Steven Breaks Even

When we left Kansas last year, an FBI investigation was underway into possibly illegal action involving house poker games. The biggest name in that case was thought to be a Wichita business owner who's won money in serious tournaments such as the World Series.

The long investigation apparently ended this week, with Brandon Steven making a deal with federal prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to hiding records of illegal poker games, and could have gone to prison for it. Instead, Steven received three years of probation, a lot of community service time - and he must give more than a million dollars, either in poker winnings or hush money.

The four-year FBI investigation may have led to police shutting down open poker rooms across Wichita. We played at several of them during this decade. These days, we only play in legal tournaments at casinos or charities. We try to live by a simple Bible verse:

Avoid every kind of evil. - I Thessalonians 5:22

Sounds simple, doesn't it? Except the King James Version puts it this way: "Abstain from all appearance of evil." A lot of things may appear evil to others, but they're really above-board. The list of items fitting that description can change almost daily, based on the news cycle and social media posts. We have to be careful in all the decisions we make about what we do.

As for Steven, you'd think he would have known better. Secrets come out, sooner or later. If they're not exposed by the FBI, they will at an even higher level of justice....

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. - Psalm 90:8

The time is coming when Jesus will judge all humans, on behalf of God the Father.

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.... The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:12

We don't see much evidence in the Bible that "plea bargains" will be allowed then....

...Those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. - John 5:29

Defense lawyers say Brandon Steven is a solid citizen, who supports youth sports among other things. But this case revealed he has a "dark side." If we're honest with ourselves, we all do. Will you learn from Steven's example, and come "out of darkness" into God's "wonderful light" (I Peter 2:9)?

The Art of the Deal

Our last post mentioned what should have been a big disappointment for us - falling one spot short of the money at a poker tournament. But instead, we wound up with a "bubble boy" consolation prize from the other players. It was three-fourths of our $80 buy-in.

How did we do that? Well, we've never read the Donald Trump book that inspired our title. But here are some things that we think helped our cause - and they could help you in poker someday as well:

1. Be friendly. Some players show up at the table like poker is something between a workday at the office and a prelude to World War III. But we're reminded of a verse our long-time pastor in Georgia quoted often....

A man that has friends must show himself friendly.... - Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)

If Mr. Grumpy Grinder had finished fourth on Sunday night, then stormed away from the table, there's no way the other players would have offered to help him. But we tried to be friendly all evening, and it paid off.

2. Be a good sport. Related to #1, be willing to encourage other players when the moment is appropriate. Consider these words to a church group long ago....

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - I Thessalonians 5:11

Keep the trash talking to a minimum. We also make sure we shake hands with the player who knocks us out of a tournament. Many of them are stunned when we do that.

3. Develop a sense of humor. Long-time readers of this blog know we wrote a mostly-comedy blog first, and had a subscription comedy service before that. So we've developed a good sense of how to keep things light during a tournament. And believe it or not, the Bible supports laughing....

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.... a time to weep and a time to laugh.... - Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

There had been talk of splitting the prize money late in the final table. But after we were eliminated, we said tongue-in-cheek to the dealer, "You'll notice no one talked about 'Bubble Boy' money here." That little one-liner inspired the donations!

One of the final three on Sunday night said it was a "very entertaining" tournament. That's part of our goal, but only a part. To borrow from a church bulletin we saw years ago: to get them listening (as in comments about God and Jesus), get them laughing.

If you have other ideas, feel free to leave a comment. And may your poker days be not only profitable, but even a little fun.

Conventional Wisdom

In some years, we've used a trip to a church convention in the fall to play serious poker. But this year, we used the convention trip to avoid playing poker.

Why? Because the past trips took us to areas with casinos, while our home area had none. These days, we have two poker rooms close by. So we can play on a regular basis, and the convention allowed us to take a break from that routine.

The latter approach probably was better for us, since a break from poker allowed more focus on what the convention is all about. It starts (roughly) with this....

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." - Revelation 11:15

You may be familiar with the "Lord's Prayer" uttered by Jesus. It's a model for believers to follow....

This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." - Matthew 6:9-10

What is this "kingdom"? Jesus often called it the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:15, for example) - and it's coming. Revelation indicates this world will become God's kingdom. It will include a resurrection of believers when Jesus comes back....

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.... - I Thessalonians 4:16-17

But believers won't be in the air forever. They'll reign under Jesus Christ on Earth. After all, He also said….

