Poker Deep After Dark

The flop was a dream come true for us - 9-Q-9. That's because we held pocket Queens.

So to borrow the lead of what other people around the table had done, we got out of our seat, stomped around a bit in celebration - then went all-in.

The "cards" were unusual, too. They were really torn-up slips, as someone apparently wrote all 52 cards in a deck on sheets of paper.

And then, before other players replied.... we woke up. That's because the dream hand was in fact a dream. It happened as we slept, at around 3:45 this morning.

Have you ever had a dream involving poker? They're rare during sleep time for us. But if you have one, how should you react to it? Is it a message from God? From the devil? Or, as some ministers have put it.... did you simply eat the wrong things at dinner last night?

There are times when God has spoken to people through dreams. They happened at dramatic Biblical moments, such as Joseph warning Egypt's Pharaoh about an upcoming famine (Genesis 41:25-27) or Daniel explaining a vision to save many lives....

Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries...." - Daniel 2:27-28

The same thing is supposed to happen in our "New Testament" age.... but not necessarily to everyone:

"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams." - Acts 2:17

In some church groups, testifying about dreams is a big deal. In others, it's downplayed as something which only happened in the early years of the church. We take Acts 2 to mean God will give significant dreams and visions to people who have His Holy Spirit - and you can receive that Spirit today.

Peter replied, "Repent, and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." - Acts 2:38

We should note Joseph and Daniel were able to interpret what they had dreamed, with God's help - and the interpretation turned out to be accurate. If you have poker-related dreams, a trusted friend (preferably someone wise in spiritual matters) can help you interpret it properly.

There's a second aspect to having a "poker dream." An upcoming post will get into that. But in the meantime, we welcome your comments. Have you had sleep-time dreams about poker? What's the most unusual one you've ever had? (Keep them clean, please.)

Mind Games

We wrote in a recent post about the risk of being a hypocrite. You can do it in many ways. You might play poker privately online, while railing against those who play in public. Or you might be discourteous at the table in one way, while complaining about those are do it in a different way.

An apostle in the Bible realized he could be guilty of that very thing - and perhaps at times felt he actually was. At one point he wrote:

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. - Romans 7:21

They're competing thoughts, battling for the same brain.

...But I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. - Romans 7:23

Knowing what to do, versus actually doing it. Does that describe you? Truth be told, it describes many of us - and the "law of sin" leads to death (Romans 6:23). But Paul found a solution to that dilemma....

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:1-2

God provided the solution through His Son, who became a "sin offering" for us (verse 3).

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.... - Romans 8:9

You can have the Holy Spirit of God by repenting of your sins and being baptized (Acts 2:38). The mind games you face at poker tables might not disappear completely. But if you're walking with God and studying His Word, they should become easier to handle.

Losing the Lead

We've suspected it for a year or two in our part of the U.S. And now a national news report seemingly has confirmed it - poker is losing chips, in terms of interest.

When Las Vegas casinos are shutting down their poker rooms, you know the game is in a decline. The number of tables across Nevada has dropped by more than 25 percent in the last ten years, and the casino income from poker has dropped 30 percent - even years after the "Black Friday" crackdown on online games.

Translation: the game is in a slump. It's very unlikely to drop to "push or die" status, but the adrenaline rush of new players isn't what it used to be. So what can be done to turn things around?

As strange as it sounds, maybe poker players and casinos should learn a lesson in promotion from the Bible - even from Jesus Christ:

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. - Matthew 28:19

Jesus said this to His disciples (verse 16). But like a crafty poker player waiting to make a move with big cards, they waited to act until the right moment. That's because Jesus also said...

On one occasion, as he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about." - Acts 1:4

Jesus promised "power from on high" was coming (Luke 24:49) - and days after He returned to heaven, it came in the form of the Holy Spirit which inspired dynamic messages.

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. - Acts 2:41

With that sort of a jumpstart....

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the signs that accompanied it. - Mark 16:20

In the church world, this movement is called evangelism. As a radio series we've been hearing puts it, you "tell someone" about the gospel and Jesus. People have been following Jesus's command and doing that for nearly 2,000 years.

