Poker Night 241: Best Dramatic Performance

That "catching-up work" began tonight at Soho Bar and Grill -- where we finished fourth in our last Wednesday night trip on Thanksgiving Eve. The night started well, as we took two pots holding two pair. But a big loss left us with 5,375 chips at the one-hour break, and then a big decision....

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: A-Q offsuit

We tried and failed one hand earlier with Q-J. Now we have a hand that's even better, with 4,500 chips left. Ali Nejad on NBC's poker shows says when your chip stack drops below ten blinds, it's time to go all-in or fold. We try instead to "straddle" our way in, raising to 2,000.

"Seven-thousand," announces a man to our left. He showed up 40 minutes late for the game, but hit a big hand right away to gain a big stack.

"I'm trying to single you out," the raiser tells us. Sure enough -- the table folds, and we have little choice. We accomplished our purpose of the halfway bet, anyway.

"I'm all-in -- 2,500 more," we say. Our opponent turns over a King -- but not the other card. We turn over our A-Q and feel good about things.

ON THE FLOP: 3-4-6

Nothing thrilling here. "I need a King," our opponent says. As if he has no small cards to go with it?!?!

ON THE TURN: 8

We still feel good.

ON THE RIVER: A

"There's an Ace," we point out calmly.

"THERE'S an Ace!" our opponent exclaims -- as he turns over the Ace of spades! He had A-K, and had the lead all along.

The man pumped us up to let us down -- and all we could do was pretend to slap his face with our hat. He wins a bonus prize for "style points," and we're left to laugh heading out the door. We were sixth at our table of eight.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Is that a bone?" the man who eliminated us asked a few minutes earlier.

"It's a saltine cracker," a woman at the table suggested.

Actually we took a small piece of matzo for a "card protector." We explained it's the Passover/Unleavened Bread season.

"Are you Jewish?" the man asked. No, we're actually Christian -- so we explained (recalling a sermon we heard Tuesday) how Jesus is "the bread of life" (John 6:35).

The man didn't say anything about our explanation -- but he offered a "God bless you" as he shook hands after eliminating us.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 94 final tables in 241 nights (39.0%) - 15 cashes. The missed final table run has reached ten.