Our Little Garden

After a couple of busy months where we didn't have much time for poker, we hope to return to the table this week. But we have found time to take advantage of a casino's temptation.

Jack Casino has offered us two free $10 table bets each week during March and April. We've taken that offer to blackjack tables ten times so far - and the score stands at six gains, four losses.

Our profit: $28. It's not much because we tend to play small and bet small. We minimize our losses that way - even if it means minimal wins as well. Did you know that's a Biblical principle?

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. - II Corinthians 9:6

It's only logical, after all. Plant a lot of seeds, and you should get a big crop. But let's make something clear - the apostle Paul is not talking here about plunking down $100 at a time on blackjack. Keep reading....

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. - II Corinthians 9:7

The focus here isn't about you taking home a big wad of money. It's about giving. This was written to a church group which wanted to make a "generous gift" to another part of the world (verse 5). And God rewards a giving attitude....

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. - II Corinthians 9:10-11

Excuse us for asking - but how giving are you? Yes, we know that's not the proper mindset for winning poker. But if you practice a giving spirit in your life, God (the true "he who supplies seed") is ready to bless your effort.

Our blackjack "profit" really is less than $28, because we've tipped our dealer several times. That's giving on a small scale, too. But who knows - maybe that's why we're modestly succeeding. We're certainly thanking God for it.

Our Real Story: 2018 in Review

With two days left in 2018, we're "putting the cue in the rack" as they say in Australia. We'll declare our poker-playing finished for the year, and review how we did.

All in all, we did very well! It was a year of transition, as we moved from a location with one nearby poker room (others closed by police) to another area with two competing casinos - one only ten minutes from home. So our live play increased, and that may be why our success rate did:

KANSAS STAR CASINO - One final table in nine games, one cash
FIVE-STAR BILLIARDS - Two final tables in two games, no prizes (the Wichita billiard hall closed in mid-January)
JACK CASINO CINCINNATI - 10 final tables in 16 games, four cashes (two of them "bubble boy" consolation money)
HOLLYWOOD CASINO INDIANA - 10 final tables in 13 games, one cash
DAYTON FORESTERS - One final table in one game, no cashes

TOTAL: 24 final tables in 41 tournaments (58.5%) - six cashes for $942!

After the move to metro Cincinnati, we made a stunning 70 percent of our final tables!

Admittedly, five of those 30 tournaments had only enough players for one table. And not many were large tournaments with more than two tables - at least eight, by our records. But in most cases, we had to play our way to the final group. And by God's grace and guidance, we did....

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. - Ephesians 4:7 (NASB)

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER: No final tables in one tournament; 80 tokens lost in two cash games. Grand total: 290 point wins (top 10%) in 1,452 games, 93 final tables, 10 wins, 13 cashes.

NLOP's notorious connection problems seemed to be gone when we tried a tournament this past week. But overall, the cash prizes here don't thrill us now - especially when casinos are close. At least NLOP has added a cash game option for building tokens, even though we failed there.

POKERSTARS.net: Cash games - Up 93,476 play money chips. Welcome bonuses: 95,000. Total: 1,126,682 (yet for some odd reason, the website shows us with 6.1 million).

We sat down at "cash game" tables nine times in 2018, and had gains at eight of them!

This past year also will be remembered for our increased blackjack play, spurred by a Kansas Star Casino tournament in which we finished in the top ten. We gained $68.50 there, after being in the "minus column" a good part of the year.

What will 2019 bring? We can only guess. We had no idea when 2018 began that we'd be in Kentucky now, working at a different job and playing live poker nearly every week. But we ought to step up to one of the big-money weekend tournaments, to see how we'd do.

Whatever happens, we'll keep looking to God for wisdom and discernment - in how we play, as well as how we present Him and ourselves wherever we go. May you do the same.

Poker Night 537: Triple-A Benefits?

Three final tables in three tournaments - quite a start to poker in our new home area! But could we make it four-for-four? We drove to Hollywood Casino Indiana Wednesday night to find out....

BLINDS: 300/600

IN THE POCKET: A-9

Things were more challenging right off the bat, compared with last week. Enough players showed up for two tables, and they disrupted our plans often. For instance, slow-played pocket Kings ran into an Ace on the flop. We were ready to accept an early exit - but then came a surprise straight and triple-7's. We ended Hour 1 where we started, at 12,000 chips.

Now in Hour 2, a couple more pots have pushed us to a high of 17,000. We can get in for the minimum with these cards, but a woman raises to 1,600. We decide to take her on; about four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: Ad-3h-Ah

Marvelous! Three Aces, and we're already laying low. We check, and the woman down the table makes a continuation bet of 1,600. We smooth-call, as they say on TV; a third player calls as well.

ON THE TURN: 7c

This card seems meaningless. We check to the raiser again, hoping for more gains - but this time she checks.

ON THE RIVER: Qh

The third player in the hand is actually first to act - and now he offers 2,100. Uh-oh. With three hearts showing, did he make something big? Or does he have the missing Ace, and has been thinking what we're thinking? We have to call to find out. So we do - and the woman who fueled the fire folds.