But to be honest, even that effort has had peaks and valleys. Some say the Christian church is in its own slump right now, in terms of dedicated members. We think interest can come back, if believers are willing to spread their message - perhaps even in new and creative ways.

If that can happen in a church, why not in the poker world? When was the last time you told someone new that you play poker - and even told them where and how they can take part in a tournament? (We're talking legal games here, not the other kind.)

"Word of mouth" worked with the gospel message long before Texas Hold 'em became popular. It can still work, if you wait for the right moment and make a powerful action when it comes.

River Without Rats

The last card that's dealt in a Texas Hold 'em poker hand has a name with more symbolism than you might think.

Why is it called "the river"? One theory we found online says that card actually was a cheater's card long ago - and gamblers would throw it over the side of a riverboat if they got caught. Into the river, you see.

But big things happened at rivers long before poker came along. Consider a few examples....

So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them... as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.... So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. - Joshua 3:14-16

The nation of Israel entered God's "promised land" by crossing the Jordan River. Decades of wandering ended, and a payoff was achieved.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John... As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." - Matthew 3:13-17

The Son of God agreed to be baptized in a river, and God used that moment to make a major statement about Him.

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. - Acts 16:13

The apostle Paul went to the riverside to pray - and more baptisms followed (verse 15).

So historic events can happen at rivers. Perhaps you can think of more from the Bible. But we've been reminded of this lately by a big song on Christian radio - ironically, by a singer with "Jordan" in his name. It talks about a "river" offering something far more valuable than poker pots.

Poker Day 454: The Straight Edge

Since cash-game poker didn't work for us in Canada, we were back home today playing in a tournament at Arrowhead Poker.  Except this was "no-limit" Texas Hold 'em, where the betting can get wild -- sometimes to your advantage:

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 6-7 offsuit

We won the first hand of the day with A-Q, so we're a bit above our starting level of 52,000 chips.  These cards aren't much, but the blinds don't cost that much right now and no one raises. We're in for the minimum, as is most of the table.

ON THE FLOP: 4-5-J

Hopeful cards for us, as we have an open-ended straight draw. Someone across the full 10-player table from us puts out a feeler bet of 600, and we call it. About four players remain in the hand.

ON THE TURN: 8

Exactly!  The well-disguised straight comes, and now it's our turn to feel the pulse of the table. We bet 1,600, matching what a man did on the hand we won earlier.  A man across the way calls, but then someone else raises to 5,000.  Yeah, right.

"Re-raise - 15,000," we say.  The player in the middle of this folds, but the man who bet 5,000 goes all-in for around 50,000.  It looks like bad timing for him. Another man folds.

"I'll call," we say. "Do you have the straight?"

"The flush!" a man out of the hand speculates.  What flush? we wonder.  Only two hearts are showing.  We turn over our cards anyway, and show our straight.

"Nahh.  I've just got two pair."  He shows 4-5!  We have six potential full house cards to dodge....

ON THE RIVER: 7

...and we do!  That other man calls for a re-buy, while we make a huge gain to more than 130,000 chips.

Our take-home lesson here is that when other players want to throw around chips early in a tournament, let them do it - especially if you have a big hand.  You may wind up better for it.

That big win allowed us to try some marginal cards, but none of them paid off.  Our stack drooped until pocket Aces came, which allowed us to win a big sidepot while someone who was all-in stayed alive with three Queens.

But the blinds got bigger and our stack grew smaller.  Finally with six players left and three earning money, we went all-in for 50,000 with K-Q of hearts.  A caller with A-9 picked up an Ace on the flop, while no hearts came for us.  We finished sixth, which for a total 11-player day was only middle of the road.

MINISTRY MOMENT: One man at the table asked another how he kept getting good cards.  "Clean living," he said - with his tongue in his cheek, we presumed.

"Clean living is a good thing," we told the table.  "It sure beats dirty living."

