BLINDS: 100/200
IN THE POCKET: Q-2 offsuit
A $75 entry fee in the Monday night tournament gets you 15,000 chips, and everyone starts equal. We split an early pot in a blind fight, when we both played two pair and an Ace on the board. Now we're in the Big Blind with about 14,800 chips, and no one has raised. Of course we check. About four players are in.
ON THE FLOP: Q-2-4
Right on, well, Q! We have two pair. The Small Blind checks, and we're ready to go with a bet of 350. But to our surprise, a young woman to our left (apparently a poker room regular) raises to 1,100. Other players fold, and we're left with a decision. Is she playing a game of "Test the Newbie"? Or does she have something like 4-4, which led to three of a kind? We call to find out.
ON THE TURN: 4
This puts a pair on the table, and compromises our 2. If she has a 4, we've stepped into trouble. We check to be safe. Thankfully, she checks as well.
ON THE RIVER: 6
We're still not sure what our opponent has. Maybe it's pocket Kings?! We check out of caution again - and are delighted when she checks again.
"I have two pair," we say. "Well, I had two pair on the flop. Now I have three pair."
The woman says nothing.... and mucks her cards! Apparently we had her topped all along. In any case, we gain about 1,700 chips.
A big gain came minutes later, when a man went on tilt and all-in after a controversial hand. We had 10-10, dared to call - and won a race against A-Q for an 8,500 chip gain! That gave us a comfortable cushion through a period with few quality cards.
The first break came at the two-hour mark, and our high of about 25,000 chips was down to 16,500. But then we made a timely nut flush (not shown) to regain thousands. Tight play worked again - as other players dropped out, and we survived to the final table with 14,700!
Once there, we went for it all with K-Q of diamonds. But a caller with A-Q gained an Ace on the flop to eliminate us. On a night with 41 players, we finished ninth. That missed the money by three places, but we left the casino satisfied and thankful.
MINISTRY MOMENT: This tournament may go down as the chippiest we've ever played - and that includes some nights in small bars. Several players were penalized for acting out of turn. Several players demanded penalties be imposed on other players. And after one disorganized hand, a man said Jesus Christ's name out loud.
"He's my hope of salvation," we said quickly.
We're not sure he heard us or wanted anything to do with it, as he stood up to stew a bit. But this leads to a reminder of being careful with what we say....
He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come.'" - Luke 11:2Jesus wanted the name of God the Father to be hallowed. That word might remind you of Halloween, but it really means to "make holy, sanctify, consecrate.... honor as holy." In other words, treat the name of a great God with great respect. And since Jesus is God (John 1:1), His name should receive respect as well.
But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. - Matthew 12:36-37What have you said about God and Jesus lately? Are you in a habit of saying those names in an angry way - as a curse at a poker table, or elsewhere? If so, please see the need to repent of that sort of language. Even if children aren't around to hear it, God is. And He may take it more personally than you expect.
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 193 final tables in 534 games (36.1%) - 40 cashes. So far in 2018, we have four final tables in 12 tries.
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