Poker Day 528: Sick Day

Poker tournaments can be fun and exciting - but sometimes other things take a higher priority. You'll see what we mean, after we summarize our day at Kansas Star Casino....

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: A-J offsuit

The day didn't start well, when A-K on the first hand failed to bring a pair and another player bet big. Now we're in late position and no one has raised. So we do so, to 100. Two other players get in.

ON THE FLOP: A-7-7

Looking good - two pair with a strong kicker! We're ready to make the continuation bet - but first, a man across the table offers 100. Then a man to our right raises to 250! Have they forgotten us or something? We call, as does the man across the way.

ON THE TURN: 9

That probably missed everyone, so now can we take charge? The man across the way checks - but the man to our right puts out 250 again. We're concluding he has an Ace, but we can't back down from our kicker. So we call. The man at the far end folds.

ON THE RIVER: 6

Maybe our remaining opponent finally is getting the message, because he checks. But because he raised earlier, we check as well for safety.

"Do you have an Ace?" we ask as we show.

"I have a 7," he says. In fact, it's 9-7! He got in with that, and wound up with a full house.

It was that kind of day for us, as good cards turned into misses. Our pocket 9's folded before pocket Jacks. A big bet with K-Q of spades missed everything. We staggered to the first break with only 1,200 chips, then won some back with A-K in the Big Blind when we pushed and no one called.

We finally went for it all with A-10 and 800 left. Both cards paired.... but of course, enough was left of other things to give a man a Broadway straight. He took out two players, including us, and we wound up in a meager tied for 42nd place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "The floor" was called two tables from us late in the first hour. At first glimpse, it appeared someone had a heart attack. Then security was called - and within minutes, paramedics were in the poker room with a stretcher.

"He had low blood sugar," the Tournament Director told us during the first break. We don't have medical expertise, but apparently this was a diabetic shock.

When we saw the trouble happening, we folded a weak hand and walked near the table with the ailing man. Then we offered a short prayer for him, based on some bold Biblical advice:

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up... - James 5:14-15

We are not ordained ministry, to the point of being a church Elder. If we were, we probably would have carried a vial of oil with us - and we would gone all the way over to offer its use. But prayer can be enough....

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. - James 5:16

"I'm surprised they haven't stopped the clock for this," we said to players around us. The incident happened with about six minutes left before break time - yet the cards and chips kept flying at all the other tables.

The clock finally was stopped for 12 minutes during Break 1, while paramedics cared for the man. He was able to shift to the stretcher with his head propped up.

As the man was rolled out of the poker room to be taken to a nearby hospital, we did something spectators at sports events commonly would do upon seeing this situation. We clapped our hands for the man. No one else joined in. They watched, then got back to business.

While we question how the Tournament Director handled the game at that moment, the casino's security team and paramedics clearly knew what they were doing. We commend them for handling things with care and professionalism. But we can't help wondering what the other players were thinking.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. - John 13:34-35

We plan to keep praying for that ailing men, even though we don't know his name. If you have a bit of God's love within you, will you join us in that?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 191 final tables in 528 games (36.2%) - 39 cashes. Experiment update: down $125.