Poker and Stars

Some people think poker is all about luck - catching the right cards at the right time. In fact, some casinos make that idea a marketing tool.

During our years playing poker at a Kansas casino, this was our "membership card." Kansas Star Casino has a "Lucky Star" system, where players can gain points for food discounts or enter giveaways. But really now - how lucky are stars, anyway?

You may have heard about people thanking "their lucky stars" for success at poker or other things. One online dictionary indicates the phrase has been in common English use for at least 100 years. Its origins may be in astrology of the middle ages, or from ancient China or Japan.

But the Bible encourages looking beyond the stars - to the One who made them:

God made two great lights - the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. - Genesis 1:16

There's one "star" in particular which covets our attention. But it's not really a star anymore....

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! - Isaiah 14:12

The Latin version of the Old Testament translates "morning star" as "Lucifer." As in the devil. Many church groups consider Lucifer a fallen archangel, who tried to take over the throne of God and failed (verses 13-15). Yet Lucifer/Satan still desires our worship today - even tempting Jesus about it:

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." - Matthew 4:8-9

Jesus refused to give in to that temptation, replying that God alone should be worshiped and served (verse 10).

In contrast to all of that, the Bible speaks of a better "star" which deserves attention - and even our praise. And no, it's not a "PokerStar". We'll explain that one in an upcoming post.

The R.O.I.

"You usually don't play cash games," a poker dealer said as we passed the poker room entrance Thursday night.

"True," we replied. "But I'm here for something else."

We explained an unusual Thursday night trip to Kansas Star Casino was for a blackjack tournament. It guarantees a $20,000 prize pool with a $10,000 top prize, for a mere $35 buy-in.

Since we've had small gains at times playing blackjack and the buy-in was less than for a casino poker tournament, we decided to try it. Thursday's first night of qualifying had room for 108 players - but apparently not every seat was filled, as the Director invited late entries on the house mic before the third round.

We sat at a table of six in the first round, with a starting stack of $500 in chips. Everyone had 18 hands to build the biggest stack they could, using regular blackjack rules.

When the first count was taken after 12 hands, we had $962.50. That put us second at our table. But with the top 30 players on the evening advancing to the semifinals, would that be good enough?

Not knowing where "the cut" would come (to borrow from golf), we increased our betting in the last six hands. Ups and downs came, but a $250 payoff on the final hand gave us a final count of $912.50. That was second-best at our table, behind a man with $1,275. Two players went for it all on the final hand, and went bust.

We had to wait until 9:30 p.m. for the evening rankings to be revealed - and we were satisfied to place 19th. First place had $3,075, while the 30th-place cut was $640. All 30 of us move on to the semifinals 22 February, but we'll have to do better then. Only the top player at each table will move on to the finals, and only the top six finishers overall will make money.

"This reminds me of Jeopardy," we told a woman next to us at the table - as in how much to wager and when. We started at $25, and increased slowly from there as our stack grew.

But our 82.5% chip gain reminded us of something else. It's a parable of Jesus....

He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'" - Luke 19:12-13

In this familiar Bible story, most of the servants put their "chip stacks" of one mina each to work. Eventually the king returned to check on them:

The first one came and said, "Sir, your mina has earned ten more." "Well done, my good servant," his master replied. "Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities." - Luke 19:16-17

A big reward for the servant who increased his stack by 1,000%! Another servant had a 500% return on investment, and received a five-city payoff (verses 18-19).

Then another servant came and said, "Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man...." - Luke 19:20-21

As someone told us at a poker night in Georgia years ago, "Scared money don't win." It didn't win here....

His master replied: "I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant!... Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?" - Luke 19:22-23

Refusing to bet the $500 at the blackjack tournament would not have made the cut. The king wound up removing the mina from the scared servant (verse 24). A parallel report of the parable offers this lesson from it....

For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. - Matthew 25:29

This parable has meaning far outside the casino walls. Jesus went to heaven to become King of Kings, and He'll come back to earth someday....

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. - Matthew 16:27

Among other things, Jesus will check to see what you've done with the "talents" (to use King James English) that God has given you. It's called the day of judgment:

...The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:12

You may think your "chip stack" in life is small. But God has given each of us the breath of life. What are you doing with that, to provide an "ROI" for what the "royal original Immanuel" has provided you?