The man turns over.... 8-3 of hearts! Indeed, he made a flush on the river. Our effort to drain the aggressive woman allowed a relatively passive man to come from behind and win a big pot. That'll teach us to bet early with draws showing, to ensure some gains - although, of course, that man may have kept calling, anyway.

We never recovered from that big loss. Minutes later, we went all-in with K-Q of diamonds after a an across the table pushed. We thought he had less. In fact, he had A-Q. An Ace on the river meant the end of the night for us: no final table, and 17th place out of 21 contestants.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We won back some of our $70 entry fee at a blackjack table - and heard an unusual statement from the dealer when he lost a hand: "Just doing the Lord's work, buddy."

Well, what do you know! We're trying to do the same thing, and told the dealer so. Except, "The Lord's work is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Salvation for all, through Jesus Christ!"

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." - John 6:29

A woman at the far end of the table looked at us with what seemed to be a large amount of skepticism. She didn't comment, but clearly she wasn't expecting this when she sat down to play cards. Yet we pray that we did accomplish God's work in that moment....

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:10

The "good works" prepared by God can take many forms. Within His church, they can be works of loving service. As Jesus put it....

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.... Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. - Matthew 25:35-36, 40

Doing it for a Christian brother is as good as doing it for Jesus Himself! Then when it comes to going outside the church....

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. - Acts 1:8

Jesus calls on His followers to "witness" for Him. We wait for the right moment to do that in poker rooms, and sometimes at other parts of casinos. But the Lord noted we need the Holy Spirit's help to do that properly.

Some church groups will celebrate the Holy Spirit's coming this weekend, with special services to mark the festival of Pentecost (called the "Feast of Weeks" in the Old Testament). This video explains the event, as well as what the Holy Spirit can do in your life. Will you allow God to do His work in you, through His Spirit?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 195 final tables in 537 games (36.3%) - 40 cashes.

Five Will Cost You Ten

The sign on one table offers "$5 blackjack." But when we sat down to play on our first trip to JACK Casino Cincinnati, we were surprised and disappointed.

You can plunk down $5 for the basic game. BUT you're also required to plunk down $5 more on "TriLux" - what JACK calls a side bet similar to three-card poker. It pays at least five to one if your two cards plus one of the dealer's makes a straight, flush or three of a kind.

At every other place where we've played blackjack, this side bet is optional. To make it mandatory seems at least misleading to us - and maybe more.

The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. - Proverbs 11:1

They don't weigh the chips in a casino - but do you see the principle here? It's about being truthful in conducting business. If you're going to put "$5" on your sign, charge five dollars. The Bible reinforces this:

Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt. - Leviticus 19:36

You can look up what an "ephah" and a "hin" are on your own time. Our point is being honest - mentioned four times in this single verse.

While the old phrase, "Honesty is the best policy," is not in the Bible, the concept certainly is. And ultimately, none of us can be dishonest before God. He sees it all (II Chronicles 16:9) - so with that in mind....

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure.... if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think abut such things. - Philippians 4:8

Yes, that means truth at a poker table as well. Betting a bluff is part of the game, but you don't have to lie about your hand with your words. While some casinos may do things along those lines with their promotions, that doesn't mean you have to follow their example.

Oh yes - after Monday night's poker game, we took advantage of a newcomer "free bet" slip at that "$5 blackjack" table. TriLux turned into a diamond flush, and we beat the dealer for $35 on the first hand.

"That happens all the time here," the dealer said. Hopefully he was not offended when we took the money and left.

Blackjacked Up

"There's no tournament tonight!" a poker dealer said when we neared the entrance to the Kansas Star Casino poker room tonight.

"Oh yes, there is," we answered. Poker, no. Blackjack, yes.

We qualified three weeks ago for the casino's blackjack championship semifinals. Tonight was the time to determine the winner. Out of 108 players who advanced (including 18 wild cards), 18 would make the final round and the top six would share $20,000 in prize money.

We drew a table in the middle of three semifinal sessions. After finding a great website for practicing casino "skills" for free, we'd developed a strategy for betting our 500 starting chips over 18 hands. We'd bet small at first, and increase the bets as our stack increased and the number of remaining hands dwindled.

The semifinal sessions started well, as we gained 60 on the first hand with a double-down bet. But then came a string of losses which made us concerned. At the mandatory chip-count after 12 hands, we were down to 375 - yet were surprised to find that was second at the table.

Only the table winner would advance to the finals. So some of the five players around us went for broke, and lost. But we gained a big double-down win of 250 on #16 (might we be allowed to make it sound like golf?), putting us at 635.

We failed in the last two hands, betting 200 each time. Yet amazingly, we wound up "heads up" at the table - and the only other man in the running had only 150 chips! Our 235 (a 53-percent loss) won the table, and put us in the finals!

"You have a one-in-three chance of winning money," a bystander told us as we shared what happened. We knew that - 18 reaching the finals; six getting paid. And we knew we had been blessed, because one semifinal table had two players finish above 5,000.

Our final table included a few early triumphs. We advanced near the 700 mark early, then had small setbacks. At the 12-hand count, we stood at 580; players on either side of us were above 1,000.