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. - Matthew 5:5

The great plan of God is to rebuild the earth - not simply with homes and buildings, but an ethical system of real freedom and peace.

He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. - Micah 4:3

Does this sound appealing to you? It may be too late for this year's convention, but you can dig into the details of this plan anytime. This article explains what the "Feast of Tabernacles" is all about.

We don't know for sure if there will be poker in the Kingdom of God. But it certainly will top anything man has developed.

Slot, Pop and Play

Casinos are filled with them. We tend to walk right by them. But this evening, we were challenged to be successful at them - for two minutes.

Jack Casino invited us to its August "Birthday Bash". (Now you know our birthday month.) The main event was a free-entry slot tournament, with $2,500 in free play at stake. All we had to do was post one of the five highest scores in a two-hour span.

Our game time was 6:20 p.m. We stood behind the early leader, who racked up more than 100,000 points at 6:05. Doris's strategy was simple: pound the "play" button on the slot machine as quickly as you could, and watch the screen to touch balloons that occasionally appeared for thousands of bonus points.

"May the best button-pusher win," we said to a man next to us when our turn came.

Our tongue was only partly in-cheek. This tournament reminded us of why we avoid slots and prefer playing poker. Slot machines tend to be mindless, with no real skill involved. If you think religion is that way as well.... well, it really shouldn't be. Consider what Jesus told one man:

He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'....." "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." - Luke 10:27-28

Jesus was talking about how to obtain eternal life (verse 25). It's an "all-in" process - and that includes loving God with "all your mind." Does that mean turning your brain off at the church door? We believe it's exactly the opposite....

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. - Philippians 4:8

For instance, it means thinking over whether poker players are telling "true stories" in the way they play their hands. It also means thinking carefully about what God really expects of your life....

...But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. - I Thessalonians 5:21 (NLT)

Sometimes the "gospel truth" well-intentioned people bring you is really "fake news." You can prove fact from fiction by comparing those comments with the Bible. If you're not a Bible reader, we recommend doing it daily to understand God properly.

But we digress....

The countdown went to zero, and our "two-minute drill" was on! We pressed the slot machine's "play" button with our right hand about six times a second, while saving our left hand for balloons to pop. We saw "second place" on our screen at one point early, and noticed we were above 60,000 points at the one-minute mark (everyone starts with 10,000).

"We want balloons!" we said to the machine several times, changing hands for the "play" button to avoid slowing down. To our knowledge, we didn't miss any balloons. But were we strong enough to win?

"You beat me!" we said to the man on our right after the clock reached zero. Our final score: 82,035 points. He was above 88,000. Based on the early results, 100,000 or more probably would be required to "make the money" - and we were only sixth in our group.

With our daily exercise (as we called it) completed, we walked over to the birthday party area. Jack's email promised cupcakes, but Jack topped that (for a change) with a full two-flavor cake, cookies and punch.

"If I had eaten the cake before the game, I might have done better," we joked to people around us. Perhaps a "sugar rush" would have made us press buttons faster. Instead, we settled for a consolation prize of a small win at a blackjack table.

In contrast to this, Hollywood Casino Indiana awarded us $15 in "birthday comps" on our card - good for a couple of free meals at one of the restaurants. Which deal do you think was better? Use your mind to comment - and even to worship the God who makes these moments possible.

Poker Night 542: What's Your Sign?

We asked God in prayer during the day if we should play poker tonight at Jack Casino, or do something else. Then during the day, something happened that.... well, let's jump to the moment in the tournament where we were able to share it with everyone:

BLINDS: 1,500/3,000

IN THE POCKET: 8-8

It's been a big night for us, in terms of hitting big hands. Pocket Aces in the Big Blind led to one win. We hit full houses at least twice, with one of them gaining 7,000 chips on the river. With little trouble, we made it to the final table with about 52,700 chips!

Now nine players remain, with six officially getting money. We have about 51,100 chips. And when we see this pocket pair in second position, we smile - then slow-play them by calling. The man sitting next to us then goes all-in. The rest of the table folds.

"There's a story behind my decision," we then explain.

"Is it a long story?" a man out of the hand asks.

"I'll keep it short. I was looking for a sign about whether I should play here tonight. And then at work, I saw a number pass my desk - LOTS of this number. So...."

"Was it A-K?" people around the table ask. "Sixes?"

