Poker Night 548: When Push Comes to Shove

We have some serious soul-searching to do, after tonight's poker tournament at Jack Casino. We'll explain why, after we review a hand that turned our night around....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: A-5 offsuit

We've won a few modest pots. We've lost a few as well, so we sit at around 10,100 chips - below our starting allocation of 15,000 chips. This hand is worth playing, but carefully. We get in small, and no one raises. As we recall, three players are in at a small table of six.

ON THE FLOP: Ah-2h-3d

We make top pair, and have a straight draw to boot. But the heavy-set man sitting to our left wants to be the aggressor. He bets 800. Given what we have, we certainly call. Now we're heads-up.

ON THE TURN: Qc

That missed for us. Maybe our opponent senses that, because he raises the stakes to 1,600. We suspect he has an Ace - but does he have a better kicker? We still have top pair, so we call with it.

ON THE RIVER: Kh

Another high card only complicates things further. Our opponent doesn't back down, betting another 1,600. We have 7,500 left, and have invested a lot of chips in this pot. We fear he has us out-kicked. So we sense there's only one thing left to do.

"I'm all-in," we say. Consider the fact that the bets have been modest, with no increase on the river. That leads us to think our opponent is not all that comfortable with his cards. Are we right?

"I was afraid you'd hit that flush," he says - and folds! Flush?!?! Oh yeah. Now we notice three hearts are showing. But we didn't have any hearts. Only, well, a "brave-heart" bluff that takes a big pot.

Some big winning cards came after that - including A-10 which turned into three of a kind, and unshown pocket Kings for a Big Blind special win. We cautiously reached the final table with 22,600 chips.

But now comes the soul-searching part. With nine players left, we limped in with A-Q. A man pushed, we called him - and he had A-J!

"I don't feel very good about this, sir," he said.

"I'm sorry," we answered....

ON THE FLOP: J-x-x (don't remember the other cards)

...."But I think you feel better about it now!" Our opponent leads. The table is entranced, as the dealer moves on....

ON THE TURN: Q

But now we lead! And we have a Jack flashback. "Two times ago when I was here [really three], this sort of thing happened...."

ON THE RIVER: J

".... and it just happened AGAIN!!" we exclaim. Another amazing case of the lead changing three times in five cards - with the opponent making a "two-outer" for three of a kind!

The opponent had a few more chips than we did. So we left the poker room mumbling to ourselves. At least we reached the final table again, but a ninth-place finish left us disappointed.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A frustrating loss for another player as the final table approached led him to mutter, "Jesus Christ."

"King of Kings and Lord of Lords," we said in response.

The man said nothing about our reaction. But it comes from a big event that may not be very far away....

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. - Revelation 19:11

This is a vision about a coming conquering King. Can you guess the identity? Keep reading for more clues....

He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. - Revelation 19:13

The apostle John wrote these words - and he also wrote that "the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning" (John 1:1-2). That Word/God "became flesh" (verse 14), leading to the obvious conclusion that it refers to Jesus Christ. But back to that vision....

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. - Revelation 19:16

Read the entire chapter to learn about the real "war to end all wars." A sword is prophesied to come out of the rider's mouth to "strike down the nations" (verses 15, 21). A time of judgment for all people will follow that (Revelation 20:12). We think it will be far better to be on the right side of Biblical history....

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection.... they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:6

Only three players won money at the poker tournament tonight. Many more can be part of the first resurrection, to join Jesus as He returns to Earth. Will you accept Him as your Savior, to help make that victory possible?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 202 final tables in 548 games (36.9%) - 41 cashes.

Paying to Play

Local poker "tours" in bars or clubs can be relatively inexpensive. Buy a soda (or some other drink). Find a seat. You might win a nice small prize.

Where those circuits don't exist, the price of poker in casinos can be more costly. We did the math this morning on the tournaments we've entered since moving to our new home area:

Jack Casino - 7 games x $80 buy-in = $560
Hollywood-Indiana - 7 games x $70 buy-in = $490

That's a total investment of $1,050 in about four months - and this is playing the least expensive games of the week. Our winnings to show for it? Despite nine final tables in 14 tournaments, so far we've earned only $69 as a "bubble boy".... plus $19 playing blackjack, to recover a bit of our losses.

If poker is your "hobby," it clearly can turn into an expensive one. Thankfully, we're at a season of life where we can afford entering on a regular basis. But if your budget is tight and you have family considerations, it's something to consider carefully. This advice is very practical....

