Arrowhead Poker has weekday high-noon Texas Hold 'em games, which are advertised as free. Sunday tournaments begin one hour later, and require a "chair rental" (which sounds suspiciously like a stunt to avoid the vice squad). The rental is advertised online as $10, but we had to pay $20 because the prize pool increased a few weeks ago.
We were rewarded with 20,000 chips, and a cooler filled with complimentary drinks. Would a small turnout on a holiday weekend lead to a big day in our favor?
BLINDS: 1,000/2,000
IN THE POCKET: 4 of spades-4 of clubs
The dealer has not been our friend so far. Hopeful mid-range cards have missed the flop, and we haven't come close to winning a pot. We would have started this hand with a lowly 7,000 chips, but we received a "gift" of 10,000 more moments before this hand (we're under orders not to explain). With the dealer's button in front of us, we hopefully call. No one at the table of six (one of only two tables in the tournament) raises.
ON THE FLOP: 2-4-10
Jackpot! And we can wait to see what other players do. A man to our left bets 3,000. A big bettor to our right calls. But we can't settle for that.
"I'm all-in," we declare -- offering a total of 15,000. The man to the left concedes. The big bettor can't resist, and calls.
"Reggie Jackson," we say (remembering the baseball player's number). Our 4-4 for three of a kind has our opponent dominated; he shows 5-5.
ON THE TURN: 3
Gulp - now our opponent has an open-ended straight draw.
ON THE RIVER: Q
We dodge elimination, and avoid a split of the pot because we have the only spade in play. The first hand at every blind level was played under "High Chicago" rules - with the highest spade hole card automatically winning half the pot.
We had the Ace of Spades later in the High Chicago hand, and wound up getting the bulk of a pot which had a straight on the board. But that 4-4 started a big comeback for us where we won several pots and reached the final table. Then with careful play and helpful cards on the board (such as 8-7 turning into triple-8's), we stayed in the running while other players dropped out.
Eventually the field fell to three players, which put us in the money. Then we eliminated an older man with A-8 (we think), giving us a big chip lead for heads-up play. But with first place paying $100 and second place $80, we offered our remaining foe a split-the-money settlement. We wound up winning $90 - and feeling very thankful!
MINISTRY MOMENT: We took a small battery for our card protector again, which prompted that runner-up to ask about it with a full table listening.
"I bring this to remind me," we explained, "that I receive power from God's Holy Spirit."
That man then started saying quietly how he believed in the Holy Spirit and God's power. He went on to explain to other players how he's been sober almost one year, and once faced 15 years in prison -- apparently for using methamphetamines.
"It's at moments like that when you realize you need help," the man said. Thankfully, he turned to God. Now he prays everyday, and tries to avoid becoming addicted to other things (poker among them).
Is there an area of your life where you need serious help? Maybe you think you can win the battle on your own. But even famous Bible names realized they needed assistance from above....
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! - Romans 7:24-25Paul wrote these words after explaining he wanted to do good things, but found himself fighting the tempting pulls of sin and evil (verses 15-23). Does this sound like you? If so, follow the advice of another Biblical apostle....
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." - Acts 2:38
If you need help even starting that process, please let us know via e-mail; we'll be happy to help you.
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 140 final tables in 405 games (34.6%) - 22 cashes. Our last cash win in live poker was in mid-March at Lil Kim's Cove in Georgia; sadly, we understand it's suspended all poker tournaments for several months.
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