Poker Day 502: Dressed to the Nines

We felt a touch of guilt about going to Kansas Star Casino for poker this week. The tournament was on Father's Day - and we're not a Dad. But then again, the casino handed out free toaster ovens to slot players Sunday. What kind of a Father's Day gift is that?

The attendance surprised us, by being down for the Sunday tournament. We didn't have to wait for a seat. That meant we didn't have to miss amazing hands like this one....

BLINDS: 75/150

IN THE POCKET: A-2

After a slow start with small lost pots, we're starting to turn things around. We've taken a hand or two, and nearly have our starting stack of 12,000 chips back. Now we're in the Big Blind, and are happy to check with a hidden Ace when the table doesn't raise. About four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 9-9-9

"The Cox Cable flop," we call this - although we're not sure that's the company's introductory rate for anything anymore. But if anyone is holding a pocket pair, they picked up a full house in a hurry. We didn't, so we check. Yet no one bets.

ON THE TURN: 9

"You don't see that very often," someone at the table says. Indeed - we have quads! And for that matter, so does everyone else in the hand! But that means our Ace kicker gives us the best hand. When the Small Blind bets 300, we assume he does as well. We call. So does a third man across the table.

"If this next card is a 9," we joke, "I want an investigation...."

ON THE RIVER: 7

A meaningless card, if there ever was one. Now the Small Blind bets 300 again. Not enough for us.

"I'll add 1,000 more," we say. The man across from us calls. So does the Small Blind.

"I've got an Ace," we say and show. Sure enough, so does the Small Blind. But the man across from us has King-high! What was he thinking - a table full of bluffers?

It winds us being a split pot for the blinds, a gain for us, and an embarrassment for that third player whose thinking clearly was wrong.

There was a pattern to the day for us - with small declines early in the 80-minute terms, and nice gains in the second half. Our chip count grew to 13,800 at the first break. Then more than 20,000 at the second break, as all-in bets with cards such as K-K and A-K started winning big. Then huge gains in the third term, to reach more than 37,000!

We reached the final table with 54,000, then made a Jack on the river with A-J for two pair to knock out two opponents! But we feared we'd blown it badly when our A-K lost a race to J-10; the opponent made three 10's and cost us more than 80,000. But we won a couple more hands, to reach the money with seven to go!

But then other players slowed down the game, and we ran out of time on our schedule. We work an overnight shift these days, so we felt compelled to push with second pair and A-9 (as best we remember). An opponent with a King had top pair and took us out.

Out of 66 players, we finished in fifth place and made a $300 payday. We're thankful that out tenth anniversary live poker tournament was one of our most successful.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Since it was Father's Day, a little of the table talk was about children. One dealer recently had a son, named Aaron.

"That's a football name," one player said.

"That's a Biblical name" we responded. "The right-hand man of Moses."

That comment brought no response. Perhaps you've forgotten someone named Aaron was even in the Bible. We meet him first in Exodus....

Then the Lord's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well." - Exodus 4:14

Moses wanted someone else to do the talking, in appeals.to Pharaoh to let the Israelites out of Egypt (verse 13). Aaron became the "spokesman" for the two, with help from God (verse 15).  What else do you know about Aaron? Share a comment, and we'll add to this in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 184 final tables in 502 games (36.7%) - 37 cashes. We've made final tables three times in eight trips to Kansas Star this year, and cashed for the first time since a trip to Tulsa last December.

Poker Day 470: Royalty to the Rescue

We didn't recall seeing it there a week earlier, but Kansas Star Casino now has a "family bathroom." It's between a men's room and a women's room on the casino floor -- a casino floor you cannot enter unless you can prove you're 21.

We saw a "woman" come out of that restroom during a break in Friday's poker tournament, without a child. You're welcome to comment on that if you wish - but we went primarily for the poker:

BLINDS: 75/150

IN THE POCKET: K-Q offsuit

We've had ups and downs during the first hour of the tournament: we won a couple of pots, including one with pocket Aces we never showed, but we were burned in others. With the first break approaching, we're down to about 2,000 chips. (We misplaced our little note pad, so some of this is a guess.) We think someone raised to 300, so we call it.