Do you agree with that statement?  Some people think any card-playing constitutes "dirty living," as in sin.  We don't find any verse in the Bible to support that. But we do see this:

Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. - Psalm 24:3-4

When it comes to "clean hands," we do NOT think that means cleaning off the potato chip grease before touching your cards.  One study Bible indicates that refers to "guiltless actions." Based on the rest of the verse, it means not worshipping false gods or supporting lies.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. - James 4:8

Countless children are taught to wash their hands before eating dinner.  But we really should keep ourselves clean from sin all the time.  But what if you've blown it -- and your life really is dirty in God's sight?

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. - Acts 22:16

If you've never confessed your sins to God before, you need to do that. Repent of them, and ask for God's forgiveness. Then be baptized to symbolize the washing away of sin, in the name of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19) -- and God can grant you the gift of His Holy Spirit, to help you live a clean life (Acts 2:38).

We do NOT guarantee your poker hands will improve once you turn to God. But many other things in your life will -- and they'll be worth it.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 168 final tables in 454 games (37.0%) - 29 cashes.  Our final table percentage hits its highest point since November 2011, but we admit we've been helped a lot by one or two-table weekend tournaments.

What's Your Identity?

It's almost "World Series" season in the poker world - but today, some players may have been thrown a curve.

The World Series of Poker announced via Twitter people coming from outside the U.S. will need two forms of identification.  A passport will not be enough.  The second ID with a current address is supposed to guard against "money laundering."

That explanation is a little scary to consider.  Money laundering?! Are some top poker players dealing with drug cartels, and not telling anyone?

But we're more interested in the identity part of this.  How do you identify yourself to others at a poker table?  Are you a professional poker player?  An "amateur," who works five days a week somewhere else and hits the table merely for fun?

For several years, we've taken a "poker identity" which seems strange to many people.  But it's the identity we truly try to have -- as a Christian.

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. - Colossians 3:3

Sound strange?  The apostle Paul explains elsewhere what he means.

Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world.... - Colossians 2:20

This world's "principles" often aren't really rooted in ethical principle.  Take poker -- a game about getting and grabbing all the chips you can, as opposed to giving and sharing them with others.

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death.... - Romans 6:3-4

Jesus died - and baptism is part of the process for accepting Him as your Savior.  But the good news is that Jesus rose again:

....Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. - Romans 6:4b

It's supposed to be a godly life, walking as Jesus walked.

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. - Colossians 3:4

The "new life" for a believer should actually be Christ's life, being lived in us.  We have the same human name - but a new way of living.

May your "ID badge" be that of a Christian - shown not with a passport, but with a new outlook on life:

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. - John 13:35

Flushed Out

If you think a "flush" in competitive poker only refers to five cards of the same suit, think again.

National news reports this week tell of a man who's accused of using counterfeit chips during a tournament in Atlantic City.  Police say he tried to hide the evidence of his actions by.... (we should pause for comedic timing here) flushing them down the toilet in his hotel room!

Only one problem: the cover-up didn't work.  The poker chips became stuck in hotel pipes.  They caused a water leak on a lower floor.  And the man accused of doing it now is under arrest.

This certainly isn't the first case of people trying to use water to hide evidence of wrongdoing.  River and lake cleanup projects have found everything from guns to stolen cars -- and in the worst cases, a few human bodies.

Yet here's the thing - the Bible recommends we take this approach.  Only in a very different sense....

A man named Ananias came to see me.... He stood beside me and said.... "And now what are you waiting for?  Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." - Acts 22:12-16

The man Ananias went to see went on to become the apostle Paul, who wrote many New Testament books.  After Paul was struck down and blinded by Jesus Christ (verses 2-11), Ananias told him about the first steps in becoming a witness for God.  One key step involves baptism.

We grew up in a Christian denomination that sprinkled babies on the head, to perform a baptism.  Yet we recall a Pastor in our church admitting one day in a sermon the Baptists had a better argument when it comes to that custom - the method Jesus followed:

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.  At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. - Matthew 3:16

Jesus went up and out, because the Greek word for "baptism" means "immersion."  A few drops of water on your head might disinfect your head, but it won't clean the rest of your body.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. - Romans 6:3

The ceremony of baptism pictures your sins becoming dead and buried -- whether you're carrying fake poker chips, or have some other issues.  But be sure you do one thing before the baptism begins....

