply mucks his cards without showing them, and our stack jumps to nearly 17,000 in one fell swoop.
"I knew he had Ace-Queen," the skeptic adds. From a wimpy-looking pre-flop raise of 200?! Well, OK....
Now we had enough hips to toss around with the big spenders. But we lost a couple of big hands, and fell by the one-hour break to 4,375. A-Q came our way again in the second hour, and we pushed with 3,000 left. The flop brought a Queen and a pair of 7's -- but also a 10 and a King on the river. The man we beat earlier had K-10, and his river break beat our two pair to eliminate us in a tie for 16th place.
MINISTRY MOMENT: "The man with the nail," said a man who sat down to our left tonight. Again a long nail was our card protector.
"I brought that to remind me that we're nearing the anniversary of the crucifixion," we explained. "The crucifixion of Christ."
This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge, and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. -- Acts 2:23
"Do you believe that happened?" we asked the man to our left. "The crucifixion and resurrection?"
The man smiled -- and then in poker lingo, he went deep "into the tank." This clearly was the last thing he expected someone to bring up at a poker table. We turned away for a few seconds to talk with someone else -- and when we turned back, the answer came: "Yes, I do."
We're not sure if the man hesitated because he was stunned by the weekend, or really wasn't certain of his beliefs. Perhaps he faced a faith challenge along the lines of what the apostle Thomas said after Jesus's resurrection....
But he said to them: "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my fingers where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." -- John 20:25
Thomas met Jesus face-to-face several days later, and had his doubts confirmed.
Then Jesus told him: "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." -- John 20:29
Some Christians will remember Christ's death this weekend, at the annual Passover or "Lord's Supper" service. However you remember Jesus in this special season, may you gain additional love and worship for God and his risen Son.
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 94 final tables in 240 nights (39.2%) - 15 cashes.
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 125 point wins in 618 games (20.2%), 46 final tables, four cashes. UFC Knockout - 1 tournament win in 2 games.
We've returned to NLOP in recent days after a busy period, and have reached the points three days in a row to push us about the 20-percent plateau!
POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $44,522, up $2,785.
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