"So I'm calling.... with eights."

"Then I feel better," the man who pushed says. He turns over.... pocket 10's. This is an expensive play for us; it's 29,900 to call.

ON THE FLOP: 2-4-7

Not looking good here. We need a third 8 - but we've made full houses on the turn and river already tonight.

ON THE TURN: 5

OK - now a 6 could rescue us with a straight.

"Did you have some sort of premonition about this?" a scoffer asks. "Did you see snowmen?"

ON THE RIVER: 4

The 10's win, and we take a crippling loss. But we've put the table in an uproar, by explaining we considered all those eights we saw at work a sign from God. More on that in a moment.

Back at the tournament, we were left with about 18,000 chips. We feared we might miss the money again. But then other players with much more pushed - only to be eliminated. Within minutes, only seven players were left!

The group then agreed to pay the "bubble boy" - a poker phrase for the player who misses the prize pool by one spot. We join the other six men in contributing $10 cash. As it happens, we were in the Big Blind - and saw A-Q!

"No story. Just pushing," we said. Our last 16,200 went in. The man who beat us minutes earlier called us again - and was pained to see our cards, because he had A-J.

"Did you see anything with the name Jack in it today?" he asked. We couldn't think of anything. But the flop brought a Jack, to give him a winning pair. We finished in seventh place, out of 37 entries.

Someone paid one dollar too little to the "bubble boy" fund, so we wound up with $69. That didn't cover our $80 buy-in - but we're calling it a "cash", anyway. We're thankful to God for little wins. And you know.... that "sign of the eights" may have been right after all.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "You mean God told you to play poker?!?!" one man across the table exclaimed as we told our story.

"God doesn't care about a poker game," said another.

"But God made the greatest gamble of all, by sending His Son," we responded. "How'd that turn out?"

Only one man wanted to comment on that. "They rolled dice for His clothes." And that's true....

When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares.... "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said: "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing," So this is what the soldiers did. - John 19:23-24

Some Bible translations openly call this "gambling" - but did you notice it fulfilled a prophecy about Jesus? That moment was predicted in Psalm 22:18!

But our point was more about how the first coming of Jesus to Earth actually had a happy ending, beyond the crucifixion. Well, "had" and "will have"....

We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.... And so we will be with the Lord forever. - I Thessalonians 4:14, 17

Your Bible says Jesus Christ will come again, to resurrect believers and give them eternal life. This won't be a gamble - it will be guaranteed. Are you ready for that moment, whenever it might come?

(As for numbers and signs - we'll dig deeper into that in a future post.)

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 199 final tables in 542 games (36.7%) - 41 cashes. Tonight was our second cash of 2018. And our remarkable final table run in our new area is now seven out of nine!

In the Eye of the Storm

Many poker games are friendly and good-natured - an evening for buddies to get together and have a good time. Many of our tournaments have been that way, even at casinos.

But what we saw in our first tournament at JACK Casino Cincinnati was different. Several of the players were dead serious - barking at each other and accusing them of committing violations worthy of penalties. It was a bit like WWE Monday Night Raw (even though that was not on any of the TV screens in the room).

In fact, a man to our right at the start of the evening seemed ready to draw us into the fuss. When we eliminated a player who went all-in, he bumped our chair with delight - the closest thing he could do to hugging us after a hockey goal. Apparently we'd knocked out one of his main rivals.

What do you do when it feels like you're surrounded by Phil Hellmuths having bad days? We picked up on the mood right away, so here's part of what we did....

1. FOCUS ON THE GAME. Instead of getting caught up in the circus around us, we played our cards (with perhaps one exception) as we normally would. There's a Biblical reminder along those lines....

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" - Matthew 14:28-30

Peter did something miraculous when he stepped out in faith and looked toward Jesus. When he saw stormy circumstances, trouble happened.

Many people pick on Peter for losing that focus - but consider this. Where were Jesus's other disciples at that moment? They "were terrified" and never left the boat (verse 26). Refusing to play poker until a stormy table calms down could cost you a big opportunity.

2. NOTE VIOLATIONS PEACEFULLY. At least twice during the tournament, a man to our left acted on his cards before we played ours.

"Uhhhhhhh....." we said loudly when it happened. That's all we needed to say; the dealer and others at the table got the message and responded accordingly. And we didn't rub it in to the other man. He had to skip some hands, and that was sufficient.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath.... - Romans 12:18-19

And along those lines....

