BLINDS: 100/200
IN THE POCKET: 10-10
We won an early pot, but our stack currently hovers around our starting 8,000 (3,000 extra for a diet cola). The play calls to us, but we decide to raise to 600.
"Thanks a lot," a man mutters to our right. He folds; two other players call.
ON THE FLOP: 10-10-K
Talk about a dream flop! We have quads -- but house rules state we cannot claim a 5,000-chip bonus for it until the river. So we play "follow the leader," and a man to our immediate right bets 1,000.
"One-thousand?!?" we ask in mock disbelief. We "Hollywood" it, as they say in big-time poker -- shaking our head as we call. The third player calls as well.
ON THE TURN: 5
The man to our right is undaunted, and tosses in 1,000 more. We're faux-stunned again, and call with pretend reluctance. The third player calls as well.
ON THE RIVER: 7
The man to our right reaches for his chip stack, and puts it in two towers on the table like he's about to push. "No, I'll check to you," he then decides. "You've probably got me beat."
"Well, we'll see," we say. "I'll go all-in" -- with 5,150 chips left. You may recall a woman suggested that approach last Thursday night, when we hit a straight flush on the river. But this time, the player across from us curses and folds -- and the man to our right simply surrenders.
"Winner doesn't have to show," the dealer points out.
"Yes, I do," we quickly say, "because I have quads." The table is impressed, as we collect a big pot and that 5,000-chip bonus. The man to our right later admits he had K-J; his two pair were dominated.
We made an even bigger score minutes later, when three players went all-in after we limped in with K-K. The Kings topped everyone else, and he jumped to more than 40,000 chips! Careful play followed that, with one modest pot claimed at the semifinal table with A-8.
We reached the final table with 30,000 -- but with blinds at 5,000/10,000. That meant we had to push when good cards came, and we tried with A-9. While a 9 came on the flop, we lost to a woman with pocket Queens. She took another woman out along with us, so we wound up tied for fifth place -- our best night at Lil Kim's Cove since last December.
MINISTRY MOMENT: When someone brought a new deck of cards to the table in a move, a young man to our left declared, "Thank you, Jesus!"
"King of Kings and Lord of Lords," we noted to him (Revelation 19:16).
"He works," the man said. Did you ever think of Jesus as a worker?
Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." - John 5:17
The Lord was known to people around Him as a carpenter. But the "work" He's describing here involved the healing of a 38-year invalid (verse 5). In another moment of healing, Jesus added:
As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. - John 9:4
The "night" came when Jesus was arrested and crucified. But for those who follow Christ, part of this statement still applies today.
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:10
Are you doing "good works" in your life? You can be a light for Jesus Christ on the job, in your neighborhood -- and even in a poker room.
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 98 final tables in 254 nights (38.6%) - 15 cashes.
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 151 point wins in 688 games (21.9%), 52 final tables, 6 cashes. UFC 3-card knockout: 2 final tables in 7 games (28.6%), 1 win.
POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $47,023, down $1,120.
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