We were still at 580 when we doubled-down 125 at #15. Our 20 lost to the dealer's 21, and that hurt. A loss of 110 at #16 left only 220 chips and two hands to play. But we won back 110 at #17 - then went for it all on the last hand, and watched the dealer bust!

Final score: 660 chips. We would not win the $10,000 top prize; the two players around us finished above 1,000. But could we make the money?

A casino manager took the public address mike to announce the top six. Sorry, we didn't make it. A man named Lloyd (pictured) won the championship. Our 660 put us in tenth place out of 18.

At a casino poker tournament, tenth out of 108 would have made some money. Thinking back over three weeks of qualifying, there was a maximum of 972 entries - and the top 98 in poker or golf surely would have made us some money. But in this format.... no.

That's OK, though. We drove home thankful to God for the excitement of competing - and for the ability to say we finished in the top ten of a blackjack competition, out of nearly 1,000!

MINISTRY MOMENT: While we watched the first semifinal session to get a feel for the action, we talked to a man about what we and some former co-workers had faced in recent months.

"It's an unfriendly world," he said.

"That's why I'm thankful that Jesus is my best friend," we told him. Then we asked the "Jesus question." That man considers Jesus his friend as well.

"He's kept me vertical," he explained. "My health is fair." Then came a surprising addition. "Jesus.... redeemed me."

We praised the Lord for that short testimony. But do you understand what he means by Jesus redeeming someone?

The Lord redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. - Psalm 34:22

The concept of redemption goes back to long before Jesus Christ appeared on Earth. David wrote these words during a time of persecution, appealing to God to protect righteous people like himself from evildoers (verse 21). Later on....

...For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. - Romans 3:23-24

Earlier in the day, we heard a pastor on radio talk about old-time S&H green stamp "redemption centers." People used to collect stamps while shopping, then turn them in at the centers for gifts and prizes. You may have a credit card that offers "rewards points" in a similar way.

Jesus redeemed us from our sins, by giving up His sinless life on our behalf:

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. - Colossians 1:13-14

Jesus never sinned. We have. We do. More often that we'd like to admit. But Jesus redeemed us through His blood, shed for us. If we ask God to apply Jesus's blood to our sins, we can be part of God's glorious coming kingdom. That can be more exciting than any night of blackjack.

Will you take advantage of God's amazing offer? Leave a comment if you'd like to know more about how it works.

The R.O.I.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poker Day 465: A Big Gulp

Sunday tournaments at Kansas Star Casino are pricey - an $85 buy-in. But weekday games are more reasonable. We happened to have a three-day weekend, so we drove to the Casino for a 12:00 noon game with a $45 buy-in -- plus $5 "dealer appreciation" for an extra 1,000 chips. We'd soon see how much we appreciate them....

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: Queen-10 offsuit

The cards we've been dealt early were OK, but nothing that won us pots. Our starting stack of 3,500 chips dropped to about 3,000.  But we won a modest pot in the Big Blind, with a timely bet o the turn. Now we're in the Small Blind, at a pretty active table. Someone raises to 75, and we hold our nose (well, not literally) and call. About half the table is in.

ON THE FLOP: Q-7-4

We hit top pair, and we're ready to seize on it. Sitting in lead position, we bet 150 to keep potential flush chasers away. Only a man to our right calls.

ON THE TURN: 5

That seems harmless, so we try again. Now we bet 400. But that opponent calls again, and we fear big trouble. Is he sitting on pocket Kings?

ON THE RIVER: 7

This pairs the board - and it's potentially even more trouble. What if our opponent had a 7 in the first place?  We slow down and check. We're a bit relieved when our opponent thinks it over, then checks as well.

We show Q-10.  He shows - Q-9!  The 10 plays, and we complete a nice round of blinds by gaining several hundred chips.

Our stack reached a high of 5,375 at the end of the first blind period. But then good cards started getting beat by better cards, and we slumped again. We survived one all-in Big Blind moment, to stay at 1,900 chips. But when we were moved to another table, we pushed with A-8 and A-5-2 showing. Amazingly, a man with 5-2 called and topped us. We left in 31st place out of 53 players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We tried to recover our buy-in at a blackjack table.  That didn't succeed, either - but we heard a discussion with a table manager about giving.

"It's better to give than to receive," we told him. "I read that in a book once."

"Was that a 'good book'?" the dealer asked.

"A very good book," we agreed.  Moments later we continued, "Do you read that good book?"  The dealer nodded his head.

"I think everyone should read it," we added.

"I concur," the dealer responded.

Do you recognize that initial quote - and the "good book" where it's found?  Regular blog readers probably can guess....

In everything I did, I showed you by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." - Acts 20:35

People call the Bible a "good book" for many reasons. We think it's good in part because it gives helpful advice on living.  But it's especially good because of the One who gave this advice - Jesus Christ, who desires to be your Savior.

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me...." - John 10:14

Jesus openly was skeptical when someone called Him "good" (Luke 18:19) - but here He takes that adjective to a different level.