3. BE SPORTSMANLIKE. When we finally lost at the final table, we walked around the table and shook the hand of the man who eliminated us. We didn't notice many others people doing that, but it's something we've always done.

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. - I Thessalonians 5:15

Take those small steps at a poker table - whether the mood is sunny or stormy - and you're likely to stand out as different from the crowd. But it probably will be in a respectful way.

Fair Dealing

If you think temptation is a problem during poker hands, consider the people who deal the cards.

A dealer at Las Vegas casinos recently was fired after being accused of stealing chips from a cash game and sneaking them into his tip box. The man left one casino under a cloud, but went to a different casino and continued dealing cards for several months.

The Nevada Gaming Commission reportedly doesn't hold hearings like this very often. Dealers are normally under a strict code of conduct; some of them can't play table games where they work on their off hours. But let's face it: dealers handle a lot of money - even if it's in the form of chips, and other people are trying to win it.

If you play poker, can you be as disciplined as the dealers have to be? Can you abide by a simple command....

You shall not steal.- Exodus 20:15

Sounds easy enough, you might say. But can you go even beyond that?

Abstain from all appearance of evil. - I Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV)

Is playing poker evil? Some ministers say so - but regular readers of this blog know we consider that matter more complex. We're talking here about playing ethically - not taking shortcuts or peeking at other players' cards.

Dealers should know better than to cheat. Where we played near Wichita, overhead cameras could track every table. Think about what God can do when you play:

The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. - Proverbs 15:3

May your eyes and words and thinking be above reproach - as God might be looking in.

Naming Names

People around our poker tables are speaking well of the new poker-themed movie Molly's Game. It's based on a true story - the sort of story federal prosecutors in Kansas still are writing.

Courtesy KWCH.com

An FBI investigation we first mentioned 11 months ago now has led to indictments in our area. A former state trooper is accused of lying about his involvement in an illegal "home game". Two former police officers are charged with obstructing law enforcement. One man already has pleaded guilty to "operating an illegal gambling business."

The scene of the alleged crimes is described as a place with video surveillance equipment (to spot cheaters, or thieves?), hired poker dealers and a server who provided massages.

While all the suspects are innocent until proven guilty, you'd think the three law officers would have known better. Simply playing such a game was "cheating the system." And the Bible warns against such things....

"Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the Lord Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations." - Malachi 1:14

OK, animal sacrifices have nothing to do with our story. But take that part out, and these words remain:

"Cursed is the cheat... For I am a great king," says the Lord Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations."

If you break the laws of man, you risk being broken by them. If you break God's law, you should be fearful - because you risk His judgment as well.

Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?.... - I Corinthians 6:8-9

A lengthy, potentially controversial list of "wicked" traits follows - including "thieves" and "the greedy" (verse 10). We get the feeling from the indictment that this home game was for much more than pennies or M&M's.

We've said it before and we'll say it again: if you're going to play poker, do it legally. There are many ways to do it - online or in freeroll events, if you want to avoid casinos.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. - I Thessalonians 5:21-22 (KJV)

You might not win as much money, but it still will be every bit as fun and exciting (see our most recent post for an example of that). Hopefully you'll leave not only with a clean conscience, but a clean record before God.

Plug Here, Unplug There

Some people hope Scott Blumstein's win of the World Series of Poker Main Event will lead to more legal online gambling on poker in the U.S. But in other places, the exact opposite is occurring.

Australia's Senate voted this week for what some news sources call a "ban" on playing "online poker legally." But one article quoted an email from PokerStars in April, that explains what's really going on:

It’s with great sadness that we have to say that if this bill is passed it means we will have to halt real money poker play for you and all other Australian players,” the email read.

We think this is about "real money" poker play - as in online cash games. That's because there are plenty of sites in the U.S. where you can play poker, and even win prizes. But they're free to enter.

Australian officials made it clear their concern is about stopping "problem gambling" - as in addictive behavior. Our dictionary defines "addict" as "to have or give (oneself) habitually or compulsively." Based on that, religious anti-gambling groups can sound like they're encouraging a swap of one "addiction" for another:

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. - Psalm 119:97

All day?!?! Does that mean a believer in God should lock himself in a room and only read the Bible (especially the first five books) from sunrise to sunset? Well....

