The Rule Book

How confusing was it to play in a "seven-game mix" poker tournament? So confusing that a dealer was stopped for tossing third cards face-down at our table - because the dealer was thinking Pot Limit Omaha, instead of a Stud game.

In fact, at one point other players complimented a dealer for stopping after two cards in a Hold 'Em hand! And the dealers kept a chart at their seat of what the blinds, antes and "bring-in" prices were at various moments.

The rules for Razz are very different than for Omaha. Isn't it nice to know that there are some places where the basic rules never change? The original "rule book" for life is one of them....

I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. - Malachi 3:6

God says He doesn't change. And the Son is described this way....

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Hebrews 13:8

Admittedly God and Jesus did change some things during the time span recorded by the Bible. For instance, Jesus took a traditional ceremony called the Passover and added foot-washing to it (John 13:1-17). Yet the basic rules of the Godhead have not changed:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. - Matthew 5:17

The main rules for living can be found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. We know them now as "the Ten Commandments." You might be surprised by how many professing Christians can't name them all. Jesus didn't do away with them - instead, He summed them up:

Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself." All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. - Matthew 22:37-40

Have you forgotten God's big ten rules? Reach for a Bible and review them. And as you do, ask yourself - have you forgotten them in practice? Are you really doing all ten? That takes some soul-searching - or what the Bible describes as "examining yourself" (II Corinthians 13:5). This is a perfect time to change yourself, to become more like an unchangeable God.

Your Cheatin' Heart

Several recent posts have focused on the electrical plug we sometimes use as a card protector. We know it converts power from a three-pronged device for a two-prong outlet. Another player noted it's a "grounded device."

But when we double-checked the plug online, we found out something else. In fact, something that's a bit embarrassing. It's also called a "cheater plug."

Were we sending a wrong message to people by using this at poker tables? Were we implying we are a cheater?

Maybe we're over-analyzing this. But then again, we'd ask - do you have sneaky ways of cheating at poker?

They're the stuff of Old West legends. But that does not mean you should be doing them:

"Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord...." - Malachi 1:14 (NLT)

This is about cheating in an animal sacrifice. But does God make any distinctions about this?

You can't wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless. You.... cheat the buyer with dishonest scales. - Amos 8:5 (NLT)

This is about cheating poor people, or customers in general. Read on for God's response to this....

Now the Lord has sworn this oath by his own name, the Pride of Israel. I will never forget the wicked things you have done! - Amos 8:7 (NLT)

Those cheating moments could come up at the final judgment, along with "every idle word" (Matthew 12:36). The Bible shows a better approach to take....

….Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? - I Corinthians 6:7 (NLT)

Yes, this goes all the way to the opposite pole - allowing others to cheat you. But it shows better ethics on your part, and might win more respect with other players.

So should we put away the "cheater plug" - leaving it for a wall at home, instead of a poker table? Your comments are welcome. In the meantime, the old cliché still is a good one: winners never cheat, and cheaters (ultimately) never win.

BLOGGER'S NOTE: Speaking of this topic, we became aware this weekend that we may have been violating New International Version copyright rules without realizing it. We are inquiring with the publisher about this, and will make corrections as required.

For-tuned in?

Texas Hold 'em is the brand of poker most commonly shown on TV and showcased in casinos. But look hard enough at many casinos, and you're likely to find tables with different poker breeds.

Pai Gow poker is a game where players receive seven cards, then try to beat the house's seven. One common version has you set aside two top cards, then the best hand you can make with the remaining five.

But Pai Gow has some side bets that could raise eyebrows - such as the "fortune" button. Put a chip on that, and you can win an "envy bonus" if someone else at the table makes four of a kind.

If you think all this is no big deal, consider a surprising Bible verse we found the other day....

But as for you who forsake the Lord and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword.... - Isaiah 65:11-12

The word "fortune" in the New International Version can be translated in several ways. The New King James has "Gad," which was a god in ancient Babylon. Some religious scholars compare it to Baal or the planet Jupiter. In any case, it's a false god compared to the God of the Bible.

But wait, you might be saying: isn't the idea of "fortune" everywhere? Yes, it is - from that famous game show to an old TV talent contest (listen about 1:00 in). You might even earn a "small fortune" in a poker room.