"....Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay down my life for the sheep." - John 10:15

Jesus Christ came to give up His life, to pay the death penalty for all our sins. We don't think any deal is "more good" than that. Will you accept it, and become one of Jesus's "sheep" - following the Shepherd all the way to the Kingdom of God?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 175 final tables in 465 games (37.6%) - 33 cashes.  In five tournaments at Kansas Star, we've yet to even reach a final table.

Sodas or Substance?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Man Vs. Machine: Drugged Up

When a weekend road trip to see family members puts you only a couple of miles from a casino, it's only natural for us to pay it a visit.  So this morning, while many people slept in or went to church, we went to Hollywood Casino.

One stop was the heads-up Texas Hold 'em computer machine. We've played it before - sometimes for nice gains, other times for big losses.

BLINDS: 1/2

IN THE POCKET: K-2 of hearts

We put a $20 bill in the machine to get started.  After a couple of bad deals, we're starting with $15. The machine likes to raise pre-flop, perhaps to scare opponents off.  In this case, we dare to call a raise to 4.  We don't use "K-2," but we sometimes play it.

ON THE FLOP: 2-A-K

If this is "slot machine" poker, two pair might as well be a jackpot.  We check - and sure enough, the machine bets $2. We raise in this minimum-raise format, and in seconds we're all in for $11. (We tried to insert another $20 to heighten the stakes, but could not.)

ON THE TURN: 10

The computer shows A-7!  Our two pair beats its one.

ON THR RIVER: 6

The gamble pays off, and we're up $26.

But K-2 came again on the next hand, and we should have realized what was coming. We hurt ourselves by pressing the "bet/raise" button when we meant to call - and we wound up with nothing, while the computer made a 6-high straight.  We should have left well enough alone, as we wound up losing $17.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Before the computer challenge, we sat down for blackjack with a real dealer.  Only three players were at the table at 8:30 a.m. on a Sunday - but the player across from us was in a gambling mood.

"Can I play your poker?" he asked us.  It took three times for us to understand what he meant.  The table had a small circle for placing bets in "three-card poker."  If your first two cards and the dealer's "up card" complete a poker hand such as a straight or flush, you get paid 9:1.

That man turned our spot into a jackpot a couple of times, while we chose to keep it vacant.  The man was kind enough to let us keep $5 of his $45 gain.

What an unusual way to practice giving -- doing it without our fully realizing what was happening.  But consider this verse:

All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. - Proverbs 21:26

Admittedly taking this verse a bit out of context, the man across the table "craved for more" - seeking gain so much that he entered our "turf" and made money from it!  We gave him the opportunity to do it.  Then he gave us an 11-percent share of his winnings.

Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. - Psalm 112:5-6

We'll claim this as a promise from God, and try to be just in our conduct at the table - no matter where that table might be.

The Real Story: 2014 In Review

Our work schedule seems to get busier and busier -- and as a result, our time for playing poker gets smaller and smaller.  But here's how the past year went for us.

LIVE TOURNAMENTS: 11 final tables in 21 games (52.4%), 1 cash.

Critics might call those numbers deceptively high.  Several tournaments wound up having only one table, so we "made the final table" simply by showing up.  And we cooled quite a bit after making our first five finals of the year.

LIVE CASH GAMES: None.

OTHER CASINO GAMES: Ultimate Texas Hold 'em - Down $280.  Computer machine heads-up -
Down $59.  Blackjack - Up $55.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER: Regular - 0 for 4.  No-River Hold 'em - 1 final table in 9 games.

POKER STARS: Play money cash games - Down $2,762.

Our conclusions?  First: much to our surprise, maybe we're playing the wrong game.  We did shockingly better at blackjack than anything else, with three gains in four sessions - especially in terms of making money.  (We also earned 95 cents with "free play" at casino slot machines.)

All those final tables in poker rooms didn't make us money, because most of them had entry fees -- and our single $40 win in February didn't make up for all of that.

So second: unless you're really sharp at playing poker or hit a big jackpot somewhere, you're liable to lose money more often than you win.  If you can afford that in small chunks and not become addicted, that might not be bad; stock traders see ups and downs as well.

But with some people, the dream of "beating the system" can turn into a downward spiral of financial and personal trouble.  We'd recommend those people stay away from poker, and probably any casino gaming.  Find something better to do.  As the Bible recommends....

...Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. - Philippians 4:8 (NLT)

The way this world is going, those standards seem to set a very high bar.  But there's Someone who is a great One to focus on....

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. - Hebrews 12:2

If you've never considered the life and example of Jesus Christ, there's no better time to start.  Go through the first four books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  Take your time - perhaps a chapter or two a day.  Take notes on what you see Jesus saying and doing.  And ask how those points can apply in your life.

We're thankful we had some extra money to spend on poker (and doing poker ministry) during 2014.  We're also thankful for all of you who read this blog and offer comments.  We're planning to continue on in 2015, as our schedule permits -- but perhaps picking our tables and locations more carefully.

No Ifs, It's Real: One-Year Report

This week marks one year since we moved to a new city.  We moved from a place where we were unemployed to a place where we have full-time work.  We're thankful to God for that.