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing.... - I Thessalonians 5:16-17 (NASB)

So are we supposed to only speak to God all day as well?!

Those seem like very extreme views to us. And the Bible tries to balance out that thinking....

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." - II Thessalonians 3:10

Time by ourselves with God is good. He established a Sabbath day for that (among other reasons). But people who cloister themselves non-stop and don't do anything else might be surprised when "manna from heaven" stops.

People can become addicted to all sorts of things, from poker games to religious cults. We think the key is to have a balanced approach in life - and add God to that balance, if He is missing. That's where we think many people go astray:

"For in him we live and move and have our being." As some of your own poets have said, "We are his offspring." - Acts 17:28

Without God, you wouldn't have life - much less a brain to make decisions at a poker table. Plug Him in to your life agenda, even if it means tossing a few things away.

Poker Day 494: Show and Tell

It always helps a poker player to know what his opponent has. But let's face it - how often does that happen? Well, check what we encountered Friday at Kansas Star Casino....

BLINDS: 300/600

IN THE POCKET: Q-5 offsuit

If the blinds are this high, we've done pretty well. It's level seven, and we've won some nice pots to reach a high for the day of 11,500 chips. We honestly don't remember how many we had at this point. And we don't recall anyone raising pre-flop. We recall three players entering the hand, out of seven or eight at the table.

ON THE FLOP: Q-10-3

At this point in the tournament, top pair on the flop is nice. Out notes indicate we checked, then a woman to our left bets 1,300. A man to the right folds, but we call.

"I want to go play cards," the woman says (she means at some other casino table) - and turns over K-10! The rest of the table wonders what she's doing, since she has plenty of chips left.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were all in," she says to us. No, far from it. We have several thousand chips left - and we suddenly have a huge advantage which goes beyond top vs. second pair.

"I'm going to have to call the Tournament Director," the dealer says. While that woman comes over, the play continues....

ON THE TURN: A

We have first position, and we're neither showing nor telling what we have. Instead we bet 1,200. The woman seems resigned to her fate, and calls. As we recall, a flush threat was on the board at this point....

ON THE RIVER: A

....But that card settled that. Now we know we've won the pot. So we pretend to do some math, and bet 1,200 more. She calls. We show our Queen. We won a big pot. And the Tournament Director now makes her ruling.

"You'll have to take a ten-minute penalty," she tells the woman we beat. That woman still has a good-sized stack of chips - and now has time to go play "craps," as she put it.

When we win a big pot that way, we get the feeling it's going to be a good day for us. It wasn't easy, though, with a couple of all-in escapes from three tables down. But a big win with a pair of 6's allowed us to reach the final table with 13,500 chips!

Once we got there, a pursuit with A-8 lost. That forced us to push with A-5 - and while a 5 appeared on the board, another man made a pair of Kings to eliminate us. Out of 71 players, we finished in ninth place. That missed the money by two spots, but allowed us to match a final-table start to 2016 in live play.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We took our "Lord's Supper" card protector, which gained the attention of several people. One dealer figured out right away what it displayed.

"The church I attend will take that in about 11 weeks," we told him. "We only take it once a year."

That may come as a surprise to some people. In fact, we were in a congregation about a week earlier which takes communion at every worship service. Which approach is right?

We don't think the Bible gives a flat-out answer, but it offers some clues....

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.... Take care of them until the 14th day of the month...." - Exodus 12:1-2, 6

This was the mention of a Passover in the Bible (verse 11). A lamb was set aside and prepared for days, before the Israelites left Egypt. Many observant Jews still do something like this once a year, in the spring.

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover." - Luke 22:7-8

Jesus's physical heritage was Jewish, so He followed the ancient example.

And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." - Luke 22:15

Instead of departing Egypt, Jesus was able to enter about 18 hours of personal darkness - with an arrest, persecution and crucifixion. Yet He took the Passover (or communion or "Lord's Supper") first - following tradition, but adding new symbols (verses 19-21).

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. - I Corinthians 11:26

Jesus Christ died for us. The Bible leaves no doubt about that (I Thessalonians 4:14). "It's that big a deal," we told the dealer - something we don't think should be diminished by taking the Passover/Lord's Supper repeatedly. So we would ask: how big a deal is Jesus's sacrifice to you? And how big should it be?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 182 final tables in 494 games (36.8%), 36 cashes. We've finished 12th and ninth in our last two trips to Kansas Star, both in tournaments with 70-plus players.