It all shows how the world's religions can subtly sneak into our lives. But if you spread the table for a "fortune," the true God is not pleased:

...For I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me. - Isaiah 65:12b

It's far better to put your future in the hands of the real God. And when it comes to money, He really doesn't ask for that much....

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it." - Malachi 3:10

A "tithe" refers to ten percent. And to make things clear - we are NOT asking you to send a tithe to us. If you want to give tithing a try, leave a comment and we'll offer some suggestions.

But this discovery in Isaiah about "Fortune" makes us unlikely to ever play Pai Gow - especially not the sidebets. There's more to the wording in this game, but we'll save that for a future post.

Time for a Change

We hinted in our last post that something was about to happen with us. Now we can reveal what it is.

After almost five years in our home state of Kansas, we've accepted a new full-time (at least for now) job in another state. The move is happening in a hurry, so Sunday marked our last poker tournament in the Wichita area.

Here are the final results from our poker days in Kansas:

Kansas Star Casino - Eight final tables in 47 games (17%); six cashes
Other Wichita poker rooms - 33 final tables in 51 games (64.7%); 10 cashes
Tournaments elsewhere (Kansas/Missouri/Oklahoma) - Six final tables in 13 games (46.2%); 3 cashes
WPT League - Five final tables in 17 games (29.4%); no cash awarded

Grand total: 52 final tables in 128 tournaments - a healthy-looking 40.6 percent!

But we should point some of those "other Wichita poker rooms" had only enough players for one table - and they were all shut down by police two years ago. And we're ending the tournament "experiment" we started last November with a loss of $260, despite three cash wins in four months.

We should be able to keep playing tournament poker in the place where we're going. But we've decided it's not easy for us to make a living at it. It's a "side hustle", but nothing more.

Regular readers know this will be our second move to another state since we started this blog. As a wise person once said: "The only thing constant in life is change." Yet some things in our lives are exceptions to that....

I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob are not destroyed. - Malachi 3:6

Some people make this a blanket statement about God. He never changes anything. Period. Yet careful Bible readers can spot times when God changed the rules for doing things.

The Lord said to Moses, "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water...." - Numbers 20:7-8

God told Moses earlier to strike a rock to get water (Exodus 17:6). In his anger, Moses struck the rock in the second case. He defaulted to God's original instructions - and paid for it:

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them." - Numbers 20:12

So sometimes, God can change His ways. And even more importantly, He wants you to change yours.

Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. - Isaiah 55:7

To borrow from a classic rock song: you've got to change your evil ways. Read the Bible carefully, then examine yourself.... asking: Is that what I'm doing?

(P.S. Blog updates may diminish over the next few weeks, due to our move.)

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.

Can We Tempt You? II

We focused recently on a column about temptation in the poker room. We noted temptation can take place anywhere - and even Jesus Christ faced it while on Earth.

Yet Jesus successfully resisted three rounds of temptation from the devil. (You can draw your own comparisons to a flop, turn and river.) Note the words Jesus used to push the tempter away:

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" - Matthew 4:4

The Son of God may have been walking in the flesh, but He knew the Scriptures very well. He quoted from Deuteronomy, to put the "word of God" above physical food (Deuteronomy 8:3). In the same way, there are times when we need to put the Bible ahead of a non-stop poker life.

Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" - Matthew 4:7

There actually are verses in the Bible where God allows you to test Him (see Malachi 3:10-11 for an example). But Jesus was responding to a challenge to jump off the top of the temple. As poker players need to discern the right time to take a big risk with a hand, Jesus realized this was not the proper moment for a "leap of faith."

Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" - Matthew 4:10

The Son of God refused to worship the devil. Are you doing that - even in hidden ways that might surprise you?

In all of this, Jesus defeated the tempter by referring to Scripture; the other two quotes also come from Deuteronomy (6:13, 16). That can help us when we face temptation in life - even in a big poker hand.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.... - James 4:7-8

From time to time we've offered Bible verses to keep in mind as you play poker. Search for them on this blog, then make them part of you. We don't guarantee final tables or big wins. But by resisting the tempting moments, your outcome may be better than you expected.

In the Presence of a Princess

We don't watch poker movies - to be honest, we scarcely watch any movies - but word came today that another one is on the way.