In fact, it's more than full-time work -- as we're busy so many hours a week that our poker playing has dropped considerably.  So has our blogging about poker, as regular readers may have noticed.  But our poker environment also has changed in Kansas.  Instead of playing a lot of free tournaments in bars hoping to win a little prize money, now we play almost all our games in poker rooms and casinos with entry fees and bigger stakes.

So how have we done?  We added up the score, and found we've only played 17 live tournaments in the past year.  They break down this way:

WPT AMATEUR LEAGUE: One final table in two games.  That "one" was a second-place finish, with first only earning points toward a bigger tournament later.

POKER ROOMS: Eight final tables in 15 games (53.3%), 4 cashes, 1 outright win.

Those stats are rather stunning, considering we aren't playing a lot.  And our poker room performance admittedly dropped in the last six months, to two final tables out of seven.

But have we made any money doing it?  By our figuring, no.  We paid $395 in buy-ins (only a couple were more expensive than $20).  We won $220, so we had a net loss of $175.

As we mentioned in a recent post, this past year also allowed us to play in more casinos than ever before -- and also play more variations of Texas Hold 'em.  We only played one full tournament in a casino, and missed the final table there.  Otherwise, how did those do?

CASH GAME POKER: One session, down $60

ULTIMATE TEXAS HOLD 'EM: Eight sessions, down $217.50 (we were up $77.50 after two)

HEADS-UP MACHINE HOLD 'EM: Three sessions, down $19

BLACKJACK: Two sessions, up $35

Ouch!  What does it say when our most profitable game is the one which arguably has the most luck involved - blackjack?

Our online poker playing hasn't stopped completely, but it's also been reduced by our new situation:

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - two "cashes" (top ten percent) in 10 games.  No-River Hold 'em - Six point wins (about top ten percent) in eight games; four final tables, one win paying cash.

The No-River success rate is an astonishing 75%!  Perhaps we've found our "niche" specialty game there.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $88,531, up $4,031.

So overall, we're winning online a great deal.  We're winning on occasion in person, but losing overall (the total loss is about $436).  But anymore, our poker playing is less about money and more about ministry - sharing the things of God and Jesus Christ wherever we go.  After all....

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. - Proverbs 11:4

"Lifetime winnings" make for nice statistics and healthy discussion at the table.  But once your lifetime is ended, what will you ultimately gain?  May your goal be the same as the apostle Paul:

I press on toward the goal for of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:14 (NASB)

Friday Night Lights, Part 2

When we left a previous post, we had $30 left at the casino - only enough for one more Ultimate Texas Hold 'em hand at the $10 table.  Since the $5 table was full (proving more casino gamblers are economy-minded than you might think), we did something we hadn't done it years. We sat down at a blackjack table.

With $30 to spend and a $10 table, we figured we'd finish things quickly.  But a remarkable thing happened.  We won a hand.  Then another.  Then another. It wound up being a run of five wins and one push -- and suddenly we were $20 from breaking even!

But when the dealer dealt himself A-K, we knew it was time to get out near the top.  We left with only a $30 loss, stopped for a burger dinner, drove home and worked on our tax return a bit (even turning on TV for some of the sin-laden 10:00 p.m. news) before going to bed.

Keep in mind why we did this -- because we were consciously not showing love for God on February 14, including the start of a seventh-day Sabbath.  We admittedly had prayed Thursday night (the 13th) explaining to God why we were doing what we did.

The next morning was Saturday, the 15th -- and we resumed our normal routine, praying to God first thing in the morning.  We sought His forgiveness for anything we may have done wrong in the process.  (We could have acted much worse -- but we didn't curse, or even eat "unclean meats".)  And we have confidence from the Bible that it was granted....

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - I John 1:9

We should stop here and ask: have you done this?  Even poker players sin, you know....

....For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. - Romans 3:23

We all need God's loving forgiveness -- and that's admittedly one big problem we have with the magazine article which started all this.  Does God suspend His love for humans on February 14, simply because some people have turned that day into a pagan "love feast?

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. - Lamentations 3:22-23

If God can forgive our "love is wrong today" fling, even if it's suggested by a church group's teaching which seems to be ridiculous, He can forgive your sins at the poker table.  But you must confess them -- which we think means admitting they were wrong, and asking God to forgive them.

There's one more part to this story.  A worship service Saturday afternoon allowed us to share our actions with other church members.  Could we start a conversation on exactly what love means -- including when to do it?

(NOTE: This story will continue in a future post.)

Improving the Odds

There are all kinds of "poker games" for people who don't want to play, well, real poker.  We've mentioned in recent months our occasional interest in "Ultimate Texas Hold 'em," played at a table similar to blackjack.

But are those alternatives any better, when it comes to winning money?  We found a web page which offers revealing answers.  We were puzzled by the lack of Ultimate Texas Hold 'em on their list of table games, since those tables always seem to be the most crowded at casinos.  Yet surprisingly, you're more likely to beat the dealer at basic blackjack than at games such as "Caribbean Stud".

In every case, though, the odds are in favor of the house -- not you.  And if you think about it, this world works the same way.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you use to lived when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. - Ephesians 2:1-2

The "ways of this world" tend to follow a "ruler" -- but who is that ruler?