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ of the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." - Acts 2:38

Repentance means turning around and making a real change.  It means not going fishing a few days from now for those fake poker chips, because you're short-stacked in a tournament.  Let them go. Keep them buried. And live the "new life" Paul mentioned, walking away from sinful behavior.

The Atlantic City casino which had this scandal has changed its poker chips, to make them more secure.  That's understandable - but what we all need to "secure" is our minds, to make them honest and upright.  Baptism and the entrance of the Holy Spirit is the only true way to make that possible.

Drawing Dead or Alive?

Some poker tournaments have "re-buy" rules.  If you lose all your chips early in the game, you can get more chips and get back in for an extra charge.  But what happened to a woman sitting next to us recently was different - and amazing.

After playing carefully for about an hour, she went for it all in a hand and lost.  Except the Tournament Director put her out -- and he decided against putting her out, mainly because she was relatively new.  The woman received a "rebate" of chips.  Within minutes, she won several big pots -- and as we recall, she wound up at the final table.

This woman told us early in the evening she's a Bible reader.  After watching her comeback, we had a suggestion: "You should read the verses on new life."

The Tournament Director provided that to the woman -- and Jesus Christ offers it to you....

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! - II Corinthians 5:17

New life comes from being "in Christ."  For that to occur, Christ actually needs to be in you:

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. - Romans 8:10

Poker players know "drawing dead" is no fun.  It means you've lost the hand, even if the river card is the best one possible for you.  But in the eyes of God, death can lead to new life....

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. - Romans 6:4

Baptism performed the Biblical way pictures death - being buried under water. Coming out of that watery grave and having hands prayerfully laid upon you can bring Christ into you, through the Holy Spirit.

Have you repented of the sins which have your life drawing dead?  Have you taken those other steps, to ensure a new life in Jesus -- which can lead to life everlasting?

Water Works

Sometimes we get into interesting discussions at online poker tables.  And once in a while, we don't even have to provoke them.  Here's one recent example from National League of Poker....

CoolMedic:  come down to the river
CoolMedic:  my favorite hymn
Studmaster8:  Too cold
Me:  But there's a Man\
Studmaster8:  I like when his
Me:  Walking on the water
Studmaster8:  warm love surronds me
CoolMedic:  amen
Me:  Amen for that!

We may have our hymn idea mixed up with CoolMedic's here.  But a popular Southern gospel song has the chorus, "Let's all go down to the river - there's a man walking on the water."  Only one problem: it's not quite Biblically accurate.

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. - Matthew 14:25

The King James Version calls this body of water a "sea."  No Bible passage indicates Jesus walked on a river -- although based on this account mentioned in three gospels, we suspect that would have been no problem for Him. Instead, Jesus used a river for another purpose:

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.... As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.... - Matthew 3:13, 16

(Mark 1:5 confirms this refers to the Jordan River.)


"The river" can be the most dramatic card in a poker hand.  You can make a winning flush, or watch an opponent eliminate you by completing a full house.  Jesus's river illustrates an even bigger life-changing moment - becoming baptized.

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." - Acts 2:38

Jesus was sinless, so He had no need to repent.  But He set an example for all of us to follow, by going into the river.  The entrance of the Holy Spirit into your life can transform you, moving you away from a worldly path onto a godly one.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. - Galatians 5:16-18

To "live by the Spirit" requires asking God to renew His Spirit in you -- day by day, and if necessary even hour by hour.  Read farther in Galatians 5 and you'll get two lists of standards to check yourself.  One list shows sinful acts, the other "fruit of the Spirit."  Which list do you think is better?


(NOTE: This online chat had other Biblical points; we'll get to those in a future post.)