ON THE FLOP: J-10-7

There's a lot of promise here, with an open-ended straight draw. I man across the table tries a bet of 500 (as best we remember). A man to his left calls - and we decide to take a stand. We call as well.

ON THE TURN: 9

Talk about an action card!  A man across the table bets 1,000. A man next to him goes all-in, for a bit more than we have.

"I'm all-in for 1,200," we announce.  The worst we can do at the moment is split the pot - but somehow we think that other man made his straight with an 8. The first player thinks it over, then calls.  He has two pair, so he's outgunned.

"I have an 8," the first player to push says.

We pause for a moment of study/drama.  "I'm higher than that," we then say as we turn over our cards - holding the best possible straight.

ON THE RIVER: 10

The board pairing changes nothing. We gain a near triple-up, returning to near the starting point in chips at 3,350.

We gained even more shortly after the break, when 5-8 in the Big Blind turned into two pair on the flop. Our high chip count was about 6,500. But then attempts for more big gains with A-8 and A-7 fell short against bold bettors. Those are cards we probably should have folded, playing tighter.

Finally we were down to 1,200 chips again - and seeing A-10, we pushed again. But another player called with pocket Kings, and no Aces came for us. On a day of improvement, we finished 24th out of 62 players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: There were improvements here as well. For instance, at one point the top prize in the tournament was $666.

"The devil's game," someone said.

"And in what book of the Bible will you find 6-6-6?" we asked a man to our right, turning it into a trivia question.

After a moment, he took a guess. "I think it's in Revelation..." Yes, he was correct:

This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666. - Revelation 13:18

"Do you read the Bible?" we asked the man. He indicated he did. We didn't ask what he's read lately. Perhaps we should have. And if we really wanted to press the issue, we could have mentioned this....

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. - James  1:22

It's amazing how many people apply this to "unlucky numbers," avoiding 666 -- but they don't often do that for other things in the Bible.

For instance, we challenge you to examine a list in I Corinthians 6:9-10 - a list of traits which will prevent people from inheriting the Kingdom of God. Might any of those apply to you?  We'll look at that list closely in an upcoming post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 176 final tables in 470 games (37.4%) - 33 cashes. A busy schedule will keep us from playing at Yvie's Monday night. .

Poker Day 460: Double Your Pleasure?

So if we could win money playing poker on "Christmas Eve," could we sweep the weekend and win on "Christmas Day"? We decided to find out by driving to Kansas Star Casino. It's had a "High Noon" Friday tournament all year. But in a potentially troubling sign, it's being phased out - and the poker room has moved to a place with only eight tables, instead of 13.

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: A-10 of diamonds

We won an early pot with pocket 6's, but haven't done much beyond that. Hopeful chances have turned into problematic folds. We've reached the first break, but with only 1,000 chips out of a starting 3,500.

A change of dealers during the break has done us a favor. We were supposed to be in the Big Blind for this hand. Instead, the button was accidentally moved twice so we're in the Small Blind. Either way, this is a pushing hand for us. When one man raises to 300, we go all in. He calls.... and shows A-Q. Uh-oh.

ON THE FLOP: K-9-3 (middle card may not be precise)

No help for anyone - and no diamonds to let us dream of a flush.

ON THE TURN: 3

The board pairs, and actually gives us some hope. If a second pair comes....

ON THE RIVER: K

It does come! Two pair + Ace kicker = split pot. Too bad the other players folded, because our gain is small - from 1,000 to 1,200. But at least we escaped to fight another hand.

And on that next hand, A-10 came again. Again we bet the bundle, and the Small Blind called.

"Second verse, same as the first?!" We borrowed from an old pop song as we showed.

Well, not quite. Our opponent turned over A-J. The board didn't pair for either of us, and he knocked us out. No sweep this weekend, as we finished 27th out of 42 players - but at least we won back $35 of our $50 buy-in playing Ultimate Texas Hold 'em.
 

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Sir, that's a very unusual card protector," a man to our right said as the first hand was dealt. We used a small salt packet.... for that very inquiry.

"I brought it to remind me," we said as we looked at cards and folded them, "that Jesus wants me to be the salt of the earth."

The man simply stared, perhaps chuckling a little. "What do you think of Jesus?" we asked him. "What does he mean to you?"

