An Ultimate Half-Hour

We withdrew $60 from a bank ATM and headed for the casino.  The casino had a poker room, where we'd never played before -- but then we found it took $100 to have a seat at the cash game table.

Too bad for us?  Actually, no.  Wandering around the Kansas Star Casino floor, we found a table where people were playing Ultimate Texas Hold 'em -- a blackjack-style version of the poker game.  After watching a couple of hands, we sat down and gave it a try.

The sign said we needed a minimum of only five dollars - but in reality you needed $15 to play a hand: five for the blind, five for a matching ante, then five more if you choose to play your two cards all the way to a showdown with the dealer.

We never plunked down pre-down money on the "trips" button in front, which promised bigger returns.  A cautious first-time approach was enough for us, and one time it paid off big....

IN THE POCKET: 4-6 of clubs

They're suited but uninspiring.  We could bet right now... but why?  We check.

ON THE FLOP: 3c-5c-Kc

OK, that was why.  We make a flush on the flop!  Now we can bet again -- and we want to go for it all.  But under the rules, we can't; we're limited to two times our ante.  We offer $10, and we're frozen from betting any more in the hand.

The turn and river cards were dealt together, and we missed our open-ended straight flush draw.  The dealer turned over 7c, which would have been perfect for us -- but happily enough, he lacked another club.  We doubled our money on the blind and ante, with a flush paying three-to-two for our "play" bet of $10.

Our $40 chip investment brought us double our money within 30 minutes - reaching a high of $82.50.  We left the table with $62.50, happy to score a gain of more than 50 percent in a hurry.

There's a lot to like about the Ultimate format.  For one thing, the dealer is helpless.  He can't change the two cards he's dealt -- and since only one deck is used, those cards are every bit as likely to be as lousy as yours.  Also, you don't really compete against the other players around the table; anyone who beats the dealer's hand gets a payoff.

MINISTRY MOMENT: There's also an opportunity to interact with players next to you at the table.  The woman to our left scored a nice pot with pocket kings.

"As they say on Christian radio," we told her, "walk with the Kings and be a blessing."

That catch phrase (with only one "King," not two) comes from a late radio Bible teacher who still can be heard each weekday.  We ask you one simple question: which King do you follow each day?  We pray it is....

....God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who live in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.  To him be honor and might forever. Amen. - I Timothy 6:15-16