The First Trump - and the Last

As a new U.S. President prepares to take office, the speculation keeps swirling about what his policies might be - even when it comes to poker.

One website has been "fair and balanced" in recent days by offering two views of what Donald Trump might do to online poker. Optimists point out he wanted to invest in online gambling five years ago. Pessimists say Congressional leaders will block any effort to legalize it.

Overriding all that, however, is the outright fear many U.S. residents are expressing about a Trump administration. While they may not be loading moving trucks and buying Canadian road maps, they're concerned the next President will end a lot of what they consider "American values."

A few "religious" folks even think Trump will fulfill Bible prophecies (if he hasn't done it already). And maybe we're beating all the religious scholars with this discovery....

Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump.... - I Corinthians 15:51-52 (KJV)

Aha - a mention of "trump" in the Bible! But hold on. Let's be logical here, and keep reading to see who or what this "trump" is:

...for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. - I Corinthians 15:52b (KJV)

It's not a person, it's a noise-making instrument. (The Greek root word for "trump" and "trumpet" are the same.) And that "last trump" is going to bring something amazing.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. - I Thessalonians 4:16 (KJV)

We seriously doubt Donald Trump has ever "raised" a dead person. (If we're wrong, he'll probably let us know on Twitter.) But "the trump of God" will bring a resurrection of all those who have died in Christ!

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to met the Lord in the air.... - I Thessalonians 4:17

The apostle Paul wrote these words to believers in a church (I Thessalonians 1:1). So church members will join the "dead in Christ" in the first resurrection, when Jesus Christ comes down from heaven. Talk about a "raise!"

But you may be wondering why there's a "last trump" at all. Does that mean there's more than one? Yes, there will be....

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." - Revelation 11:15

You can read about those "trumps" beginning in Revelation 8. Some frightening things are forecast to happen on this earth - but in the end, God's kingdom will prevail.

So to be honest, Donald Trump is not the "trump" we've personally been waiting for. There's another one - and no, not Ivanka or Tiffany. It's "the trump of God." Is it your hope these days?

Aces Cracked?

Our background is not in poker, statistics or even theology. It's journalism - so when we see an interesting poker story, we can't help breaking the news. That's what we're doing here today.

It stems from Saturday night. We went to Nikki's Poker Room for our third tournament there, walked to the door - and declared, "It's locked."

"We know," one of three people standing outside said.

"Why?"

"We don't know." The "OPEN" light was on, but no one was home - well past the posted opening time of 6:30 p.m.

Since the night was cool, we went to our car and waited to see if someone would open the door for the other men. But no one did. Minutes later, one of them came to our car with stunning news: "They decided to shut down. Friday was their last day."

Wow - what led up to this?  That man learned the information from Facebook. So when we returned home, we checked Nikki's page:

The city of Wichita has begun shutting down all known gambling establishments. With heavy hearts we are sad to announce that Friday, January 15th, will be our final night of business.... With hope, we look forward to opening our doors again in the future....

In response to some comments, Nikki's added this:

...seems the city feels we hurt the casino.

Posts by Nikki's on Thursday and Friday seemed to reveal where the issue really is:

IT DOES NOT COST TO PLAY POKER . THIS IS A CHAIR RENTAL FEE. 

We wondered about this wording when we moved back to Kansas three years ago. It's how poker rooms justify how they operate and make a profit. But is it legal?

Another Wichita poker room has posted "legal links" on its website. One of them includes this noteworthy statement:

It is illegal to require any person to make a donation or contribution in order to gain admittance to "casino night" to play the games.

A poker tournament isn't really a "casino night" fundraiser. But let's face it: if you don't pay the "chair rental" at poker room, you don't get any chips or cards.

(The Kansas State Poker Championship was challenged on this a couple of years ago. It's a "Cards for the Cure" event with an entry fee, but organizers insisted they gained proper permission from the District Attorney's office.)

If other local poker rooms are receiving a "crackdown" by Wichita police, they have not said so publicly. But this blog can reveal a Wichita police officer sat at our table (plain-clothes) during our December 24 tournament; he told us so as he was eliminated. Whether or not he was checking the legality of Nikki's actions, we don't know.