The man stared a few more seconds, said nothing, then turned back to the poker action. We can only guess what he thought of us. Perhaps he thought we'd pulled a Christianized version of "Punk'd" on him.

But the Bible really does say:

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. - Matthew 5:13

We're simply trying to add some flavor to a poker table that might otherwise be drab and quiet - and we're ready to talk about the things of God at the table. On this day, that man said nothing. But the day is coming when that's going to have to change....

....That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:10-11

We get the feeling this means every tongue - without exception. And if they don't confess? Read Revelation 20 for an idea of the answer. So how do you plan to respond?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 173 final tables in 460 games (37.6%) - 31 cashes. Our next scheduled post will wrap up the final totals from our 2015 poker activity.

Sodas or Substance?

The day at an Oklahoma lake was very nice - a Bible study and worship service with fellow believers, two rounds of good food, and even a little singing.  But of course, we wanted to make up the costs of the trip.  So without telling anyone there, we stopped at casinos after sunset on the way home.

Some Oklahoma casinos welcome poker players.  Others have nothing to offer.  So in case you're planning a road trip, here's what we found heading north on Interstate 35 from the Perry area:

1. TONKAWA WEST - SODAS.  The cups are free, but the room has nothing but slot machines.  There's a bar in the middle, where we watched hockey on TV for a few minutes.  After the free cup, we moved on.

2. SOUTHWIND CASINO - SODAS.  In Braman, OK, the room had basketball on TV.  But that was about the only difference.  Slot machines were in abundance, but nothing more.  It was one cup and out for us again.

3. KANSAS STAR - SUBSTANCE.  Compared to the first two, this is a full-fledged casino. We knew that, because we'd been there several times before.  But on a busy Saturday night, a quick game of poker wasn't available.  Five players were on a  poker room waiting list, and the Ultimate Texas Hold 'em tables were full.

After pondering it for a few minutes (with a free smaller cup of soda, of course), we found a seat playing $10 blackjack.  It was the perfect time for us - as after an opening-hand push, we hit a couple of doubles and went up $70.  We left after a loss, tipping the dealer and taking $55 profit.

The moral of the story for us is this: some casinos are roadside moneymakers for businesses or tribes.  Let's face it: how many players really hit slot jackpots -- and have some skill required to do it?  But other places give you at least a some chance of succeeding.

It can be that way when it comes to religion, too.  If you're considering a place to worship, ask carefully if the leaders really are doing what the Bible says:

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage -- with great patience and careful instruction. - II Timothy 4:1-2

The apostle Paul gave this guidance to a young minister.  But it's good advice for evaluating a place to worship God.  Is "the Word" being taught?  As in....

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.... - John 1:1, 14

If Jesus is being taught and sin is being corrected and rebuked, you may be on the right track.  But here's another verse that gave us pause in recent days:

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. - Revelation 2:2

Some ministers can seem like "substance", but their actions are more like flat soda.  They don't live up to a Biblical standard.

Now the Bereans.... received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. - Acts 17:11

It takes daily reading of the Bible to know if a minister is true, or if he's bluffing you like a poker player who missed a big draw.  May you check it carefully - and look for substance in worship, instead of a bubbly drink.

Poker Day 442: Gladly 4-A?

Some people have such busy lives that a three-day weekend turns into a "day on, not a day off."  So it is with us.  A Friday off from work allowed us to take care of several errands -- and also make a trip to Kansas Star Casino for a "High Noon" poker tournament, hoping to win extra money.

The buy-in for a seat was $45.  We turned down an extra $5 "dealer appreciation fee" for an extra 1,000 chips.  Looking back, perhaps that was our problem....

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: A-4 offsuit

We started with the Dealer button.  We now have it again, as the table has made a quick "lap around the track" with seven seats occupied and three empty.  A small venture for us pre-flop failed, so we're now at 2,375 chips from a starting 2,500.  No one's raising, so an Ace seems worth playing.  We're in, as is about half the table.

ON THE FLOP: K-K-4

Two pair plus top kicker seems like good mathematics for us - especially with the table checking around to us.  We bet 100.  The Small Blind next to us calls; the others get out of the way.

ON THE TURN: 6

Our opponent checks.  We have no idea what he has, but we want a clue.  We bet 100 again, and he calls.