Courtesy JustJared.com

The trailer was released for Molly's Game, the story of an Olympic skier who becomes a "poker princess." She develops a private poker game with a star-studded clientele of players. The first reviews indicate it's a true story. And the back story is a bit lurid - with one Hollywood star reportedly offering her $1,000 to "bark like a seal."

Would you ask someone from a real royal family to do something like that? Somehow, we doubt it. But what if we said you're walking in front of royalty all the time - every day?

For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. - Psalm 47:7

Ace may be the high card in poker, but God is the highest King of all. And He's paying attention to all of us, whether you want Him to do it or not.

From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth.... - Psalm 33:13-14

An old song said, "God is watching us from a distance." But it won't be that way forever - because God plans to send a King named Jesus who will get close. Too close for comfort, some might say....

"So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud the laborers of their wage, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the Lord Almighty. - Malachi 3:5

If those traits describe you - perhaps committing "perjury" with your poker hand, or something worse - it's time to "fear God." Here's how you do it, for starters....

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.- Ecclesiastes 12:13

And so we'll conclude our own matter here. Obey God. He's watching. He's planning to testify against your sins. And living as if you're in front of royalty can be a noble thing to do.

The Diamond Life

In a recent post, we talked about the four suits of playing cards in a poker deck. We noted the Bible doesn't mention spades and clubs, but it does mention diamonds.

Yet consider this: have you ever thought of yourself as a diamond? It's the stuff of old country songs. But we were reminded of a sermon we heard nearly 30 years ago on this topic (apparently based on an old book) - so we looked up the notes to see what the Bible might have to say:

And they shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him. - Malachi 3:17 (KJV)

Some Bible translations have different wording for "jewels". But the original Hebrew refers to "wealth" - and someone with diamonds has a wealth-building item. So who are the "jewels" the "Lord of hosts" is talking about here?

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. - Malachi 3:16

These "diamond" people fear God, yet don't fear humans - because they're willing to talk about Him. What else do they do?

Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. - Proverbs 1:8-9

These are people who fulfill the Biblical command to "honor your father and mother" (Exodus 20:12). Yet one Bible concordance surprised us here - as the Hebrew word for "chain" can mean "as if strangling". That's a very tight relationship!

So God would like to think of you as a diamond, or perhaps some other jewel. And He can provide what you need to accomplish that:

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoiced in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. - Isaiah 61:10

God offers you salvation and His righteousness. If you choose to accept them and His way of life, then a more current song can come true - and He'll make a diamond out of you.

Rage Against the Machine

As we grew up, the "pokie" was the place to avoid. It was a synonym for jail - as in the corner square on a Monopoly board.

But in Australian lingo, a "pokie" is something else. It refers to a poker machine - and a new study shows a lot of Aussies like to play them. One machine in a hotel can make an average A$59,000 per year, while in casinos they make an average A$128,600.

We'd guess pokies are popular because you can play them quickly. and walk away if you lose a lot in a hurry. But while there's a time and place for such things and we've played them online, poker machines strike us as cold and  impersonal. They're a lot like slot machines.

When we play poker, we admittedly do it with multiple motives. One of them is to engage people in conversations, which we try to lead to matters of faith:

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. - Proverbs 27:17

By talking about poker with other players, you can learn things and improve your skills. When we talk about the things of God with others.... well, our NIV Study Bible notes on this verse put it this way: "Develops and molds his character."

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. - Malachi 3:17

Let's face it, though: you're far more likely to find "those who fear the Lord" at places other than casinos. If you want to talk deeply about the things of God, get involved in a local church congregation - especially one that is true to the Bible. (Believe it or not, many of them aren't.) And be sure to read your Bible often, so you have something to talk about.

You Bettor, You Bettor, You Bet

Some newcomers can look at poker as a very simple game. You fold the bad hands. You play the good hands. And you push on the best hands of all.

But if you've played for awhile, you know there's much more to it than that. Several different strategies can win pots - including sometimes pushing when your hand is lousy.

We found an article online this week which promotes a pretty simple poker strategy, and applies it to investing.  Part of it recommends....

Poker players, however, know that good hands don't come around that often. You need to bet every round to build the pot and maximize your income.