If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. - I Timothy 5:8

The context of this verse involves widows in the church. But there's a lesson here for all of us....

But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. - I Timothy 5:6

That's because the pleasure eventually ends. So will your "poker run," even if it's only for small change:

For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. - Ecclesiastes 2:21

We were reminded this morning that some things are more important than a poker bankroll....

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant or to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. - I Timothy 6:17

If your thinking is dominated by putting Aces above Kings, it's probably time for a change. Put God first. Then your family. Then pleasures and pastimes such as poker, as your remaining time and money allow. Those are the best and longest-lasting priorities.

Poker Night 547: Hit the Road, Jacks

"You're a very good writer," the man two seats to our left at Jack Casino said tonight. That man did something we don't recall anyone ever doing before - looking up this blog during a tournament on his smart-phone.

"You might learn all my secrets," we warned him. After all, we hadn't told any other players in our new area about this blog. This hand won't be a secret to him, either. It was all on display, and symbolic of our night....

BLINDS: 150/300

IN THE POCKET: A-Q offsuit

Things have been quiet for us so far, with few strong cards to play. But this hand potentially is different. Sitting two seats off the Big Blind, we limp in and wait for raisers. But even though this table is on the aggressive side, no one raises. About six players are in, at a table of eight.

ON THE FLOP: Jx-10x-7d (Don't recall suits of first two cards)

No pair for us, but a lot of hope - two overcards, with a draw for the top straight. The Small Blind checks, but the Big Blind offers 400. That's not too much; we'll call. Five players remain.

ON THE TURN: Qd

Now we have top pair, and a chance to make a move. Both blinds check, so we bet 1,000 - silently hoping that will run off other players who might be chasing flushes or straights. But only one man folds; three other players stick around.

ON THE RIVER: 9d

That's the last card we wanted to see! Our main concern is the three diamonds showing for a potential flush - but anyone hiding an 8 has made a straight. The Big Blind checks, and we decide we have to be firm instead of cautious.

"Thousand again," we say as we set out an orange chip. A man to our left folds. Good. A man across the table folds. Better! But Mr. Big Blind calls.

"Queens with an Ace," we say and show. The Big Blind turns over.... Jack-10! He made two pair on the flop, and refused to take our hints to run away. His firmness won him a big pot.

That's the kind of night it was for us. We won only one pot, never got above our starting stack of 15,000, and watched marginal hands we folded make it big on the flop.

We finally were forced to go all-in for 2,500 with 9-8 of diamonds. That Big Blind man from before had A-J for a big lead - but the flop was 7-8-9! The turn was a Queen, leaving us one card from a comeback. But, of course, the river was a Jack. His two pair were better, and we walked out in 19th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Inspired by a weekend sermon, we brought a small connected packet of salt and pepper for our card protector.

"I brought this to remind me," we told a man to our left, "that Jesus said I'm supposed to be the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13).

The man liked that idea - and when we asked, he told us Jesus was his Savior. "I'm a Catholic," he noted.

"What's Jesus done for you lately?" we asked.

"Nothing right now," he answered. But then he entered a hand we folded, and won a big pot.

"Things went right for you there," we pointed out.

He didn't answer that. But come to think of it, maybe it's not all about God doing the right thing for you - even though He can....

Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. - Proverbs 10:6

To borrow from U.S. President John Kennedy and a Spike Lee movie, maybe it's really more about you doing the right thing for God. But we have to be careful in how we do that....

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. - Proverbs 16:25

....Such as some of the hands we tried to play tonight. But if you know what you're doing is the right thing (for instance, if the Bible verifies it), you should go forward with it.

And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. - II Thessalonians 3:13

Perhaps you're stumped by exactly what it means to "do right." We posted an article several years ago with our thoughts about that, based on Bible study and our own church experience. Perhaps what we discovered can help you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 201 final tables in 547 games (36.7%) - 41 cashes.

Face: Up to It?

"That's why I don't play poker," a young man said at our regular job the other day.

His reason had nothing to do with money or ethics. "I don't have a poker face," he explained. He added he tends to let his expressions and feelings come forward - so if he's dealt pocket Aces, the rest of the table probably would know in an instant.

The "poker face" has become such a common cliché that Lady Gaga made a hit song with that title (albeit with questionable lyrics). We think some people who have trouble maintaining one in club games try to make up for it with big talk - boasting about winning hands they might or might not have.

Believe it or not, there are times in the Bible where people are told to have a "poker face" of sorts. One case occurred when a leader lost two sons due to their disobedience....

Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not let your hair become unkempt, and do not tear your clothes, or you will die and the Lord will angry with the whole community..." - Leviticus 10:6

No obvious signs of grief were allowed, because the fire that killed the other sons had come from God (verses 1-2). The victims simply received what they deserved. Perhaps that carries over to some ministers today. To be honest, we've seen modern TV preachers with "poker faces" so grim that it's hard to believe they consider the gospel "good news".

So how do you develop and keep a good poker face? One idea we have is to think about the worst thing that could possibly happen, such as the Bible scene above. Or if you see two Aces on the flop and you have pocket Aces, pretend someone else is on a royal flush draw.

But when the hand is over and a pot is won, it's OK to show some emotion. That's true with any blessing God gives, too:

The Lord is my strength and my shield.... My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to him in song. - Psalm 28:7

A good "poker face" indeed takes some practice, but it can help make you a good poker player. We've offered our suggestion for developing one. If you have a better one, please leave a comment.

Poker Night 546: From Ace-Rags to Riches

"Has John Cynn ever played here?" we asked our first dealer in tonight's tournament at Hollywood Casino Indiana.

"I don't know," he answered. Cynn, a native of Indianapolis, won the World Series of Poker Main Event this week. He was not in Lawrenceburg for our tournament, so our chances for success jumped dramatically....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: Ace-6 of hearts

We've won one pot with hidden pocket Aces, and split another with a Jack. Now this "turbo tourney" is near the end of its first hour, and we have about 10,800 chips from a starting 12,000.

A man at our table of eight raises to 500. We take the approach that any Ace is a potential top pair, and we call. Five players are in the hunt.

ON THE FLOP: A-4-3 (no hearts, as we recall)

There's the top pair - but are others thinking the way we're thinking? The only way to find out is to bet. After the lead player checks, we offer 500. Three other players call. They can't all have Aces.

ON THE TURN: 4

Now we have two pair - and we really doubt anyone else has a 4. Our bet on the flop would have run off those chasers. So we choose to keep the pressure on, with another bet of 500. That scares away one more players, but two others call again. Is our "rags" kicker good enough for this?

ON THE RIVER: 5

Ugh - that opens the door for trouble. Anyone on a straight draw just made it. The first man in line checks. We pull out chips, as if we're about to bet again - but then think better of it and check. The third player ponders for a few seconds. If he bets, he probably runs us off. But he checks.

"I have an Ace," we say as we show. The other players.... don't even show! They apparently missed their draws or had smaller pairs! We win a big pot of more than 4,000 chips, and reach the first break at a high of 16,125.

The trouble is, we never made it any higher. Good cards such as K-Q didn't convert into pairs for us in the second hour. Then when we saw pocket Jacks, we took on an aggressive woman across the table. She bet 2,200 on a meager-looking flop. We went all-in for 8,400, and she called.... with Q-Q! Her Queens held on to top our Jacks, and we missed the final table. We finished 13th out of 19 players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man two seats to our left won the first three hands of the night. That started jokes about whether he could win every hand and score a perfect game. One man suggested a sidebet on it.

"I would bet against me making it," the winner admitted.

"C'mon now," said the man between the winner and us. "You've got to have faith."

That was our opening. "I'd rather have faith in God, than have faith in him winning every hand."

The men smiled at that thought. But it reminded us of a line a well-known radio preacher said years ago: "Everyone has faith.... in something. The question is, what is your faith in?"

If you put all your faith in yourself or in other people, you're likely to be disappointed....

But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah. - Psalm 49:12-13

Sad but true - our bodies eventually wear down and die. But God promises to resurrect us, at least to a moment of judgment (Revelation 20:11-12). And if you put your faith in God and Jesus Christ now, that moment will be better than you might think:

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. - Ephesians 2:8 (KJV)

Faith in God can lead to salvation and eternal life. And did you notice the amazing thing about it? It's not really our faith that does it. It's His faith, which God gives to believers through His Holy Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.... - Galatians 5:22

It starts by asking God for something the first disciples of Jesus requested when He was on Earth: "Increase our faith!" (Luke 17:5) If you'd like help in doing that, please leave a comment; we'll be happy to help you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 201 final tables in 546 games (36.8%) - 41 cashes.

Cynn City

Soccer fans will be focused today on the World Cup finals in Russia. The event might last three hours, if it winds up in a penalty kick shootout. But imagine an event where determining a world champion came down to a showdown even longer than that - practically lasting all night.