ON THE RIVER: 9

Our opponent isn't checking now. Instead, he throws out 500.  We ponder this a moment, and conclude he's trying to test the "newbie" at the table (we haven't played in a tournament there since December 2013).  Will we be cowardly and run off when the heat's on?

With two pair and a top kicker, we say no.  We call - and he shows K-2!  He had three Kings on the flop, and let us bet into a trap.

Looking back, we probably should have folded when the river bet came out.  If he had a pocket pair, odds are it was better than ours.  But we played on the theory that casino poker players are crafty.  We were right, but in the wrong direction.

The cards went that way throughout the tournament for us.  We folded 7-5 right away, watched a straight land on the turn -- but were glad we folded when a 5 on the river gave someone a full hour.  We played A-K, and bet when an Ace came on the river -- only to find a man with 9-8 had made two pair.

Then we were dealt A-10 (yes, like in 2013), and a man bet big with an Ace on the flop.  We had no choice but to go all-in for our last 300.  The river brought a 10, giving us two pair.  But it gave that other man a winning flush.  Our tournament day lasted only 30 minutes -- and out of 36 players, we finished a lowly 33rd.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The dealer dealt cards to empty chairs at the table, to keep things fair.  At one point, he overlooked an empty seat for a moment.

"Maybe that's Elijah's chair," we said. The dealer seemed puzzled, so we explained.  "The Passover tradition - leaving an empty seat for Elijah."

Where did the Jews get that tradition, anyway?  It doesn't come from their "Torah," the first five books of the Bible.  But that section of Scripture does say this....

On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn.... I am the Lord.  The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.... This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord - a lasting ordinance. - Exodus  12:12-14

The great Passover event of ancient Egypt is to be remembered for "generations to come" - but by whom?  Simply by Jews?

..For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. - I Corinthians 5:7b (KJV)

Other translations refer to Jesus here as the "Passover lamb."  Just as Israel was supposed to kill a lamb and put its blood on its doors as a mark to the "death angel" (Exodus 12:1-8, 13), Jesus came to be "the lamb of God" sacrificed for our sins.

So don't celebrate the festival by being evil and sinful, which is like serving bread made with yeast. Be pure and truthful and celebrate by using bread made without yeast. - I Corinthians 5:8 (CEV)

Huh? you may be asking.  The apostle Paul wrote this to Christian believers - yet he talked about keeping a Passover festival?!

Yes, he did.  And we think Christians today should as well.  We'll have more to say about that in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 159 final tables in 442 tournaments (36.0%) - 26 cashes.  This broke a string of four consecutive final tables for us - although admittedly almost all of them were one-table games.

Chinese Checking

Our current home is southern Kansas - a state where less than three percent of the population is Asian. Yet for the second year in a row, we received an invitation to celebrate Chinese New Year at a nearby casino.

The offer of a midnight buffet featuring "curry dusted frog legs" didn't really appeal to us. But a coupon for a five-dollar lottery ticket by playing a table game enticed us to make the trip. We couldn't stay long on a Friday afternoon, but we went to an Ultimate Texas Hold 'em table to see what would happen.

BLINDS/ANTE: $5/$5

IN THE POCKET: 6-6

Pocket pairs pre-flop can be a good thing - but a low one like this is potential trouble at a regular table.  Yet in "Ultimate" play, your only opponent is the dealer.  But still we're wary, and choose to check inside of doubling down.

ON THE FLOP: A-K-5

Flops like that are the reason why.  We check again, at the sight of two big cards.

ON THE TURN/RIVER: 10-10

A running pair actually gives us some comfort.  It probably shouldn't, but it does in this case.  We bet the required $5 to stay in the hand with two pair.... and find the dealer misses the board!  It's a $15 gain for us.

Our investment of $60 reached a high of $65 - and we chose to leave at that point. Given our recent casino trips, any gain in Ultimate is a good day.  We moved to a blackjack table, where the odds are supposedly better for winning -- but several 16's stymied us, and we lost $15 there.  It was a modest drop of $10 on the day.  Oh, and the lottery ticket didn't win us anything.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We dared to take a card in blackjack with A-7.  A King came, and we stood on 18 - but other players at the table wondered what we were doing.