That's a nice idea if you're investing (well, except for world stock markets in this first week of 2016).  But the analogy can break down in a hurry in a poker room. If you use the "bet every round" approach on a regular basis, wary players will catch on to you and adjust their games. They might fold early. They might make "I-dare-you" raises. You might have other ideas to offer.

There's one "betting strategy" that you may not have considered, which is promised to bring victory and a reward. It's hidden at the end of the Old Testament....

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." - Malachi 3:10

God challenges you to bring a "tithe" (defined as ten percent) to Him. We should realize God isn't really going hungry, and needs food for supper. But giving a tithe to His "storehouse" (we think that means church and ministries) is promised to bring abundant blessings.

We've done this for decades, even with money we've won playing poker. There have been lean times, to be sure. But our blessings have grown - and what happened to us at the table in 2015 may be a great example of that.

But just as you excel in everything....see that you also excel in this grace of giving. - II Corinthians 8:7

Do you have the "gift" of giving? Maybe it's time to invest in the things of God, and find out.

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

Changing Times

"SUN 4P" said the sign outside Winners Cardroom, as we pulled in today around 3:53 p.m.  We walked in the door and saw "Crazy Pineapple, 4pm" on a whiteboard to the left.  A few steps later, a seven-day schedule said, "Player's Choice, 4pm."

But there was one big problem.  Today's big Sunday tournament actually began at 2:00 p.m. The final table was down to five players as we walked in.

We knew the schedule had changed - but not until we checked the poker room's Facebook page at 3:20 p.m.  Nothing had changed online, as of late Saturday night.  But we went in hopes of getting into a possible second tournament, following the first one.

"How are you?" the man behind the desk asked.

"I'm confused," we admitted. The man explained they'd decided to try something different, and he hoped enough players would stick around for a second tournament.

The big game ended with a four-way split of the money around 4:15 p.m. A second tournament was promoted on social media for 5:00 p.m., but that's a bit late for us given our current schedule. We went away, and did a little shopping on the way home.

If there's one thing which disappoints us about poker rooms in our city, it's this sort of inconsistency. We've learned to check websites on Saturday nights, if we want to play on Sunday afternoons -- but even in this case, it wasn't good enough.

Thankfully, we serve a God who's not like that most of the time:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. - James 1:17

God made the sun and the moon (Genesis 1:16) - and with extremely rare exceptions, He's kept them on schedule.  Astronomers can tell you when the sun will set tonight, when it will rise tomorrow and when it will rise six months from tomorrow. There's an unchanging orderliness to that - something believers in evolution can't explain.

"I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed." - Malachi 3:6

God's timing of things is trustworthy. But sadly, men tend not to be.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. - Psalm 118:8-9

Even the best of humans eventually will let you down. We must have faith that God will not - because otherwise, what hope do we have?

The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. - Psalm  145:13b

May you be faithful with your promises as God is with His. And if you have to make a change, please try to spread about it as early as possible. That will be better for all of us.

The Everyday Gambler

How often do you play poker?  Once a week?  Twice a week?  Every time the casino doors are open? (As if they ever close?)

We're admittedly so busy these days that poker playing has to wait for weekends - and weekends when we don't have major errands to run.  That's true even with online sites.  The positive side to that, we suppose, is that we save money on buy-ins.

So even if you play poker part-time, you're probably playing more than we do.  But perhaps you're "gambling" in another way, which has nothing to do with casino games.

We heard a radio preacher say the other night if you're resisting a call to become a disciple of Jesus Christ (some would say "giving your life to Christ"), you're a gambler -- and gambling daily.  There's a simple reason for that....

What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave? Selah. - Psalm 89:48

The odds of making a royal flush in poker are steep. But the odds of people dying someday are very strong.  Unless Jesus comes back first, they're 100%. Eventually death will "get the checkmark," as they say on TV.  What will happen to you then?

We die only once, and then we are judged. - Hebrews 9:27 (CEV)

That translation is a little misleading - because the Bible talks about a future judgment which could lead to a second death.

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them.... - Revelation 20:6

Read the rest of chapter 20 to see details of the "white throne judgment" -- and how to avoid it. The key is to have your name written in God's "book of life."

