BLINDS: 25/50
IN THE POCKET: A-J of spades
We won an early pot with J-9. Now our Jack has a powerful partner, and we're first to play at a full table. We follow our usual approach and limp early, waiting for raisers. None come. As best we recall, four players get in.
ON THE FLOP: A-7-2
The spades are not an issue here. But we have top pair and a pretty good kicker - yet someone else bets 150 before our turn comes. That's OK; we'll call.
ON THE TURN: 8
Every extra card increases the chances of someone hitting a second pair. So when the player ahead of us bets 150 again, we try to close the deal with a raise to 300. A man across the table calls; the others fold.
ON THE RIVER: 2
We now have two pair and a pretty good kicker. We think another bet will clinch it, so we bet 300 again. But now, our opponent raises to 1,000.
This forces us to pause for a moment. We can't imagine the other man stuck around with a pair of 2's to make three of a kind on the river. On the other hand, our Jack isn't strong enough to top A-K or A-Q.
Finally we decide to take the big risk. We call.... and the opponent shows A-10! Our Jack indeed was better, and we take a big pot of more than 3,000 chips.
The first hour had a couple of setbacks, and we reached the first break with 2,675 from a starting 3,500 chips. But hour two brought some big gains. An all-in bet with Q-10 led to a winning Queen, and a jump to 4,200. Then A-J brought a jump to 8,000. Another A-J increased our stack to 9,500. Thanks to a couple more good wins, we wound up at the second break with 8,500.
But as the final table approached, our streak ran out. We went all-in with A-9, but lost to a King when a King came on the flop. On a day with 64 players, sixth place would have earned money - but this time, we slipped to 12th place.
MINISTRY MOMENT: When the second hour started, we were in the Big Blind for 200. Mr. Small Blind arrived a little late, so the dealer asked us to put out his 100. When Mr. Small Blind saw, he pretended to cause a fuss.
"I just did what the dealer told me to do," we confessed.
"You're not trying to start a fight...." a man to our left joked.
"I come in peace," we replied. "'Blessed are the peacemakers.' I read that in a book once."
We're not sure if that man knew which book we meant. But if you're a regular reader, you probably do....
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. - Matthew 5:9
Jesus put peacemaking on His famous list of Biblical "beatitudes" - a list of nine traits which are blessed by God. It isn't always easy to make peace; the news headlines are filled with people and groups in conflict (if not outright war) with each other. But here's one way to do it....
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath.... - Romans 12:17-19
In the poker room, "revenge" can happen naturally with the turn of cards. You might get a straight this hand, while we hit a full house in the next hand. But peacemaking can be done in other areas, both large and small. We think the primary way is with the mouth - not "raising" when someone taunts or teases you. Even better....
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. - Romans 12:14
But we need to learn to respond that way not simply because we have to do it - but because we want to do it:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. - Romans 12:9
As we said, this isn't easy. It starts with repenting before God of moments when you've chosen the side of conflict, instead of peace. Then ask for His Holy Spirit to help clean up your life - starting with the heart and mouth, then far beyond.
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 187 final tables in 513 games (36.5%) - 36 cashes. Experiment cost: Down $160.
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