The River, or Something Like It

We're covering three points made by a fellow player last Thursday night, when we asked him if he believed in Jesus. "I'm saved. I'm baptized," he answered. What is this "baptism" thing about?

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. - Matthew 28:19

Jesus gave this instruction to His disciples before ascending to heaven. And Jesus set an example for them several years earlier....

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.... As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.... - Matthew 3:13, 16

Our Lord was baptized in a river -- even though John indicated in verse 14 Jesus didn't need it. Why would John say that? Because something else goes hand-in-hand with baptism:

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." - Acts 2:38

The Bible indicates repentance is part of the process -- meaning a turn away from sin to a sin-free walk. (This is way the words turn and river in poker have always struck us as fascinating.)

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. - Romans 6:4

That "new life" isn't always easy -- especially if you're used to a life revolving around poker, with temptations from tobacco and alcohol to heavy gambling. That's why you need the third part of our friend's answer. We'll get to that next.

The Game of Your Life

If you visit PokerStars sites, that title should look familiar; a current major tournament has that name. But those words can be examined in a couple of ways. For instance, what sort of a game are you playing with your life?

We promised to offer more details about a National League of Poker table where we deferred to a player who gets easily upset with "chatty" opponents. After we explained why we kept quiet, this exchange occurred....

Dealer: rocknelson wins Main Pot ($1260)
stanley: get a life
rocknelson: eat a d**k stan
Me: Thanks to God, I have one. :-)

It's not a plain old ordinary physical existence. This is something completely new.

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and that life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. -- I John 5:11-12

If you want that never-ending life, you need Jesus. The book of Romans explains how to obtain Him.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.... In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. -- Romans 6:4, 11

So baptism is needed -- and Acts 2:38 adds you should repent "for the forgiveness of your sins" as well. Those two steps will start a new game for you. And while physical death might be a temporary adjournment, Jesus promises eternal life "in the age to come" (Mark 10:30). To borrow from Charlie Sheen, now that's really "#winning".

Thoughts About One King

It's better to have a pair of Kings at the poker table, of course. But the "one King" we're thinking about is Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior -- whose birthday is a U.S. national holiday Monday.

King labored for racial equality. And in the world of poker, that seems to be a reality. Think about the diversity of names and faces in major tournaments -- from Phil Ivey and Doyle Brunson to Scotty Nguyen and Humberto Brenes. If you have the buy-in money, you can play. The only "color" that matters is the value of your chips.

Free poker games in our area work the same way. Although we've noted a recent incident where a bystander upset a player with racial slurs, we've never heard any racist language at the tables we play. The people around the table want to play poker, not start barroom brawls. And with no entry fee, anyone can join in.

The Bible indicates Jesus Christ will come back -- and when He does, the color of someone's skin or the place of someone's birth won't matter. Here's what will....

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. -- Galatians 3:26-27

It won't come down to who you are, but Whom you believe. Accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and being baptized into His Church (Acts 2:38) makes you one of His sons. And although many churches today may not look this way, you'll be on the way to an equal opportunity destiny:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. -- Galatians 3:28-29

What Do You Have to Do?

Have you ever asked that question when you're dealt hand after hand of unplayable cards? Or maybe after you go all-in with a flush, only to find another player "has the nuts?"

We're actually asking this question in the context of our last post -- the man who had to do certain things to be allowed back in a Catholic church. We don't know what those things were, but he hadn't done them yet.

Some religious groups make up all sorts of rules -- whether to be baptized, confirmed, ordained or simply get inside the door. But the Bible shows to be part of God's family, it's really not that complicated.

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus," Paul writes in Galatians 3:26. But the next verse there's more to it than simply saying that in a sentence, while your head is bowed: "....for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."

So baptism matters -- and so does something else. "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)

Repentance means more than confessing sin and wrong. Consider the words of Paul again: "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." (Acts 26:20)

Galatians 5:22-23 will give you a good start toward understanding what sort of mind and heart those deeds involve. Look them over, examine yourself -- and ask that question at the top of this post. Maybe you need to do something. If not to be part of a congregation, then to be a child of God.