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. - Malachi 3:16

Some church-goers debate whether or not this scroll and the "book of life" are the same thing. But the key point is to fear God, honoring Him in all you do. Resisting that can be gambling on something bigger than a "belly-buster" royal flush draw. You're gambling with your eternity.

Slots or Not

Not all "casinos" are created equal.  We learned this on our vacation, when we stopped at a small one along a U.S. highway in western Oklahoma.

The casino consisted of several rows of slot machines -- and little more.  We looked around, walked right back to the car and drove away.

But the next day, we cashed in a "birthday bonus" at a casino near our home.  We were awarded five dollars in free slot play.  We picked a machine somewhat at random -- and in only a couple of minutes, our five-dollar gift went away with winnings of only 95 cents.  That was enough for us.

Maybe we're wrong, but slot machines strike us as pure gambling.  It's all luck, with no skill or thinking involved.  We agree with the preachers who openly mourn the older people who drop dollar after dollar in this way.

Table games such as poker have a degree of luck, to be sure.  But many times, you have to think a little and consider your chances.  Exercising a bit of skill moves slightly toward fulfilling a proverb:

Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished, but he that gathers by labor shall increase. - Proverbs 13:11 (KJV)

A different Bible translation puts the last part of the verse this way: "Money earned little by little will grow and grow."

That actually happened to us after our slot machine test.  We sat down at an Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em table, won three hands in a row and gained $35.  Then this happened:

BLINDS: $5/$5

IN THE POCKET: 4-6 offsuit

That doesn't look promising.  But as some poker players like to say, any two cards can win.  There's no penalty in checking, so we do.

ON THE FLOP: A-A-5

Not too thrilling for us.  Maybe a longshot straight or full house will come.  But we know better than to bet two times our blind on that.  We check again.

ON THE TURN/RIVER: A-3

A man to our right suddenly is excited.  Three Aces are on the table.  If we had plunked down five more dollars on the "trips" option, that would have earned us $15 -- enough to break even.  But we don't normally play trips at live tables (only online with pretend money), so we miss out.  We fold.

When that man's turn comes to show his cards, he displays a fourth Ace!  "Quads," the dealer announces to the pit boss.

That man truly has a reason to be excited.  Quads pays 30 to 1 on the "trips" button, and 10 to 1 on the blind.  He wins something in the neighborhood of $500.  We sat one seat away from a jackpot.

At that point, we have to leave to go home and run errands.  "Be sure to tithe on all that money," we tell the big winner.  He nods a bit as he smiles -- leaving us to wonder if he knows what that word means.

You people are robbing me, your God.  And, here you are, asking, "How are we robbing you?"  You are robbing me of the offerings and of the ten percent that belongs to me. - Malachi 3:8 (CEV)

A "tithe" is ten percent.  God has required that of believers since the days of ancient Israel.

I am the Lord All-Powerful, and I challenge you to put me to the test.  Bring the entire ten percent into the storehouse, so there will be food in my house.  Then I will open the windows of heaven and flood you with blessing after blessing. - Malachi 3:10 (CEV)

The "ice bucket challenge" is a fad of the moment.  God dares you to take the "ten percent challenge."  We give God a tenth of our poker winnings, through the church we attend.  Will you do the same, and claim His promise of abundant blessings?

The First Part

A recent post noted a tax lien placed on professional poker player Phil Laak, because he owed back taxes in California.  We checked news websites this morning, and there's no update on whether he paid off or not.

But we noted a statement of Jesus that people should "give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" (Matthew 22:21).  What should poker players (and, for that matter, everyone else) give to God?

Jesus was talking in Matthew 22 about money -- and the Bible challenges readers to give some of that to God:

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." - Malachi 3:10

Some poker players put together or compete in charitable tournaments, and there's nothing wrong with that.  But God expects a tithe to go to him -- a donation of ten percent.

Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.  But you ask, "How do we rob you?"  In tithes and offerings. - Malachi 3:8

God's talking tough here -- saying if you don't pay Him a tithe, you're robbing Him.  Yet He also says you're robbing yourself of blessings.

