Poker Night 582: Escape Acts

The evening seemed to start perfectly. The drive to Lawrenceburg, Indiana had almost no slowdowns - a change from last Wednesday, when a wreck made the trip 70 minutes long. We found lots of big boxes to collect outside a drug store. And thanks to a birthday special, Hollywood Casino let us eat the Epic Buffet dinner for free (well, OK, we tipped the server).

The only thing missing was a night of triumph in the poker room. Could it happen....?

BLINDS: 1,500/3,000 (as best we remember)

IN THE POCKET: K-K

It's the third hour of play, and we've had another night of drama. After early losses, A-10 brought a 10 on the flop which won a big pot. We reached the first break at 13,775 chips (starting from 12,000). Big bets with pocket Aces and A-8 in Hour 2 led us to 20,400. But misses then set us back to 11,700 - enough to reach the final table at Break 2.

Now six players remain. Since 20 entered, only two will win money. The blinds are steep. We have a big pocket pair, early in the betting order. So we go for broke - going all-in with 18,400 chips left. Who will dare to take us on?

We watch players to our right fold. Then we notice a woman to our left. She called.... and she has pocket Aces! This classic clash happens only 2.4 percent of the time.

"I probably won't win this," she says. Oh really? She's an 81-percent favorite to knock us out.

ON THE FLOP: 2-3-5

No third King, and even more trouble. Now Ms. Aces has a straight draw.

ON THE TURN: 4

Oh well. "There's the straight," we say. "and that's the ball...."

ON THE RIVER: 6

"Wait!" other players say. Amazingly, there's a straight on the table! We stay alive, and gain about 1,000 chips on the split because of the blinds.

We offer our opponent a long-distance fist bump. "I'm not sure her fist would have been friendly," a player to our right jokes.

"More like a Five-Finger Death Punch," we joke in agreement.

We had other big moments like that, including A-Q which matched another player and resulted in a chop. The field dwindled to five players, then four. We reached Break 3 with 15,000 chips. Then a miscalculation by a player left us in the top three!

We hinted at the "C-word" (chop) and "BB-words" (bubble boy), but our opponents ignored it. Finally with the Big Blind at 6,000, we were forced to push with a lowly 4-10. This time the board didn't bail us out, and a woman to our right hit it big with her own pocket Kings. A long night with some close calls ended with no money, but a thrilling third place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man who started the tournament to our immediate left said he was feeling good.

"I try to be good," we told him - and he seemed to understand. Then we paraphrased a Bible passage about that effort....

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do.... no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing. - Romans 7:15, 19

The apostle Paul explains in this complex-sounding section that he's not inherently good (verse 18). In fact, we all have a sinful nature - so deep down, none of us are good. We continued the paraphrase:

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! - Romans 7:24-25

A distraction then happened, which prevented us from asking the man what he thought of this. So we'll ask you. Have you come to realize you do a lot of evil things - sometimes because you have no choice? Those evil things leave you doomed to death. But like that poker hand, there's an escape hatch here as well:

For the wages of sin is death., but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice - taking the penalty for sin that we're supposed to face, so that we might gain eternal life in God's Kingdom. Be thankful for that sacrifice, and ask God in prayer to have it applied to you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 224 final tables in 582 games (38.5%) - 48 cashes. Oh, about those boxes.... we'll explain why we collected them very soon.

Dependence Day

Happy Fourth of July to you. And do you know what they call the Fourth of July in Australia?

The answer should be obvious.... the "fourth of July." It's that day, everywhere on Earth!

But in the U.S., of course, the day is different and special. It's Independence Day, marking the declaration away from British rule in 1776.

As we suggested in a recent post, few things show personal independence as much as a poker game. As far as we know, only the World Series of Poker has come up with a "tag-team" tournament format. The rest of the time, you succeed or fail on your own.

But have you ever asked if it's right or wrong to be "independent"? Can anyone really be - in this life or beyond? A well-known book mentions the word only in one place....

In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. - I Corinthians 11:11-12 (NIV)

We can understand these words on many levels. God created the first woman from the side of a man (Genesis 2:20-23). Both a man and a woman (traditionally) are required to develop a family.

But note the last part - that "everything comes from God." Despite what evolutionists might claim, you wouldn't be here without Him creating humans a long time ago:

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. - Genesis 1:27

Yet God created humans with brains and "free will." To that extent, we're independent - free to play poker, free to fold or raise pocket Jacks, and so forth. But God expects us to ultimately admit our lives depend on Him:

For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die in the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. - Romans 14:7-8

This idea goes quite against the flow of this holiday, and even the "American spirit" itself. But will you be humble enough to admit to God you need Him - not only now, but in order to live eternally in His Kingdom?

Poker Day 574: Race Day

Monaco had Formula 1. Indianapolis had IndyCar. Suburban Charlotte had NASCAR. And we had our own version of racing today - at the Jack Casino poker room. In fact, several races were in the cards....

