BLINDS: 200/400
IN THE POCKET: 9-8 of clubs
The first hour of play started slowly, but then we won two nice pots - one of them with A-K. Our chip stack reached a high of 5,400 (starting from 3,500), and reached the first break at 4,925.
Now, after an attempt to hit it big failed with K-J of clubs, we have more clubs. Our stack is down to 3,800, but we hope mid-range suited connectors will give us an opportunity to make something sneaky and big. So we call, and four players are in.
ON THE FLOP: 9-K-8
Clubs, flubs. We make two pair - and with two pair showing, we're going for the pot right now. We bet 1,000. An older woman sitting to the dealer's left calls. Two other men bail out, leaving us heads-up.
ON THE TURN: 4
We can't imagine that card helped her. So we decide to be a hard-driving man. "All in," we say for our last 2,600. The woman ponders for only a moment - then chooses to call, with only 2,200 to offer.
"B", we say dramatically.... "98." We borrow from a local radio station. She turns over K-10 (the second card was so far away, it was hard to see) - top pair, but no more.
Let's analyze this. If the river is a 9 or an 8, she'll make a second pair BUT we'll make a full house. She can win the hand with either a 10 or a 4 to gain two better pair, or a third King. So she has eight outs - a lowly 18-percent chance.
ON THE RIVER: K
Ouch!!! For the second time in three weeks, a longshot river card comes up to bite us! She doubles up with change.... and we're left with a mere 400 chips.
After that loss, we were compelled to push with A-8. The board didn't pair for us, and someone made a pair of 9's to eliminate another man with us. We wound up tied for 22nd, and shaking our head again.
MINISTRY MOMENT: Kansas Star Casino has a nice deli conveniently located next to the poker room. We used points earned on our "Lucky Star" card to buy a free chocolate-chunk brownie. But we had to show not only our card, but a driver's license for identification.
"I'm legally old enough to eat this brownie," we joked to the server.
"I know," she answered, "but it's the dudes in the sky we have to answer to."
We thought about that statement a moment, then had a response. "It's God in the sky that I answer to."
Another woman behind the counter laughed at that comment. We think she got the point. We're not sure if our server heard it - but she obviously was talking about her casino bosses. We used the moment to think bigger....
This is what the Lord says: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?" - Isaiah 66:1The throne of God the Father is in heaven - but He's not alone there:
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:2The Father and Son are together in heaven. But we hope that deli server doesn't refer to the Godhead as "dudes." They are much more than that....
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.... ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name. - I Chronicles 16:25, 29After all, this is the God who created you and me. He created the tongue and vocal cords for us to speak. Instead of dismissing all that with a casual word or two, shouldn't we give Him respect and honor?
Tremble before him, all the earth!.... Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns!" - I Chronicles 16:30-31You may work for "dudes," but God is divine. Be careful not to misuse His name, by taking it lightly (Deuteronomy 5:11).
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 191 final tables in 529 games (36.1%) - 39 cashes. Experiment update: down $175.
No comments:
Post a Comment