So where is this storehouse where the tithe should go?  In ancient days, the "house of our God" had storerooms for grain and other offerings (Nehemiah 13:4-5, 12).  Since there's no main house for worship in our world today, we think it's acceptable to pay the tithe to the place where you're worshiping.

But of course, this assumes you are worshiping God.  If you're not.... well, you're robbing God there as well.

But the Lord, who bought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship.  To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices.... and do not worship other gods. - II Kings 17:36, 38

Why worship God?  Because without Him giving you life, health and a working mind, you can't play poker in the first place.

But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.... - Deuteronomy 8:18

Note also God expects an offering over and above the tithe.  The amount of that is up to you -- but ask yourself: how much has God done for you?  How much has He blessed you in poker, and other areas?

One fringe benefit of paying tithes and offerings is that in the U.S. (and perhaps other countries), many ministries allow you to deduct the gifts at tax time.  It's too late to make such gifts for your 2013 taxes -- but it's not too late to give God His share of your poker success.

Poker Day 406: Toss Across

A newcomer at a poker room has a bit of an advantage, because no one else knows how they play.  That may have helped us on our first trip to Arrowhead Poker two weeks ago.  But the disadvantage is that we don't know how others play. Let's see if the tables turned on us today....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: King of hearts - Queen of hearts

Early feelers haven't worked for us; in one case we folded 8-8 to a big bet on the flop and missed a winning 8 on the river.  Now we have great-looking suited connectors, and a man ahead of us at our table of seven has raised to 700.  We're happy to lay low and call; about half the table is in.

ON THE FLOP: Q-10-4 (no hearts; last card may not be precise)

Top pair and a strong kicker give us hope.  But an older gentleman across from us seems even more optimistic; he tosses out 2,000 without a care.  We're puzzled by what he has (two pair, maybe?!) - but we feel strong enough to call.

"If you called, I'm folding," a man next in line from us.  He was one of the dealers on our last trip to Arrowhead, and will reveal later in the game that we "play tight."  Doesn't he realize loose lips can sink ships -- such as ours?

ON THE TURN: 9

We're now heads-up against the older man, and he tosses out 2,000 more.  This actually makes us more skeptical about what he has -- now thinking he has a Queen only.  So we call again.

ON THE RIVER: A

Without hesitation, our opponent flips out his last pink 5,000 chip to go all-in.  He's been tossing chips like coins into a fountain -- but that Ace was absolutely the last thing we wanted to see.  So we take a moment to think about this.

"If you've got an Ace..." we finally say.  He says nothing.  We conclude (admittedly more out of hope than a read) that he missed some kind of flush draw.  "I'll call."

Sure enough -- our opponent flips over A-J.  He chased a winning hand to the river and won it, throwing up big bluffs along the way.

We never recovered from that big loss -- finally going all in for our last 2,500 with our own A-J amid rising blinds.  Another man went all-in for even more, then showed A-K.  The board paired, but his King kicker was better.  On a day with only two tables playing, we missed the final one by finishing 13th.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The pre-game talk turned to a penny someone had picked up along the way.  What, if anything, made it a "lucky penny"?  Someone said it had to be face-up.  This was news to us.

"All I know," we told a man next to us, "is if you find ten pennies, you tithe on one of them."

Are you familiar with a "tithe"?  The word means a tenth, and it's often used in church-speak.

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. - Leviticus 27:30

These instructions to ancient Israel were for an agricultural society.  It's different from an "ante" in poker, where everyone contributes the same amount of chips pre-flop.  The amount of the tithe depended on how much of a crop people produced.

The tithe was given to he Levites, who served as ministers -- then national leader Moses passed along a "tenth of that tithe" to Aaron the priest (Numbers 18:21-28).  We suppose poker rooms work somewhat the same way; a certain amount from buy-ins is set aside for covering the room's expenses and salaries.

You might be giving more than a tithe of your income to the government today, in the form of taxes.  But have you given God His tithe?  There's a promise for those who do:

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." - Malachi 3:10

God blesses those who give -- especially if you give to Him.  One way to do this is through a church congregation.  It's only fair to repay ministers who work hard to preach God's Word and provide us spiritual support.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 140 final tables in 406 nights (34.5%) - 22 cashes.