Courtesy Joe Ginn/WSOP.com

That's what happened this morning at the World Series of Poker's Main Event. The final two players battled from Saturday sundown until nearly 5:00 a.m. Las Vegas time - and it ended with Indiana native John Cynn (right) outlasting Florida's Tony Miles to take the "title belt" and $8.8 million.

The lead in heads-up play went back and forth several times, so we give credit to both men for playing hard and well. But in the end, this Main Event probably will inspire a lot of clever headlines (like ours) - and maybe even a few sermons from preachers.

For instance, Miles wore a Tim Tebow college football jersey to the final table. Tebow is known as a  believer in Jesus Christ. We're not sure where Miles stands on that - but his challenge for more than ten hours was, well, overcoming Cynn. It's your challenge, too, only with a different spelling....

...for everyone born of God overcomes the world.... Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. - I John 5:4-5

Louis Armstrong sang years ago, "What a Wonderful World" - and in some ways it is. But it's also a world filled with sin:

For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. - I John 2:16

This endurance contest isn't only for one night - it's a lifelong "main event." So how can you overcome these more common "sins"? We skipped over part of chapter 5, which offers an answer:

This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. - I John 5:4b

The late George Michael sang it correctly: you've got to have faith. But it needs to be in the right things - or better put, the right Ones. It means believing in Jesus as God's Son, and turning to Him to cover your sinful life.

...For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. - Revelation 12:10-11

That "accuser" is Satan, the devil (Job 1:6-9). The blood of Jesus can pay the penalty for your sin, and give you freedom to testify of the good things God does in your life.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21

On this Sunday in Las Vegas, Mr. Cynn came out on top. It's a victory he earned. In your life, "sin" doesn't have to win. Put your faith in the Son of God who can help you overcome it.

Flop Friday Funny

We created a new song on the spot recently, during a tournament in Indiana. You can probably guess the music for it...

You put your hole cards in.
You put your hole cards out.
You put your hole cards in - and you fold them, bowing out.

You do the hokey poker, as the turn card comes around.
That's what it's all about!

(OK, your turn.... verse 2?)

Prophets of Profits

We told you a few days ago about Frankie Flowers - the operator of a non-profit organization in New York who did well in the World Series of Poker Main Event. He made the money, which is good. But he's now out of the running, finishing in 424th place.

Courtesy WSOP.com

Flowers earned close to $30,000. Trouble is, he talked about making much more than that. WSOP.com posted he was "prophecizing" at the Main Event about making a million dollars or more at the final table. We'll forgive the writer for not knowing the proper way to write that big word. Flowers actually may have been prophecying. Or, in street slang, he simply may have been "trash talking."

Yet some religious people have the idea that "faith talk" can lead to success - whether it be a lot of money, a spouse or something else. Where do they get that? From Bible verses such as....

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.... - II Corinthians 9:10-11

Claim that as a "faith promise," some people suggest, and the "God from whom all blessings flow" (to borrow from a famous church song) will pour them out on you.

We've admittedly seen God do that in our life - but there's a problem with that suggestion. It doesn't happen every time. The Bible nowhere shows that the first apostles died as tycoons or millionaires. In fact, the apostle who wrote the verses above wound up dying in a prison dungeon:

...This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. - II Timothy 2:8-9

You may win a lot of money playing poker. You may go bust a lot. Yet through good times and bad, the best thing to do is what Paul did. He kept his focus on God:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. - I Timothy 6:6-8

Instead of talking big, the model prayer of Jesus recommended a small request....

Give us this day our daily bread. - Matthew 6:11

Can you be content with that? The Bible indicates you should. Be thankful for whatever blessing God gives, even if it seems small. If you do, something great could come in the long run.

Poker Night 545: Push or Be Pushed

President Trump revealed his latest U.S. Supreme Court nominee tonight. But in the poker room at JACK Casino Cincinnati, that was the last thing on people's minds. Their attention was focused on "Ohio Cup" baseball between Cincinnati and Cleveland, as well as the Monday night poker tournament. That was true with us, too - and you'll read why....

BLINDS: 4,000/8,000/1,000 ante

IN THE POCKET: Ace of spades-10 of clubs

If the blinds are this high and an ante has been added, you can guess it's been a good night for us. We won some modest pots early to build a stack, then scored an all-in breakthrough late in the first term when our A-Q beat pocket 9's. We finished that two-hour session at 27,200 chips.