"It's a free card," we explained.  Not for them - as they feared we'd lead to something that would help the dealer.

"Rules are made to be broken," a man to our left said.  Perhaps he said it to encourage us - but he actually opened a door.

"Some rules are made to be obeyed," we told the players around us.  "I read a book that's full of rules. It's called the Bible."

One man to our right seemed to nod his head in understanding.  But sadly, some religious groups - and even some Christian groups - would take issue with our comment.  They might say something along these lines: "Christianity is not a list of do's and don'ts." Is that accurate?

"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." - Matthew 19:17

Some claim Jesus did away with the Ten Commandments. If that's true, why did He make this comment?  And then go farther?

"Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" - Matthew 19:18-19

Jesus lists half of the Bible's "big ten." And this list is repeated in two other gospel accounts of the Lord's life (Mark 10:18-19; Luke 18:19-20).  The apostle Paul even lists some of them in a letter after Jesus's resurrection (Romans 13:9-10).


Christ made it clear: keeping God's key laws are vital for entering into eternal life.  They were written for us to obey - even now.  Is that what you're doing?

Two-Minute Warning

Kansas Star Casino seemed busier on December 24 this year, compared to last year.

"Wait until tomorrow," we overheard one table game dealer tell his players.  "People will have all the cash they got as presents."

But we were there on Wednesday night, hoping to make money player 1-3 cash game poker.  We went on a waiting list, and received one of those "your seat is ready now" electric plates you might get at restaurants.

We walked around for a long time, stopping to watch table games.  Finally after about 30 minutes, we decided to sit down at Ultimate Texas Hold 'em to bide our time and perhaps make a gain.  And wouldn't you know - during our first hand at the table, the notifier went off.

We had good cards in that one hand, but the dealer beat us and we lost $20.  With $40 in chips left and $40 in our wallet, we went back to the poker room desk.

"Minimum $100," the attendant told us.  That standard hasn't changed, and we came prepared to offer that $100.  But that one hand elsewhere in the casino had changed everything.

"I played one hand over there, lost $20, so I only have $80," we admitted.  We could have walked over to the ATM, withdrew $50 more and been ready to play.  But instead, we handed our electronic gizmo over and said "thanks, but no thanks."

We wound up losing $70 back at the Ultimate Texas Hold 'em table.  But we learned quite a lesson without even sitting down.  It was a lesson in patience -- waiting even longer than you might think, to obtain what you really wanted.

"Patience is a virtue," we often hear.  It's a helpful trait to have while playing poker -- folding lesser hands while waiting for good cards to come.  And we think it's valuable in all aspects of life.

A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. - Proverbs  19:11

Some players bet big right after losing a tough hand, saying they're "trying to win my money back."  Sometimes that works; sometimes they dig themselves an even deeper hole.  That's where patience needs to govern our play -- as it should everything we do.

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm because the Lord's coming is near. - James 5:7-8

We live in an area where "winter wheat" grows. Farmers know better than to harvest it during winter. Seeds lie in the ground, absorbing moisture from rain and snow until plants begin to shoot up in spring.

Maybe you have to develop patience by telling yourself to be patient -- over and over again, if necessary.  That would have made all the difference for us this week.  We might have won big in the poker room -- but then again, we might have lost our entire $100. We'll never know in this life. May you develop the patience that brings a good harvest, in poker or elsewhere.

Five-Dollar Come-Along

To many people, the invitation probably seemed strange -- a promotion to visit a casino in the heart of America to mark Chinese (or Asian or Lunar) New Year.

Yet that's what Kansas Star Casino sent us a few weeks ago.  A mailing had two coupons.  One was for a Friday late-night Chinese buffet; the other offered a five-dollar lottery ticket.

From our previous trips to Kansas Star, we know there's a corner of the casino which has an Asian-American following.  Table games with an Asian theme such as Pai Gow poker are played there.

But we rejected the buffet out of hand.  It was on God's Sabbath day (which we've explained in recent posts).  And besides, who said the "Lunar New Year" falls at the end of January?

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.  Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household." - Exodus 12:1-3

Read the rest of chapter 12 and you'll find God is describing a Passover event, followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread (verses 17, 27).  Most Jews will tell you this "first month" traditionally does not occur during Winter, but during Spring.

