Poker Night 473: Leftover Doughnuts

Some poker players refer to pocket Kings as "cowboys." Not us. We see K-K and think "Krispy Kremes". And since last Friday was National Donut Day in the U.S., they were still fresh on our mind tonight - even if Yvie's serves burgers and fries instead of pastry:

BLINDS: 400/800

IN THE POCKET: K-K

We've won a few pots, including one with a ridiculous bluff bet. But our stack has gone up and down, and now we're at a table of six with 6,700 chips. A young man to our immediate right is doing much better, and he's first to act in this hand. He raises to 2,200. Then we see our cards, and there's little doubt of what to do. It's time to push back.

"Raise - 4,400," we say quietly, dropping down a 5,000-chip piece. A player across the table is puzzled by that number, but we note we're doubling the original bet.

The rest of the table folds, leaving that young man pondering what we might have. In a way, that lengthy thought process could have been a tell. If he had pocket Aces, wouldn't he have re-raised right away?

Finally he does re-raise, going all-in. We call for our last 2,300. But we forget something.

"Put in the bonus chip," a woman to our left reminds us. We won that chip by taking the first hand of the night - a chip you can cash in for 5,000 only if you make the final table.

"But I don't want to put it in!" we say in a joking protest like a six-year-old. But of course, we do. Then our opponent shows.... A-J! He has a higher card, but we're happy to see we have the lead. "Keep 'em low, please," we encourage the dealer. The cards come out very slowly....

ON THE FLOP: 10-8-6

Good. Very good.

ON THE TURN: 4

Still good - and no flush chance is showing.

ON THE RIVER: J

"Ohhhhh," we declare. The opponent gained a pair - but with the lower card. The Kings survive, and we double up to more than 14,000 chips (when folded blinds are figured in).

But the blinds go up quickly at Yvie's, and we were down to.11,000 at the first break. Then three tables were combined into two, and we had a Small Blind which the cards wouldn't let us defend. Finally with 2,000 chips left, we pushed with Q-10. Two players called, including that young man who was doing well.  His A-3 did very well when 3's came on the flop and the river. 3x3=2 knocked out - including us, awarded tenth place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The beggar's corner was occupied again as we drove home - this time by the man who was happy to get a bag of food a couple of weeks ago, while another beggar grumbled.

"HELP" read his little cardboard sign. He said he needed about everything. "This is humiliating," he admitted to us. Yet it's seemingly become a way of life for him.

We gave the man a business card for the local Homeless Outreach Team. Then he said, "I know somebody named Jesus, and I think he's coming back. He's a good Daddy!"

We answered with a line from a recent hit Christian song - but as we walked away, we wondered if we should have corrected his theology. You see, Jesus technically is not a believer's Father.

Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. - Hebrews 2:11

Jesus Christ can be your brother if you're willing to let Jesus make you holy - but that's not really our focus tonight.  Let's consider the "Father" Jesus mentioned:

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one. - John 10:29-30

With all respect to fans of the late Muhammad Ali, the real "greatest of all time" is God the Father. After all, He's the creator of life - and the One who provided Jesus Christ as a sacrifice so we might have eternal life.

No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. - I John 2:23

It's a package deal. - or perhaps better put, a family deal. Will you acknowledge God as your Father, admitting belief in His holy Son as you do?


UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 176 final tables in 473 games (37.2%) - 33 cashes. After a good start to 2016, we've now missed six final tables in a row.

Poker Day 427: When Good Is Bad

Our text for today's poker tournament comes from the prophet Isaiah....

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. - Isaiah 5:20

We don't want a woe pronounced upon us -- but sometimes good starting cards in poker can turn out to be bad ones.  We learned this during today's big monthly tournament at Arrowhead Poker, not once but several times....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: J-J

We've won a couple of modest pots.  But we've lost a good bit, as we pursued marginal hands with a starting stack of 50,000 chips and relatively small blinds.  Our stack has tumbled to the 40,000 range, and a high pocket pair like this gives us hope for a rally.  So we raise to 1,000.

"I'd better call," says a man across the table from us.  "He might be bluffing."  We'll see; about half the table of eight is in.