What (or Who) Counts Most

We started this poker ministry blog in 2008 with big dreams, but admittedly small expectations.  Little did we know there are other Christians with similar ideas, seemingly accomplishing much more.

 

We learned this weekend about a documentary called Holy Rollers, featuring a team of "card-counting Christians."  The group of young men includes at least one church pastor, and their mission appears to be entering casinos and winning massive sums of money at blackjack tables (they succeed often because they can count the cards in the shoe).

 

All we've seen of this film is the trailer -- and just as you can't judge a book by its cover, we realize you can't judge a movie by a three-minute promotional clip.  But based on the trailer and a couple of online reviews, we'll take a stab at "judging righteous judgment" (John 7:24) and making a few tentative conclusions.

 

1.  One review says the "Church Team" tithes on its casino winnings.  That's a proper Biblical thing to do.

 

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." - Malachi 3:10

 

The concept of tithing goes all the way back to Abram in Genesis 14 -- giving a tenth of your "spoil" or winnings to God.  If it's considered income, we count it.

 

2. The Church Team gets giddy at times about the massive amounts of money it "liberates" from casinos.  But is that the team's top priority -- and should it be?

Paul warned ministers should have their priorities in order:

 

It is true that anyone who desires to be a church official wants to be something worthwhile.  That's why officials must have a good reputation.... They must be self-controlled, sensible, well-behaved.... kind and gentle and not love money. - I Timothy 3:1-3, CEV

 

We might make hundreds of dollars in a poker room -- but when the game is over, we personally feel guilty if we haven't done the "ministry" part.  And connected to that....

 

3. The documentary shows a baptism (of whom we're not sure) -- but is this "Church Team" doing any witnessing to people inside the casinos?

It's one thing to take thousands of dollars out the door.  But it's another to leave something behind -- at least some kind of gospel message for the casino staff or players to consider.

 

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead.... 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

 

Perhaps the Church Team does this when it's confronted by casino security workers.  But talking too much about Jesus at a blackjack table probably would "blow their cover," and perhaps distract them from the card count.

 

What thoughts come to your mind, when it comes to this topic and this documentary?  Leave them in our comments section, and we may address them in upcoming posts.

Video Victory

We were eliminated from the National League of Poker 1:00 p.m. ET money game today in 95th place, out of 679. Is that bad? Well, not in this case....


....because we exited just in time to enter a 2:00 p.m. video poker tournament for money -- and we WON IT! We topped 96 other players, thanks to one wonderfully-dealt hand.


We were given A-K-Q-J of clubs, plus one "stray". We saved the four clubs, and received a 10c for a 4,000-point natural royal flush!

If we were on a poker telecast, someone might ask next what we'll do with the prize money. Well, five dollars for first place isn't much -- but we'll do with it what we'd do with $5,000: tithe on it.

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." -- Malachi 3:10

A "tithe" means a tenth. So 50 cents of our five-dollar win is set aside for God; we do this by donating to the church congregation we attend or a ministry. And if you think 50 cents is no big deal, remember these words of Jesus:

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. -- Luke 16:10

From the eternal perspective of a watchful God, 50 cents matters. We thank Him for five dollars -- and for all heavenly blessings, great and small!

Ten-High Priest?

From the World Series of Poker Main Event comes a surprising sight -- a Catholic priest at the casino.

(We'll pause here, for you to create your own joke. There's probably a good one here somewhere.)

But seriously: a former member of his church is playing in the Main Event, and has promised to give the church a tithe of his winnings. Should he go all the way, that would come to about $850,000.

Sound absurd? Not to us. In fact, we tithe on all the cash we win at poker tournaments. "Tithe" means to give a tenth to God, and it's a Biblical concept. Jesus refers to it in Matthew 23:23, as He chastises....

"hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices -- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law -- justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former."

Jesus clearly wants other Godly issues to receive higher emphasis. But He didn't want the "hypocrites" to overlook tithing.

Malachi 3:10 challenges people to bring their tithes to God, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."

Does that mean you'll win every final table? Not necessarily -- but blessings can come in many forms. (Pssst, including a possible tax deduction for giving to charity.)

If the dealer deserves a tip for giving you a winning hand at the casino, why not offer a piece of the pot to God? He's not asking for all of it -- even though He wants a commitment from all of you.