BLINDS: 600/1,200/1,200 ante (Big Blind only)

IN THE POCKET: Q of hearts-Q of clubs

The Sunday brunch poker tournament has a deep stack - 25,000 chips for early birds. We built ours to 28,200 in the early going. But then setbacks knocked us down to 12,200 at the 90-minute first break. Now we have only 7,600 left, and are looking for something to start a rally. With players to our right at this table of eight raising to 3,200, this had better be it.

"I'm all-in," we say; "76 trombones led the big parade."

This reference sparked a discussion of Broadway musicals. We performed in this one in high school. A young man to our right knew right away it was The Music Man, because he'd seen the movie on cable TV.

But oh yes, the hand: two men across from us call. But the man to our immediate right then goes all-in as well - with a lot more chips than we have! This doesn't look good. A man across from us thinks for a long time, then folds. The musical buff to the right ponders, then calls.

Now it's show-and-tell time. The big re-raiser has.... 3-3! The musical fan went for it with 8-10!

"You mean I'm in the lead?!?!" we say with surprise as we show our cards. Suddenly this feels good, but anything could still happen....

ON THE FLOP: As-6s-9c

Thankfully, no one has an Ace. But the Music Man has a straight draw.

ON THE TURN: 4s

 This is more trouble, because the opposing pair includes 3s. Can we dodge all the bullets?

ON THE RIVER: 2c

We do! The "76 trombones" turn into a full, quadrupled-up big band of 35,200 chips!

That started another of those amazing second-hour rallies for us. An all-in gamble with pocket 5's won a race. Q-7 in the Big Blind brought a 6-10 straight on the river. Add a heart flush, and we survived to the final table at 24,300!

Patiently waiting for good cards paid off there. A push with A-7 looked bad against A-K, but a 7 on the board brought a gain to 84,000. A-Q led to two pair on the flop, and he jumped to 208,000. A Big Blind win made our high chip mark 249,500!

With 28 people playing, the top three would earn money. With four players left, we still had 155,500 amid massive blinds and antes. All fours agree to pay a "Bubble Boy" $20 - and the ma who appeared likely to take that title then hit a series of big hands, to eliminate someone else.

After a few more minutes of play, that man suggested a three-way chop of the prize money. The man with a huge stack had been gunning for the win, but after some setbacks was ready to settle. Of course, we accepted as well.

After more than four hours of holiday weekend "work," all three of us took home $560. That's our biggest one-day payoff since 2015, our second cash in a row and our third in 11 tournaments this year. We praise God for the success He's providing!

MINISTRY MOMENT: We were saddened as we drove to the casino, due to news this weekend that a familiar voice from our old home area had died. Rod Bramblett of Auburn University sports was killed with his wife in a Saturday night SUV crash.

"The good news," we told a woman sitting next to us, "is that I believe in a resurrection of the dead."

The woman indicated she believes in that as well. We let it go there - but perhaps we should have probed deeper to see if she believes in Who will bring it.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies...." - John 11:25

At the time when Jesus Christ walked the earth, many Jews (but not all) believed in a resurrection of the dead:

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." - John 11:23-24

But Jesus went farther - declaring He was the resurrection. He did it in this section of the Bible with Lazarus (verses 43-44). And He plans to do it on a grander scale when he returns to Earth....

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. - John 14:3

Where will Jesus take the dead? Contrary to what you may have heard, it's not a place in heaven:

Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem... Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. - Zechariah 14:3-5

Some believers in God had an understanding of His plan to save humankind, even before Jesus came the first time. The next time, there will be no doubt:

Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him.... - Revelation 1:7

If you're feeling down or depressed as the U.S. marks Memorial Day over the loss of a loved one, consider these Bible promises carefully. Jesus will come again, bringing a resurrection (actually more than one - check Revelation 20 for more about that). The dead will live again. What a wonderful time that will be!

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 220 final tables in 574 games (38.3%) - 48 cashes. Since we passed the 500-tournament mark in April 2017, we've made exactly half of our final tables!

Mercy-Me

The man to our left bet big on the flop. Then he bet bigger on the turn. We called the flop with A-K, but decided the turn bet was too much because our cards had not paired.

"I'll be merciful toward you," we said as we folded.

"Actually, if you were merciful, you would have bet," our opponent responded.

He then disclosed he had K-Q, and his Queen had paired on the flop. And you know.... he had a point there about mercy.

"So I had mercy on me," we admitted with a sense of humor. After all, a call could have set us up for a bigger loss.

Is that how mercy works with you? Are you merciful toward yourself, and not the people around you - in a poker room or otherwise? That's not really how it's supposed to work....

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.... We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.... if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. - Romans 12:1, 6, 8

To borrow from a radio talk show host, God has treated us much better than we deserve. That's because....