ON THE FLOP: A-4-3

One of those cards was not what we wanted to see.  But we decide to "man up" and make a continuation bet of 1,000.

"Now I know you're bluffing," says that man across the table.  He calls; the other players fold.  But the way he's talking has us wondering -- is he bluffing?

ON THE TURN: Q

Ugh.  The board goes from potentially bad to worse.  Now we check.  So does our opponent.

ON THE RIVER: 2

Unless our opponent was chasing a wild-guess straight, that card seems harmless.  But the higher cards compel us to check again.  Now he bets 3,500, and we realize the worst.

"Too many ways to beat me," we say -- and we fold.  He's polite enough to turn over A-2, proving we were right.

To borrow from a former TV news anchor in Canada, that's the kind of day it was for us.  Pocket 10's brought a big raise against us with an Ace showing, forcing us to fold.  We took pocket Queens all the way to showdown, but lost to a man with K-J who gained two pair.  We even had pocket Aces and tried to slow-play them into something big, but made only a modest gain when we had to throw a "block bet" on the flop with two spades showing.

Finally we had A-K -- and when an Ace came on the flop, we check-raised all-in for our last 20,000.  A man called, showing A-7.  But of course, the turn card was a 7!  The 6 on the river didn't save us, and we had a relatively early collapse -- finishing 21st on a three-table day.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The players were so focused and scattered at our table that we couldn't do much in the poker room.  But on the way home, we saw a familiar sight - a man standing on an island in the middle of an intersection two blocks from our house.  We've come to call it the "Beggar's Corner," because someone seems to be there every weekend with a cardboard sign.

"FOOD" is all this man's sign said.  We're ready for these moments, as we parked the car and pulled a "Beggar's Bag" out of the trunk with a can of Vienna sausage and a juice pouch.  We added a small tract we found at a religious bookstore, walked to the intersection and gave it to him.

"I'm Les," he said.  "God bless you," he said shaking our hand -- not once but twice.

We admitted to him how sad it is to see beggars constantly at that corner.  In fact, we're now up to 29 beggars we've encountered this year -- most of them at that very corner.  It's easy to get frustrated and weary of this constant demand for help.  But then, we realized, we must remember the example of Jesus:

Who is he that condemns?  Christ Jesus, who died -- more than that, who was raised to life -- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. - Romans 8:34

Jesus comes to the aid of all who call on Him, before the throne of the Father.  And on a typical day, thousands (if not millions) are asking for His help.

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. - Hebrews 7:25

The demands (as in prayers) reaching heaven are constant.  God doesn't always answer them the way we might like.  But Jesus is serving as an intercessor on our behalf, at any hour of the day or night.  If you're a believer in Jesus, are you ready to serve in the same way?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 151 final tables in 427 games (35.4%) - 25 cashes.

Poker Day 411: A-A Charger

A player in the Big Blind begins with a slight disadvantage, as he's "pot committed" before any cards are dealt.  But sometimes the Big Blind can be dangerous, as playing "any two cards" can leave people guessing.  Here's an example of that from Arrowhead Poker Sunday:

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: A-A

We've seen Aces a lot early in the game -- in combinations such as A-Q and A-9.  Some of them worked; some of them didn't.  But this pair is likely to work -- and yes, we're in the Big Blind with them.  A man across the full table raises to 600.  But when we see these cards, we know it's not enough.

"Raise - 1,700," we say as we pick a number out of thin air.  A couple of players take us up on it, and call.

ON THE FLOP: Qc-7s-Js (suits may not be exact)

So far, so good -- except two spades are showing.  Neither of our Aces are spades.  So when the Small Blind checks to us, we know it's time for a cross between a continuation bet and a block.  We offer 2,500.  Our opponents aren't scared; they call.

ON THE TURN: 6c

This still seems good to us.  The Small Blind checks again, and now we raise the stakes to 3,000.  The man across the table who raised initially is puzzled by this.

"You were on a flush draw and now...."  After pondering a moment, he calls.  The Small Blind folds.

"I could have all sorts of thing," we tell our opponent.  He agrees with that.