The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers.... - II Corinthians 4:4

Is that the God of creation?  No -- because the rest of the verse says:

....so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. - II Corinthians 4:4b

Why would the God of creation blind people to seeing Jesus Christ?  We have to admit a few church groups say God does this, perhaps without realizing it.  But Jesus referred to someone else along this line....

Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. - John 12:31

Back in Ephesians 2, some Bible translations say "prince" instead of "ruler."  So that prince is at work in disobedient people.  Would God work people toward sinning?  We don't think so.

The circumstantial evidence points to Satan the devil as that "ruler" and "god of this world" and "prince."  But did you notice something else about Ephesians 2 -- that people were dead?  Past tense?  That means they're not any longer.  How did that happen?  What turned their odds to a winning victorious life?

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.... We are from God.... - I John 4:4, 6

We need Someone in us to overpower Satan.  There's only One who can effectively do that....

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:20

Is Jesus Christ in you, giving you a win at the table of life -- and hope for eternal life beyond this one?  We believe turning to Jesus turns the odds in your favor.  If you need help with that, please leave a comment and let us know.

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.

Why Did You Do That?

Admittedly, we felt a little desperate. Our budget for a two-week vacation which included a church convention and a quick cruise was tight from the start. Then our car rental plans had to change at the last second, requiring us to spend twice as much as we'd planned.

So when we boarded a ship in Palm Beach, Florida for Freeport, Bahamas two Sundays ago, the on-board casino was more tempting than usual. Amidst hundreds of slot machines and plenty of blackjack, there was one poker table in the corner -- and we knew it was our chance to balance the vacation budget.

Trouble was, the Texas Hold 'em table had a cash game format -- not the tournament style we feel more ethically comfortable playing. It was real gambling; plunk down some bills in exchange for chips, and you could win more money or lose them all.

ON THE SEA

We were aware of the risk to our limited budget -- and we were aware playing a cash game might hurt other travelers' budgets as well. (But then, do you think they'd admit it if we asked them?) And the stakes were small: a $2/$3 pot limit format. So we handed over $30 to give it a try.

On the first night at Wynmore Casino, our stack jumped to $80 within an hour. Good cards came several times early, and we think our experience in careful play helped. On top of that, we took the "Jesus as your Savior" coin to the table -- and two people sitting around us agreed with the message about Christ.

At the one-hour mark, we left to cash out -- probably to the delight of several players at the table. One couple openly discussed cutting their losses and quitting, before we did. We don't know if they applied the advice of Jesus before sitting down:

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to finish it? -- Luke 14:28

We told ourselves several times before the trip: "If you can't afford to play poker, you shouldn't play poker." But the risk certainly paid off for us in this case. The dealer kept two dollars for a tip (we admittedly hadn't thought about handing that over after winning hands), so we departed with $78 -- more than doubling our money.

(Then we promptly lost five of them in one "make-or-break" try at blackjack, helped by a casino matching bet offer.)

On night two, the gambling crowd was markedly smaller. Only two women (and for a short time three) played poker. We wanted to "go for it" and win a lot more money -- but our opponents were clever and good. After three hours, our $30 investment stood at $31.

"I'm going to quit while I'm on level ground," we announced -- thankful for a mere one-dollar gain. We were growing internally frustrated, and probably would have gone "on tilt" had we played much longer. Professionals such as Michael Mizrachi get nicknames like "The Grinder" for a reason; this was a grind, feeling more like hard work than play.

A DAY WITH NO RACES

Then last Sunday, we used "Family Day" at the church convention we attended to play at the Daytona Beach, Florida Kennel Club and Poker Room. We checked the room's website in advance, and hoped to get into a $40 "sit-and-go." But the only tournament announced during the afternoon had a steep $275 buy-in -- much more than our tight budget could afford.

So we settled for another cash game, at the $1/$2 table. With a gain at sea of $44, we invested 40. A couple of good hands helped us climb to $62. But this sort of low-stakes game invites players to stick around until the river with marginal hands. Enough players did that to drain away our stack. The final blow came when a 9 of spades on the river gave us a straight -- but a man to our left a straight flush.

(We should note that man with the straight flush had a look at our "Jesus coin." We'll mention his response to it in another post.)

With that loss, we decided our poker playing for the trip was finished. Our cash game profit was all of four dollars, and we didn't dare risk going into the red with a tight budget.

THE LARGER ERROR

Yet here's the amazing thing: we figured the travel budget incorrectly! Only on the final night of the trip did we realize we were counting our "emergency fund" line as part of the actual expenditures. We thought we were limping home with a skimpy eight dollars left to spend -- but the final surplus was more than $150.

In addition, we didn't figure on other people at the church convention being giving to us. A long-time friend invited us to his condo, which led to two nights of free meals. Another friend peeled off a 20-dollar bill for us outside the meeting hall when we explained our Family Day plans, advising us: "Don't spend it all on one hand." (We didn't; that bill stayed in the wallet for days.)

