Sunday, May 21, 2017

Poker Day 501: All Jacked Up

"What are you doing?" the woman sitting to our right asked during a hand today at Kansas Star Casino.

"I'm raising," we explained - from her 150 to 450. She didn't like that explanation, and folded. But the action for us began before that....

BLINDS: 75/150

IN THE POCKET: J-J

We got a late start again today - officially the 14th alternate. The formation of an extra table moved us up to fourth, and we finally gained a seat after about 50 minutes. After a couple of misses, we start this hand with about 9,600 of a starting 10,000 chips - and we choose to sandbag. We make a limping call, and about three players jump in.

ON THE FLOP: J-10-2

Three Jacks could be a jackpot! The table checks to us, and we offer 325. A man on the opposite side of the table doubles that to 650, and we show we're serious by calling. Everyone else folds.

ON THE TURN: 10

Even better - now it's a full house! We check to the raiser, as they say. We're a bit disappointed when he checks.

ON THE RIVER: A

We're not concerned about this over-card at all. If our opponent somehow had pocket Aces, we think he would have bet them on the turn. So we tempt him with a bet of 1,000.... and he folds, without showing what he has.

A couple more nice pots came our way after that, including one with 4-4 when a third 4 came on the flop. We reached the first break at 15,200. Then in the second term, we hit a Broadway straight and used 10-10 to take that woman to our right out of the game. At the second break, we stood at 25,600.

But at the start of the third term, we had a terrible round in the blinds. A man to our left went all-in for 7,000, and we thought he was desperately betting with little. But he top pair, and smacked us down hard. Few good cards came after that, and we finally pushed for 5,500 with Q-2 and a 2 on the flop. But an opponent's 9 also paired the board, and it held on to win. Big gains led to a disappointing exit - 26th out of 69 players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Our card protector of the day was an electric converter plug. We explained to a dealer during the first break that it reminds us of the need to receive power from God's Holy Spirit.

"Did you see this?" the dealer said to a Tournament Director stopping by. "You could use a little of the Holy Spirit."

The woman walked away - and the dealer noted she not only didn't seem very interested, she seemed puzzled by the reference. We can understand that, because the things of God can be like that to some people....

.....But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. - I Corinthians 1:23-24


Some people are blind to their need for God, and His ways to develop a relationship with Him. They don't get it. But here's the thing - God gets that they don't get it.

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong,,,, - I Corinthians 1:26-27


God calls whomever He pleases to be a part of His family at this time. We believe when the right time comes, God will invite the rest - and that moment may not come until after those people are resurrected to face the judgment of Jesus Christ.

If the things we write about here interest you, please dig deeper into them. Open a Bible and see what it says about Jesus, salvation and eternal life. The change in your life could be downright powerful.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 183 final tables in 501 games (36.5%) - 36 cashes.

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