But what about that other coupon?  It was valid from 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. on Saturday -- but you had to present it at a gaming table.  So we drove to the casino Saturday night, sat down for some Ultimate Texas Hold 'em and did that.

"But wait," you may be saying; "you just quoted from the Bible - yet you went to a casino and played games?!"

Yes, we did -- but we did it carefully.  We didn't take a lot of money.  And we did not take an ATM card to pull out more.  We think this follows Biblical guidance....

Let your moderation be known to all men.  The Lord is at hand. - Philippians 4:5 (KJV)

This verse does not say "abstinence."  It says "moderation."  Just as the Bible shows a little wine is acceptable to drink (I Timothy 5:23) and Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:7-10), we've concluded a little "action" with our money is OK.... as long as it's a little.

So what happened from there?  Stay tuned for our next post.

Poker Night 416: Behold the Star

"Christmas Eve is the casino's slowest night of the year," a poker dealer told us at Kansas Star Casino Tuesday night.

Good -- that's in a way what we wanted.  With a Tuesday night off from work, we were able to drive to the casino (despite its ice-coated parking lot), to play in the weekly Deep Stack Tournament.  We're told it normally fills up with 70 players.  On this night, only 37 showed up -- but still leaving a first-place prize of more than $1,100.

People at our local poker room describe the casino players as top-level.  So we wanted to see how we'd measure up:

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: 4-Q of clubs

It's the first few minutes of play, and our table seems to be playing on the tight side.  A man to our left raises modestly to 75, and we decide to call with suited cards.  About four players out of nine are in.

ON THE FLOP: 5c-7c-7s

Close to a flush, but not quite.  The man to our left makes a continuation bet of 75, and we see no reason to be scared of it.  We call; as we remember it, three players remain in.

ON THE TURN: 8s

No flush yet -- but now a straight draw has emerged.  Yet that man to the left turns up the heat, by betting 175.  We have too many chances to hit it big (12, to be precise), so we stand committed to this pot.  We call, as does the player between us.

ON THE RIVER: 4d

Like some gifts in December, that's not what we really wanted -- but it might be OK, anyway.  We check, and are a bit reassured when the other players check as well.

"I caught two pair on the river," we announce.  No one else caught anything!  We win the wild goose chase, and pick up several hundred chips.

We won several pots along the way, including a semi-bluff bet on the river with an Ace in our hand and nothing more.  Our stack went up and down, but we never had the breakthrough hand for a big gain -- not even when we were dealt pocket Aces.

We hung around more than three hours, as the blinds increased slowly.  But at the semifinal table, we were forced to push our last 3,500 chips with A-10.  The board didn't pair for us, and a man to our right paired an 8 to get us eliminated.  We shook his hand as we left -- and come to think of it, we don't recall anyone else doing that as they left the table.

Our final result: 14th place -- a finish in the top half.  That's good, but not great.  A final table was our real goal -- not to mention the money, with the payoff positions shrunk from 7 to 4.

MINISTRY MOMENT: During breaks, we showed our reflector card protector to players around us -- explaining it reminds us to reflect the light of Jesus Christ.

"What do you think of Jesus?" we asked the man at our immediate left with several other players listening.  "Is He your savior?"

"Well, I don't know," he answered.  "There have been so many bad things going on in the world.... so many catastrophes."

We certainly can't dispute that.  This year has brought everything from bombings at marathons to school shootings and devastating typhoons.  Yet Jesus knew such things would happen....

For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now -- and never to be equaled again. - Matthew 24:21

Many churches use the King James Version of this verse, and refer to a "great tribulation."

If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. - Matthew 24:22

Jesus promises a potential "end of the world" will be avoided -- and for the sake of "elect" people, which many understand to mean believers in God.  And here's the even better news:

Immediately after the distress of those days.... At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.  They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. - Matthew 24:29-30

Jesus (the "Son of Man") will be returning -- but the nation will be mourning.  Why?  Perhaps because they'll finally realize the Bible was right all along.  Jesus will show He meant what He said.