A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great. -- Proverbs 18:16

May this Scripture come true for everyone who helped us during the road trip. And yes, we did some giving of our own during the vacation -- providing items for church charity drives in the community. Oh, and we gave back most of our poker profits to total strangers.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. -- Job 1:21b

Casino K.C. Royal

Happy U.S. Memorial Day to you! This holiday marks one year since we tried our hand at a casino's poker cash game for the first time -- and still only time. Here's what we wrote about it May 27, 2008 in our other blog, The Blog of Columbus, Georgia:

KANSAS CITY, KS -- In southern England in 1992, I refused to do it. In Puerto Rico in 1995, I also refused to do it. But on Memorial Day 2008 in my home area, I finally did it. Call me an infidel if you wish -- but I set my feet inside a casino.

BLOG SPECIAL EVENT: “I hadn’t told you about this,” I confessed to my older brother during a Sunday evening dinner with some of his friends. “But if Ryan can do it, I can do it.” I followed the lead of my youngest niece’s new husband, and went to a casino to play poker. Even after discovering my brother is a church treasurer and his wife co-chairs the church board.

Ryan plays poker often, and even had a seat at a World Series of Poker event a couple of years ago. But I didn’t ask him for advice about how to play in a casino. He might have challenged me to a game on the spot, and emptied my wallet.

The Kansas City area has become filled with casinos since I moved away 26 years ago. The Wyandotte Nation of native Americans even opened one recently, inside an old historic church. This seemed so wrong to me -- until I remembered how many Catholic churches have bingo nights.

I wanted to play poker at a famous-name casino, where the chances of being cheated were slim. So I went to Harrah’s in North Kansas City, where they normally have two poker tournaments every day of the week. And unlike the Columbus poker games, people actually will park your car for you -- and bring it back.

The Harrah’s casino in North Kansas City is NOT quite like Las Vegas. I learned this while walking to the casino -- when I passed the buffet restaurant, and found dinner Monday night cost $13.95. Maybe more gamblers win here than I thought....

This casino also includes a Starbucks coffee shop (as if free soda isn’t enough for staying awake) -- and a “Toby Keith I Love This Bar and Grill.” Now I understand how Keith led a recent magazine list of the most successful country singers. He does NOT simply go around asking, “How do you like me now?”

My plan was to play in the 1:00 p.m. poker tournament, so I arrived a bit before noon. Harrah’s required me to submit a photo ID for a “Total Rewards” card, because Missouri law states gamblers can lose no more than $500 every two hours. Sadly, the baseball Royals have no such limits -- and they’ve now lost eight games in a row.

My timing was perfect for arriving at Harrah’s, because the staff was handing out free T-shirts to customers from 12:00 noon on. So what do you know -- at least I could take home a consolation prize: a fine limited-edition T-shirt.

But when I reached the Harrah’s poker room, the tide suddenly turned. Because it was Memorial Day, the 1:00 p.m. tournament had been canceled. Isn’t this wonderful? They think this much of the people who died for our country -- the people who gave their lives, so we could blow all our money in casinos....

Funny thing, though -- Harrah’s didn’t care enough about our armed forces to shut down the casino completely. Cash games kept going in the poker room, like any other day. And there was no sign saying the proceeds would go to any American Legion post.

But the good news for me was that the 7:00 p.m. tournament was still on. And since seats can be purchased as early as 8:00 a.m., I reserved a seat for $50. Before your jaw drops at that price, consider something -- a seat aboard any flight from Columbus Airport probably will cost at least twice as much.

Hold on here, some of you may be saying -- aren’t you a Christian? Yes, I am. So I set personal ground rules for this casino trip. I would NOT play any “gambling” games -- no blackjack, no dice, no slot machines. In fact, when a roulette hostess I passed called “Six Black,” I thought she said “Six Flags” and told her that was in St. Louis.

A poker tournament is different from the “cash game” format, where people buy chips and sit down at a table with the potential of losing it all. The $50 “buy-in“ at a tournament is like an entry fee. You don’t lose any more money -- unless you’re silly enough to spend at least five dollars for valet parking.

So I returned to Harrah’s at 6:00 p.m., and had The Buffet (the name of the restaurant) before tournament time. If you’re planning a trip like this, take my advice -- go to Golden Corral or Ryan’s Buffet instead. The cost is lower, the food every bit as good, and the staff won’t forgot to bring you silverware.

Up the stairs we went to the poker room at 6:45 p.m. -- only to see the tide turn again. The evening tournament was canceled as well, blamed on the “Memorial Day holiday.“ Perhaps all the veterans filled the cash game tables, and I didn’t realize it.

“It’s not for lack of interest,“ the cashier told me about the tournament cancellation. I reclaimed the 50 dollars for my poker seat -- but now what was I to do? I’d already walked away from The Buffet without leaving a tip....

At that point I started doing a bad thing. I utilized human reasoning -- but in a casino, such reasoning usually isn’t logical and is based more on intestines than brain.

I decided to take 25 dollars in chips to a poker cash game. In one hand I had a pair of aces on the flop -- but was forced to fold, when someone else seemed to have a straight on the river. Then I lost my last chips to a woman with three 10’s. And she didn’t even look like a perfect ten.