ON THE RIVER: 4d

If he was on a flush draw, he just missed -- but part of us wishes the board had paired with that card.  What if he has something like Q-J, for two pair?  We decided not to back down, and bet 4,000.  This puts about two-thirds of our total stack in play.  This time our opponent says nothing -- he simply calls.

"I've got rockets in my pocket," we say as we show.  The table is impressed.  Our opponent shows a Queen -- and nothing else to top it.  Aggressive play allows us to double our stack, to more than 36,000 chips.

We won a few more pots after that, climbing above 50,000 in the first hour.  But then we overspent to make a flush on the river, when three Aces were showing.  An opponent with J-J proved he wasn't bluffing, and scored a big win over us with a full house.  Yet we fought back, going all in with 10-10 when a third 10 came on the flop and getting another double-up.

We reached the final table with about 60,000 chips.  But rising blinds and a lack of quality cards did us in.  Forced to finally go all-in for our last 10,000 in the Small Blind with K-2, the board didn't pair for us while it did for another man.  On a day with two full tables, we finished seventh -- out of the money, as only the top three were paid.

MINISTRY MOMENT: For a chance, the ministry did not happen in the poker room.  It happened during our trip to and from it.

"OUT OF WORK/ ANY HELP/ GOD BLESS" read the cardboard sign held by a man standing in the median at a traffic light near our home.

We learned several years ago how to prepare for moments like this.  We pulled over the car, reached into our trunk and pulled out a "beggar bag" -- a paper bag containing a small container of meat (we use chicken vienna sausages) and a pouch of juice.  But there's something else in the bags, added only recently -- little tracts about God and Jesus Christ.

The man accepted our bag, and we went on to the tournament.  Yet on the way home, we found a second man at that same intersection -- holding the very same sign.

We pulled over again, and asked a question before reaching.  "How many are in your group?"  Clearly this was some kind of organized "tag team" effort.

This man said there was only two of them.  "I hold the sign for awhile, then he holds the sign for awhile."

We only had one bag left in the trunk, so we gave it to that second man.  The humorous side of us wants to say we hit a "two-bagger."  But we think it's important to provide aid in such cases -- not simply throwing money, which beggars could misuse to feed dangerous addictions, but something which meets a specific need.

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. - Hebrews 13:2 (NASB)

The context of this verse seems to refer to bringing them into your home.  We've done that from time to time, but our current living situation doesn't really allow for that.  Yet our new city seems to offer plenty of opportunities to help "strangers" looking for whatever aid and assistance they can find.

Share with God's people who are in need.  Practice hospitality. - Romans 12:13 (NIV)

You may say street-corner beggars aren't really "God's people."  But unless you know their full life stories, how can you truly be sure?  We choose to err on the side of giving -- keeping in mind God gave us the promise of eternal life through Jesus His Son.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 144 final tables in 411 days (35.0%) - 23 cashes.  Our final table percentage climbs back to 35 percent for the first time in almost a year!

The 40-Dollar Man

"I'll donate to you."  That's a common, cliched line some poker players use when someone else at the table goes all-in.  But what we encountered at a recent local tournament was something else.

"I need 40 dollars," a man said loudly toward our table while standing behind us.  This occasional player needed that much to tide himself over until.... well, until exactly when was unclear.  At one moment he mentioned taking a job next week paying more than $100 an hour; in the next moment he talked about moving across the country to be with his children.

It's a rare day when we carry 20 dollars to a poker tournament, or anywhere else -- a practice we've had for years, after discovering beggars can stop you and ask for cash when you least expect it.  And since we're between jobs ourselves, we certainly didn't have 40 dollars in our wallet to offer this man.

So what did we do?  Let's first ask the question: what should you do?  Jesus made a suggestion which we think many people find hard to swallow....

Sell your possessions and give to the poor.  Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out. a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Luke 12:33-34

Does that mean simply handing out 40 dollars to any stranger who asks for it?  We didn't see anyone do it on that poker night.  And we think Jesus understands if we give to others with care and wisdom.  After all, scams and schemers abound in our society -- from street-corner addicts to nice-sounding fake online charities.

Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.  But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues.... - Matthew 10:16-17 (NASB)

To borrow from the fantasy game "Dungeons and Dragons": always check first for traps.  But God wants believers to have a heart that's willing to give, when it's prudent and possible.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.  If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.... if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously.... if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. - Romans 12:6-8

We went to that loud man quietly during a break, and told him of our financial situation.  He understood.  Then we offered to pray for him.

"I've already got priests praying for me," he said.  That's OK -- but every added prayer for other people can't hurt.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. - James 5:16

The man's name is Eddie.  Will you "donate" some time, and pray for God to turn his life around?

Poker Night 328: Make Mine 89?

The Red Barn has less-expensive soda.  Uptown Wings is closer to our front door.  With that choice of Monday night poker action, one thing made the difference for us tonight.  We had a "title" to defend.  So we walked back to Uptown Wings, hoping for our third cash win in a row.  Hope is one thing, achievement another....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: 8-9 of spades

We've heard players say mid-range cards are the best to play, because you have more flexibility in dealing with a flop.  We haven't been able to do much with any flop on this night, as weak cards have come our way over and over.  This shows promise, at least -- so it's one of the few hands we've actually played.  We call in the Small Blind; no one raises.

ON THE FLOP: 5-2-J (only the Jack is a spade)

We have dreams of a flush or straight -- but we need a lot of help.  A man across the table from us tests us with a bet of 600.

"I'm probably going to regret it, but I'll call," we say.  Two other players call as well.

ON THE TURN: 2s

There's one "runner," but we need one more.  The man across the table seems to sense that, because now his bet is 2,500.  A woman between us calls, and we're left to ponder.  That's really a card we wanted, but the price is awfully steep for seeing one more.

"I'll fold," we finally decide.

ON THE RIVER: 5s

Ouch!  Of course the flush comes after we fold -- but the hand is still going.  The bettor stares at the woman's stack, computes she has 1,800 chips and bets exactly that amount.

"Get out of my pot," he says as she ponders.  Then he does her a big favor -- and shows her a 5.  She folds. He wins.  And a big question mark is removed from our mind.  Yes, he ran us off a flush with that big bet on the turn -- but in this case, we're thankful he did.

But it was a night when nice cards simply didn't come for us.  Even A-10 in the Big Blind went nowhere, as we missed the flop and that opponent bet big again.  Our stack drained to the point where we were forced all-in with 10-4 in the Small Blind.  The turn brought a 4, but we had nothing more.  Two pair eliminated both blinds at the same time, and we wound up tied for 14th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: With Independence Day approaching, we took a small U.S. flag lapel pin for a card protector.  And we asked a couple of players a question our Pastor has mentioned in passing in recent weeks: what does it mean to be an American?

"My fathers were slaves," one man next to us said.  "What the f*** do you think it means to me?"

This African-American man proceeded to share his feelings about race relations and civil rights, past and present.  He believes there's still plenty of inequality and prejudice based on skin color, and he indicated he deals with it on a daily basis.  (We live in a city which officially has no "racial majority" at this time.)

"If you see a man down on his luck, sitting outside an IHOP," he said for an example, "that person's more likely to be offered a handout and get help if he's white."

We didn't tell the man this, but we personally don't offer anyone a handout unless they ask for it.  But when the request comes, we try to fill a beggar's need (the need itself, not simply a request for money) without concern for their skin color.  The Bible instructs us to do that....

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? - James 2:15-16

(If you're wondering who qualifies as a "brother or sister," check the results of a Bible study we did into that topic several years ago.)


"If we could get rid of the bigotry," the man went on to say, "we'd be the greatest country in the world."

"The only way you're going to get rid of bigotry," we told him, "is for Jesus Christ to come back."

The man agreed with that view.  And we pray Jesus returns soon -- not only to bring reality to the Declaration of Independence's phrase "all men are created equal," but to heal the hurt of racial prejudice that the man next to us clearly feels.

....For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:27-28

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 117 final tables in 328 nights (35.7%) - 19 cashes.  We missed the final table in our "early-week" tournament for the first time since Memorial Day.