"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.
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