Other pushers failed after that, allowing us to reach the final table on a three-table night with 22,200. Then with nine players left, we accepted a pushing contest with Q-Q and won it - eliminating two players, and jumping our stack above 55,000! Another big showdown with Q-Q found us against pocket Aces, yet we won that and eliminated another man with a club flush!

Now five players are left. Only three will win money. We have about 34,000 chips - but with blinds so high and antes in every hand on top of that, that's still a precarious amount. A man across from us raises to 22,200. We see our cards, ponder for a moment, then decide these are big cards in a small table.

"I'm all-in," we say. Other players get out of the way, leaving the original bettor.

"You're probably ahead," he says - but he's committed to the pot, so he calls. He shows.... J-9! Yes, we start the race with the lead.

ON THE FLOP: 9-4-K (last two cards not precise)

Uh-oh. Our opponent has a pair of 9's. Now he's in front - but we have six outs.

ON THE TURN: Ac

"Yes!" we say. We've regained the lead with top pair! If we can dodge a Jack or 9 on the river, we'll double up and be a good deal more secure....

ON THE RIVER: 9

Wow! The third lead change in as many cards gives our opponent a victorious two pair, and sends us out the door. It's as dramatic an ending as you'll see in poker, and leaves us in fifth place out of 25 entrants.

(If a few more players had shown up, Jack would have increased the payout to six players - and that would have meant money for us. So this was a double blow.)

MINISTRY MOMENT: Several times when we won big hands, we told the players around us, "I'd be writing PTL if I was online right now!"

No one asked what that meant. But a few people seemed to know, and we explained to others - it's "Praise the Lord." That shorthand was part of a religious television scandal years ago, but PTL is still good to do. And it's good to start early....

From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.... - Psalm 8:2

The King James Version translates the start of this verse: "Out of the mouths of babes...." Have you noticed how many people stop the verse right there, to respond to a cute or stunning thing a toddler or pre-schooler says? But those mouths are supposed to praise God! And here's why....

....because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. - Psalm 8:2b

The right word at the right time, even from a child, can shut up a scoffer or an opponent. Adults should be even more ready to give praise....

I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. - Psalm 63:4

This verse explains why some people raise their hands in worship services. You can praise God in song (verse 5), as well as with regular speech. And there are many reasons to offer praise, beyond winning a poker hand or two....

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion. - Psalm 103:2-4

The ultimate redemption for believers will come when Jesus Christ returns to Earth, as resurrected saints join Him in eternal life. That will be something worth praising - forever!

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 201 final tables in 545 games (36.9%) - 41 cashes. In our new home area, the count is now nine final tables out of 12!

Flowers in the Desert

If you've dreamed of making money at the World Series of Poker Main Event.... keep dreaming until next year. This year's Main Event passed the "bubble point" early today, with all remaining players guaranteed a cash prize.

Courtesy WSOP.com

One of the intriguing stories on WSOP.com today involves Frankie Flowers. He finished Day 3 in  second place on the leaderboard, and he's already sure of where his prize money is going. Flowers operates a non-profit foundation which helps low-income people north of New York City.

If you're playing poker simply to get rich, maybe you should learn a lesson from Flowers. Or better yet, learn it from Jesus....

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." - Matthew 19:21

The Lord said this to a man who thought he kept all of God's commandments perfectly (verses 16-20). But when Jesus recommended these extra points....

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. - Matthew 19:22

Let's focus on what Jesus recommended:

1. "Sell.... possessions and give to the poor." Does that mean every penny? We don't think so - because then Flowers would be in the same predicament as the people he's trying to help. (Only a couple of Bible translations add words like "all" or "everything" to verse 21.)

But God is looking for a heart that is giving, not hoarding. After all....

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. - I Timothy 6:7

2. "Follow me." That's actually the tougher advice to accept - because it takes a lifetime of effort and study:

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and may enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. - Matthew 7:13-14

This goes beyond giving, to obeying God and His Word. Challenging though it is, that narrow road results in eternal life - joining Jesus forever in the Kingdom of God.

We'll keep following Flowers, and have more on him in an upcoming post.

Poker Day 544: Independent Thinking

"Is this a difficult day for you?" we asked a man who sat down to our right today at Jack Casino. The man had a noticeable British accent - and it's the anniversary of when the U.S. declared independence from Britain.

"No," he replied. "That was 17-something."