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. - Matthew 24:31

Perhaps you're celebrating the birth of Jesus on this day.  These verses remind us Jesus plans to come again - to save the world from destruction, and gather His followers together.  You can be among those who mourn that moment.  Or you can begin to believe and practice what Jesus and the Bible say -- becoming "elect" who reign with Him forever.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 145 final tables in 416 games (34.9%) - 24 cashes.  It appears our final total for Kansas tournaments in 2013 will be 7 final tables in 14 games with three cashes.  A 50-percent success rate is truly a blessing!

The Big Giver

Getting a seat can take some waiting.  But we're finding we like "Ultimate Texas Hold 'em" games in casinos a lot.  This weekend we scored our third cash gain in as many tries.  And on top of that, the atmosphere around the table seems friendlier -- since everyone competes against the dealer, not each other.

"What I'd like," said a man to our left Saturday night at Kansas Star Casino, "is a royal flush or a straight flush.  I'd give everyone at the table $100."

Aha -- sounds good!  But then he added: "The last time I made a straight flush was 1987."

"So you're due," we told him hopefully.

"Overdue," a woman to his left added.

Straight flushes don't happen very often, of course.  And for that matter, neither does the attitude of that man -- especially when it comes to poker.  It's an attitude of giving, and it's downright Biblical.

Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. - Luke 6:38

In a typical poker room, giving is the last thing on people's minds.  A gain in a cash game normally means taking money from other players.  Winning in a tournament requires getting all the chips in play from the competition.  Sadly, many people live their lives with the same mindset.

What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?  You want something but don't get it.  You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.  You quarrel and fight.  You do not have, because you do not ask God. - James 4:1-2

God is ready to provide your needs -- if you ask Him.  Oh, and don't forget....

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. - James 4:3

Maybe we should all try asking God in prayer for blessings that we can share with other people -- especially with people in more difficult situations than our own.  That approach can fulfill something we hinted at in our last post....

Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. - Ecclesiastes 11:1

On this night, the royal flush and straight flush didn't come.  But a good example of Christianity did -- at least in word.

An Ultimate Half-Hour

We withdrew $60 from a bank ATM and headed for the casino.  The casino had a poker room, where we'd never played before -- but then we found it took $100 to have a seat at the cash game table.

Too bad for us?  Actually, no.  Wandering around the Kansas Star Casino floor, we found a table where people were playing Ultimate Texas Hold 'em -- a blackjack-style version of the poker game.  After watching a couple of hands, we sat down and gave it a try.

The sign said we needed a minimum of only five dollars - but in reality you needed $15 to play a hand: five for the blind, five for a matching ante, then five more if you choose to play your two cards all the way to a showdown with the dealer.

We never plunked down pre-down money on the "trips" button in front, which promised bigger returns.  A cautious first-time approach was enough for us, and one time it paid off big....

IN THE POCKET: 4-6 of clubs

They're suited but uninspiring.  We could bet right now... but why?  We check.

ON THE FLOP: 3c-5c-Kc

OK, that was why.  We make a flush on the flop!  Now we can bet again -- and we want to go for it all.  But under the rules, we can't; we're limited to two times our ante.  We offer $10, and we're frozen from betting any more in the hand.

The turn and river cards were dealt together, and we missed our open-ended straight flush draw.  The dealer turned over 7c, which would have been perfect for us -- but happily enough, he lacked another club.  We doubled our money on the blind and ante, with a flush paying three-to-two for our "play" bet of $10.

Our $40 chip investment brought us double our money within 30 minutes - reaching a high of $82.50.  We left the table with $62.50, happy to score a gain of more than 50 percent in a hurry.

There's a lot to like about the Ultimate format.  For one thing, the dealer is helpless.  He can't change the two cards he's dealt -- and since only one deck is used, those cards are every bit as likely to be as lousy as yours.  Also, you don't really compete against the other players around the table; anyone who beats the dealer's hand gets a payoff.

MINISTRY MOMENT: There's also an opportunity to interact with players next to you at the table.  The woman to our left scored a nice pot with pocket kings.

"As they say on Christian radio," we told her, "walk with the Kings and be a blessing."

That catch phrase (with only one "King," not two) comes from a late radio Bible teacher who still can be heard each weekday.  We ask you one simple question: which King do you follow each day?  We pray it is....

....God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who live in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.  To him be honor and might forever. Amen. - I Timothy 6:15-16