With my losses for the day cut to 25 dollars, I wandered around the casino for awhile -- then stopped downstairs at a blackjack table. I watched one man with a small stack of chips slowly build it over several minutes. If he could do it.... well, maybe he was counting cards and not telling anybody.

I dared to claim six five-dollar red chips, since the minimum bet in blackjack was ten dollars. For a short time, I climbed from 30 dollars to 60 -- enough to reclaim my poker loss. But my human reasoning kicked in again. And blackjack doesn’t work the way mutual fund managers do.

(The blackjack dealers actually DO root for players to win. As one of my three dealers put it: “If you don’t make money, we don’t make money.” They want tips every bit as much as the servers at a Waffle House.)

On my second “all in” push of ten dollars, my chips were cleaned away. And this time, I walked out the door. The lessons for me were learned, and obvious. Don’t change your ground rules, even if the house does. And at $55 each, casinos offer the highest-priced T-shirts in the world.

© 2003-08 Richard Burkard, all rights reserved.

Yahoo! Our Year in Review

We began 2008 with $2,824 in our pretend Yahoo poker chip stack.

As of this posting, we're at $10,613.

Wow -- a gain of almost $7,800! We've more than tripled our total! How did that happen?

We actually drooped to a low for the year of $1,890 on May 7. But we rallied to above $3,100 in late June.

On July 3 we dabbled in Yahoo blackjack, and had a big gain of $661. That put us above $4,000. We did it again August 7, and gained $1,500 in one fell swoop -- pushing us to almost $6,000. Another $800 came September 1.

But since Labor Day, almost all the gain has been from poker -- a jump of about $3,500. We think it's because we play at small tables (3-6 players), fold bad hands before the flop (you'd be surprised how many online players don't), and get away while we're ahead.

In real tournaments, we had first-place finishes at Lil Kim's Cove in January and December, seconds in April and July, and a couple of thirds as well. Six "podium finishes" in 32 nights?! Not bad.

May you have even better success in 2009!

A lost edge?

In the last few weeks, my gains at Yahoo poker haven't been much. But I can explain it, really.

I'm sticking around a few hands too long after a big pot win. I'm lingering in marginal hands on the flop, hoping to hit a turn card. And Yahoo poker lets me try some approaches I probably wouldn't take at a real tournament.

Are those acceptable excuses?

By the way, another "all or nothing" dare night at Yahoo blackjack left me busting out again -- but then making another ridiculous comeback, to a record high of $6900. I haven't done that since. (I need to quit daring myself at bedtime this way.)

YAHOO POKER TOTAL: $7024 (Up $833, but only +41 from poker)

Sunday Update: Mercy Said 100

We wanted to play Yahoo! poker late Saturday night -- but somehow lost the connection on the river, and couldn't get it back. Oh well, a $4 (pretend) loss.

Unable to restore the connection, we spent a few minutes at Yahoo! blackjack. How addictive -- and as we recall mentioning here before, how risky.

We were betting $5 a time, and breaking even a bit. Then we decided to go for a "big finish," by making $1,000 maximum bets.

Amazingly (or was it really?), we started having a massive losing streak. We went from $6,000 to zero in no time. We should have wound up at about $-7,000, and with Yahoo pretend bankrolls that's possible.

But something even more amazing happened. Several times when we bet $1,000 with only $100 in our bankroll, Yahoo did NOT put us in what they used to call on Jeopardy the "minus column." Instead, we were restored to $100 and allowed to try again -- not once, but about eight times!

After being shown such incredible grace, we rallied to regain our $6,000 -- and there we stopped. Try THAT stunt at a real casino, and see if it happens!

We went to bed thankful the Yahoo account we SHOULD have had wasn't on display. And we were reminded of mercy -- shown by the blackjack computer, and by God toward us.

"I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy...." (Rom. 9:15)

Sometimes at the poker table we have that option, too. Perhaps a show of mercy with an opponent's chip stack might make you a friend, and open a door. But be ready, in case other players consider it a sign of weakness on your part. "There is a time for everything...." (Ecc. 3:1)

YAHOO POKER TOTAL: $6092 (Up $350, but only +12 in poker). Blackjack giveth, and blackjack taketh away.

Sunday at the table

A busy schedule has restricted us to online play in the last few days. But we can sum things up this way:

1. Happiness is a full house on the flop. That happened to us just now at Yahoo -- with a 2-9 in the pocket, 9-2-9 showed up on the flop.

2. Online cash games can ebb and flow in a hurry. We were just in one where we fell $-124 for the session -- then rallied and won it all back in a couple of hands. We finally left with a gain of $60.

3. A player named Buddha admitted to us he/she is "into Wiccan and Buddhism." (Quite a combination.) We asked why he/she doesn't go to church, and had no response. Some people would rather play poker than face tougher questions.

4. Yahoo blackjack can be a fun distraction -- but also scary. Ten days ago we dared to bet $1000 maximums, and dropped $2000. But then we rallied with a double and a 3-2 payoff blackjack, and hurried away with a $1500 gain.

YAHOO POKER TOTAL: $5742 (Up $1281, but only + 21 in poker)