It took more than 30 minutes for two players to be knocked out from five full tables. That meant we had to make up for lost time....
BLINDS: 25/50
IN THE POCKET: 10-J offsuit
These are the cards that greeted us as soon as we sat down. Sitting in the leadoff position, the fact that they were fairly high and connected persuades us to enter small. No one raises, and about six players are in.
ON THE FLOP: 7-8-9
Talk about a friendly dealer! We hit a straight right off the bat! But when our turn comes, we check to see if someone else will jump. Sure enough - a man down the table goes all-in for 1,125! AND....
"Might as well gamble a little," says the Big Blind as he calls. Of course we also call, trying not to smile.
ON THE TURN: 9
The board pairs, and we don't really mind that. The Big Blind checks, and we remember his words.
"If you want to gamble.... how about 1,000 more?"
Not for that much; he folds. Now the all-in man shows 9-A. He's made three of a kind, and he has a 25-percent chance of topping us.
ON THE RIVER: 3
Thankfully for us, the board doesn't pair. He's out, and we're right in right away with about 6,000 chips.
"Welcome to the table!" a man at the other end says. We give credit to the dealer, of course.
We won a few more pots after that, and approached the 7,000 chip mark. But amazingly, it all started draining away as small probes missed. We still had 5,500 at the first break, but we lost a big pot to a man we thought was bluffing three of a kind (he wasn't). Then when we went all-in for our 1,600 with K-Q, a woman with 9-9 turned it into a 9's-and-Aces full house. What could have been a big day ended for us with a lowly 36th place.
MINISTRY MOMENT: One hand which cost us chips found us playing 2-2. Three 7's showed up on the board, yet the betting was small and cautious. We made a full house - but lost to a man with pocket 3's!
"Great minds think alike," we joked. "He thought a little bit bigger." Then we found a reason to go deeper. "But there's Someone whose thoughts are higher than all of our thoughts," we said to no one in particular.
That line got no takers. But as you might guess, it's a line from the Bible:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. - Isaiah 55:8
This can refer to far more than 3's vs. 2's. It can refer to thinking overall - and our thinking tends to focus on physically, earthly things.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. - Isaiah 55:9
God wants us to think bigger. Bigger than the next hand, next round of blinds, or even next tournament. God thinks in an eternal way.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11
The real hope and future for us are beyond this life - as Jesus Christ is preparing a Kingdom which He will bring to this Earth. God wants you to be a part of that, receiving the gift of eternal life. Are you turning away from ungodly, sinful thoughts and ways so you can join in?
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 180 final tables in 486 games (37.0%) - 35 cashes.
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