There's a broad lesson in all of this - for poker tournament organizers, poker players and people in general. Looking for loopholes in the law can get you in trouble with the law.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. - I Thessalonians 5:21-22 (KJV)

Things that look a little strange or suspicious are bound to get investigated sooner or later. Ask any of this year's presidential candidates about that. It's far better to stay close to the law, and to the God who is the "lawgiver."

The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. - Proverbs 13:14 (KJV)

In the meantime, we can say we went two-for-two in tournaments at Nikki's Poker Room - both making final tables and winning money. We thank God for a nice touch on the poker resume.

Remember As You Play....

...Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - I Thessalonians 5:18

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. It's a custom not many other countries have. But it's something we all should do - even if there's no national holiday or big dinner associated with it.

The casino closest to our door is offering a special ten-hour Thanksgiving buffet. But no, we plan to eat elsewhere.  And really now - when was the last time you heard someone openly give thanks for a casino?

This year, we're actually thankful to God for the opportunity to play casino poker - especially after our amazing two-day back-to-back final table combination in August. We've won some money, and had several opportunities to share our faith.

And what if we hadn't won a dime? We still would be thankful for the freedom to speak up about the things of God, and how good He desires to be.

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. - Psalm 7:17

You may have the tallest stack of chips known to man. You may have simply "a chip and a chair."  Whatever your situation, at the table or outside it, be thankful to God for any blessing you have - because ultimately He's the one who provides it to you.

...Because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! - II Corinthians 9:14-15

Funeral for a Poker Friend, Part 2

We return to the funeral we attended this past week for fellow poker player "Bobby."  He died in a car crash 13 November.

The short message by a church deacon (we think Bobby's grandson) included these words to the grieving family: "Robert knows a lot more about giving and taking -- and hoarding! - now than he did last Friday morning."

Was this a reference to Bobby's poker habit?  We didn't ask afterward, so we don't know. But let's face it - the object of the game in poker is to hoard. The tournament is won by the player who takes everyone else's chips. But there are other games that work that way; Monopoly and checkers come to mind.

Hopefully Bobby was able to detach that poker objective from the rest of his life. It's something we all should do:

People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell. - Proverbs 11:26

If you're rounding up items for a time of trouble that you know is coming, that seems wise. But will you be willing to share those items when the trouble comes? That shows what kind of a loving heart you have - as Joseph showed when he knew seven years of plenty would be followed by a famine (Genesis 41).

But wait a minute - the deacon claimed Robert knows a lot more about these things now.  We realize this may step on some religious toes, but that's not what the Bible says.

For the living know that they shall died, but the dead know nothing.... for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. - Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10

These words were written by King Solomon, one of the wisest men of his time. These are words of the Bible, the "word of truth" (John 17:17).  He said dead people "know nothing."

But the deacon also claimed we're on a transition "from life to life" - where death perhaps is only instantaneous, and we pass into the next life immediately.  That's also not what the Bible says.

For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said, "The Lord said to my Lord: 'Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.'" - Acts 2:34-35 (NLT)

King David talked of Jesus's resurrection (verse 32) - not his own. That's coming someday, but hasn't happened yet.

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, and the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. - I Thessalonians 4:16

David will go up when Jesus Christ comes down - and not until. If Bobby was judged to be among "the dead in Christ," he'll go up then as well.

In the meantime, we all should walk in a way so that we'll be considered "the dead in Christ." Learn Jesus's ways now, and practice them daily. You may indeed understand them a lot more after you die - but that will be the start of living with Jesus in God's Kingdom forever.

Poker Day 452: The Road Home?

After a few days doing other vacation-time things, our BPPT ended today on home ground. We entered the Friday 12:00 noon tournament at Arrowhead Poker, which has a reputation of being the biggest of the week there.  But Kansas Star Casino now has its own Friday noon game, so the turnout today was small.

We won a couple of small pots early, but then hopeful pre-flop bets failed miserably.  We survived to the final table on a two-table day, but things came down to this:

BLINDS: 10,000/20,000

IN THE POCKET: K-7 of clubs

We've stayed alive with a couple of pushes so far -- but in both cases, no one called to allow us a big double-up.  Now we have 30,000 chips left, with Big Blind and Small Blind coming in the next two hands.  Bottom line: we're out of time, and have to play anything reasonable.  Like this one -- reminding us of K-7 highway, leading to some of our relatives.