So he didn't show up with an old grudge. But he undoubtedly wanted to make money at the poker table on a holiday. We tried to do the same, by entering Jack's daily 11:15 a.m. tournament....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: 7 of hearts-6 of clubs

Three full tables of players showed up for this holiday tournament. It's one of the first few hands, and we have plenty of chips to throw. So we try to get in small with connecting cards, and are rewarded when no one raises. About five players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 5c-7d-8c

Our hunch pays off in one way, and potentially more. We have middle pair and an open-ended straight draw, A player down the table bets 250. A 23-year-old "kid" to our right (as another player calls him) raises to 750.

"Wellll," we say as we ponder, "it's a holiday." So in a generous mood, we call. "What could possibly go wrong?" we add with a smile.

"I've said that," responds the young raiser. Famous last words, those. The original bettor folds, and we go heads-up.

ON THE TURN: 2c

Straight shot missed - but now we've picked up a flush draw. Our opponent bets 700.

"He bet the Big One," we say - thinking of a famous Cincinnati radio station at 700 on the dial. Since we still have second pair to the board and a bunch of draws, we dare to call again.

ON THE RIVER: 4h

Bingo! The straight is made. Our opponent now checks. We shake our head no.

"One-thousand," we bet.

"Obnoxious!" the young man responds. He's apparently figured out what we did.

"Potentially obnoxious," we say in a bid to offer him a little hope (and entice a call). But no - he folds. We take a nice pot, and note this incredibly rare use of the word "obnoxious" in a poker room.

The first half-hour was very good for us, as several pots and one tie brought our stack from a starting 15,000 to almost 20,000. But then we lost on some chances, and watched rising turbo-blinds erode our stack to 4,875 after two hours at the first break.

Pocket Kings at the start of the second term helped us make a nice comeback. A push with pocket 10's kept us going as well. But when we reached the semifinal table with rising blinds, we faced a tough decision with pocket 5's. We went for it all, received a call by a man with K-J - but a King on the flop did us in. We finished in 17th place out of 47 entries.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The "kid" had a nice verbal personality. But when one hand didn't go his way, he said, "Good Lord!"

"He's good all the time," we answered.

We're not sure if the young man heard it; he didn't acknowledge it. But we'll ask you - do you consider God good? For believers, this question might sound silly. Yet the world is filled with skeptics, so let's consider the words of a famous king:

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. - Psalm 34:8

The heading to this chapter in our Bible says King David wrote this not after a victory, but a serious trial. He was on the run for his life, and "pretended to be insane" before a different king (I Samuel 21:10-15). David continues....

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. - Psalm 34:10

There's a key point to consider - seeking the Lord. Other poker players probably won't cut you any slack if you're "obnoxious" (see above) at the table. So why should God be any different?

Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured on us, because we have sinned against you. - Daniel 9:12

We've reviewed Daniel's contrite prayer over the last few days, after a minister recommended it. It's not a happy prayer - but it could be something our country needs as we mark Independence Day. One lesson from it is to follow God's example of goodness in our own lives....

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days.... Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. - Psalm 34:12, 14

Some scoffers might consider you a wimp - but there's really nothing bad about doing good. After all, that's what God does for you - in both large and small ways.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 200 final tables in 544 games (36.8%) - 41 cashes.

Signs of the Times

Some players at the final table couldn't believe their ears, when we explained a call at a recent tournament. We matched an all-in bet with our pocket 8's, after seeing a lot of 8's at our regular job earlier in the day.

Was it really a "sign from God" that we should play poker? Well, the Bible indicates God has given signs from time to time during history. One of the most famous examples involves a man named Gideon....

Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand - look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." And that is what happened...." - Judges 6:37-38

Gideon went on to ask God for a second sign, before going into battle - and God provided it (verses 39-40).

But many modern-day preachers say that's not how a believer in God should operate now. They'd say we should follow the Bible for guidance in life....

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking correcting and training in righteousness.... - II Timothy 3:16

That's very good advice, of course. But how does it translate to day-to-day decisions, such as entering a poker tournament? Or searching for a job or a mate?

One way to know God's will in a matter is to see if He blocks your plans. It happened to an early apostle:

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. - Acts 16:6-7

The Bible doesn't say exactly what kind of block God threw. Our NIV Study Bible says He could have used "vision, circumstances, good sense...." We lean toward a vision, based on what happened afterward:

During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. - Acts 16:9-10

So God also can send messages through visions, about what you should or shouldn't do. We addressed this in a post about dreams earlier this year.

Whether your big decision involves poker or not, we recommend praying to God about it first.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6

We pray before poker outing we make. Sometimes we hit it big. Sometimes we don't. But seeking God's guidance in a matter.... in any matter.... certainly can't hurt. In fact, we believe it often helps.