"It's now or never," we say as we push.  Eight players remain.  A man at the opposite corner of the table from us, who's acted like a poker newcomer at times (such as trying to fold the Big Blind when he could check) goes all-in for 40,000.  He has A-2.  The man in the Big Blind simply can't resist, and calls. He has something less than the others (which we don't recall).  We have a horse race.

ON THE FLOP: 6-10-Q

None of these are clubs.  That hurts, but no one's hit a pair yet.

ON THE TURN: 5

Still no matches.  Still two live cards for us.

ON THE RIVER: 5

The only pair is on the board.  The newcomer's Ace is high, so he takes us out and triples his stack.  We leave with another "earned" final table (as opposed to a one-table tournament) -- and we realize if eighth place is our worst showing in a tournament during this "poker tour" week, we've actually had a very good week.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We used a bottle of hand sanitizer as our card protector, explaining to the man next to us we wanted to clean up some of the hands in the tournament.  And oh yes....

"I use this to remind me I need Jesus to clean up my life."

"I like that second part," the man next to us said.  He went on to say he believes in Jesus as his Savior.

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

The man seemed thrown by this question. "Everything," he said quietly.

Would this kind of question stump you?  We try to thank Jesus in prayer for all the significant events of each day....

...Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - I Thessalonians 5:18

But what if the events don't always turn out the way we hoped -- like missing the money, after making it three times in a row?  We still look for the positive in it:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. - James 1:2-3

If you need to learn lessons from a poker loss, go ahead and learn them -- and thank God that you're still able to learn lessons and go forward from there.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 166 final tables in 452 games (36.7%) - 29 cashes.

Multiple Main Events

For many poker players, today is one of the biggest days of the year. The World Series of Poker's "Main Event" begins in Las Vegas - the most prestigious tournament, with perhaps the biggest top prize at stake.

No, we're not entering the Main Event again this year. Our schedule does not allow us to play - not to mention the $10,000 buy-in, which is a bit over our budget.

Instead, we want to ask a question. What would you say are the biggest "Main Events" in history? Not in poker - but in general?

We don't think they're moments on a military battlefield, or from a court bench. We think they're bigger than that.  For starters....

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. - Genesis 1:1

Now this event was big. Without God creating these things, where could humans live?

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. - Genesis 1:27

Without that main event, you would not exist. And while there may be famous portraits of poker-playing dogs, we can't name any animals who actually play - much less write blogs about it.

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife, But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son And he gave him the name Jesus. - Matthew 1:24-25

The birth of Jesus was another main event - because God brought His Son Jesus into the world, that we might have eternal life (John 3:16).

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. - John 19:30

Jesus came, and then He died. Why is that a main event? Because of what happened shortly thereafter:

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! - Romans 5:10

Jesus was resurrected from the dead (Romans 8:11), giving us hope of being resurrected as well. In fact, that's the next big main event - one that many believers long to see:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. - I Thessalonians  4:16-17

The return of Jesus is the next "Main Event" of history - and it offers a reward for far more than the "top ten percent" of all players.

If you have doubts about any of these events, we invite you to review them carefully. Then ask yourself: are you looking forward to the main events that really matters?

Praying About Playing

With the National Day of Prayer in the U.S. almost here, we asked in our last post about ways in which poker players should pray.  We think it goes far beyond hitting a "one-card out" on the river when you're all in.

With the NDP website as a guide, one good way to start is to pray for the people who have the power to decide whether you can play legally at all.

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. - I Timothy 2:1-2

State and national legislators have the authority to set rules for playing poker.  So do local and state gaming boards.

But note the wording of those verses.  We really should pray for everyone, that things may be "peaceful and quiet" when you play.  We've met some people who show up for poker night with an attitude that is quite the opposite -- and a few drinks served in bars can only make things worse.

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. - Matthew 5:44-45

These words of Jesus admittedly can be very hard to do.  It's easy to desire getting even with persecutors -- people who get on your nerves at the poker table, either with words or demeanor.  The King James adds those people might "despitefully use you."  Yet the Lord tells us to pray for them.  To help do that....

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.... Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. - Psalm 51:2-3, 10

Yes, it means praying for yourself.  Pray for God to give you a proper spirit and heart, so you can be a good example during the game.  And last, but probably not least....

Pray continually. - I Thessalonians 5:17 

A prayerful attitude should be part of our lives all the time.  Not only on one designated day of prayer, and not only before a big poker tournament.  May God help you to develop such an attitude -- inside and outside the poker room.