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

We deserve nothing but death for our sins (Romans 6:23). But God had mercy on us, before any of us were born....

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved. - Ephesians 2:4-5

We become "alive with Christ" by repenting of our sins, being baptized and receiving Jesus in us through the Holy Spirit.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. - I John 4:15

If you haven't accepted God's mercy, there's no better time than now - by accepting Jesus as your Savior and Redeemer for your sins. If you have accepted that mercy, pass it on to others in a cheerful spirit. There's no better time to be a godly example.

Memories of "Buddha"

We saw this on Facebook Saturday night, from the place where our poker-playing began....

Goodbye to a great guy and sometime a obnoxious one but he had a heart of Gold..RIP Buddha

He went by "Buddha," (center) but we never were sure of his real name. (As we recall, he hid that for legal reasons.) He was a true larger-than-life poker character - so large that he somewhat resembled a Buddha statue, and sat almost sideways at makeshift poker tables in the Columbus, Georgia area.

He also had another nickname - one we ironically remembered a few weeks ago when we quoted his mic-drop line, "I flopped it" during a poker tournament. After winning some big pots (and he eliminated us more than once), he would announce in a loud voice: "That's why they call me BIG DADDY!!!"

(By the way, that last link includes an example of why the Facebook announcement called him "sometime... obnoxious".)

We interviewed "Big Daddy" for an unusual Father's Day post on our old news-and-humor blog (the blog which led to this one). He talked there about competing in the U.S. Sumo Wrestling Championships. But we don't know if he ever did. Someone with a pro wrestling troupe might have made an interesting discovery.

If Buddha had played in Las Vegas, he could have become a regular on TV poker nights. His size and personality would have made him, well, a "character" - not unlike some pro wrestlers. And let's face it: interesting characters always make TV more interesting. It's true in poker; think about Phil Hellmuth and Doyle Brunson's personalities, which have made them famous.

But after a lengthy illness, Buddha died at approximately age 38. If he was really Buddhist, he never said so. But we shared our faith with him a few times at poker tables, and concluded he was simply not a religious person. If that describes you, consider a verse we mentioned here recently....

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.... - Hebrews 9:27 (NLT)

No matter what you believe - or even if you don't - death is inevitable. The big question is what happens after that. Buddhists believe they'll enter "nirvana" or be reincarnated. But the Christian Bible says there will be judgment. How will that happen?

...When the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don't know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. - II Thessalonians 1:7-8 (NLT)

The judgment won't happen until Jesus returns - and it won't be immediate. Buddha will rest for quite a while....

The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.... I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne... And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:5, 12 (NLT)

Jesus is coming to judge - a judgment that includes a "lake of fire" (verse 15). But as we say in poker, you have an "out"....

...People escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.... - II Peter 2:20 (NLT)

We quoted the "good news" part of that verse; there's a warning in the rest of it for people who don't really make the effort to escape.

So our sympathies go to Buddha's family and poker friends. May they turn to Christ, not that better-known Buddha - and be able to sing what another "Big Daddy" recorded several years ago.

Poker Night 568: Four-warned?

Driving to poker night in six-degree F. cold was challenging enough. But as we crossed the Ohio River toward Lawrenceburg, Indiana Wednesday night, a light on our dashboard starting blinking. We'd never seen the "tire light" blink before.

"I'm heading to a poker night, but I'd don't want to gamble with my tires," we told a man at an automotive shop where we stopped. The man understood, and a check showed our tires simply needed a little air. (The blinking was something else, which we'll explain another time.)

With that service done for free, we drove on to Hollywood Casino Indiana. Would warning lights abound as we returned to night tournaments?

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 4-4

We won an early pot with A-10, which topped a man's A-8. But slow losses after that (including one with A-K) have put us at about 10,500 out of a starting 12,000. Now we have a small pocket pair in the Small Blind. The table of six isn't betting. So we choose to trap and call. The Big Blind checks, so we're heads-up.

ON THE FLOP: 4-3-Q

Four the win! A third four plays exactly into our strategy. Small Blind plays first, so we check. Big Blind bets 200. We call, of course.

ON THE TURN: K

No worries to us. Our patient play continues, with another check. Now Mr. Big Blind offers 425. We call, of course.

ON THE RIVER: 10

We have no idea what out opponent has. But he's betting, so we'll let him do it again with another check. This time, though, he checks as well.

"I hoped you'd bet again," we admit as we show "trip fours." Our opponent folds without showing a thing.

"At least I only lost 625," he admits. His wariness of us was correct, and that saved him a larger loss.

We reached the first break with 11,525 chips. A slow drain continued after that - but with only 16 players in action, we made it to the final table with 9,200.

After two players dropped out, a man bet 6,000 with us in the Big Blind. We saw pocket Queens and naturally called. So did a third player - and that man turned a 4 into his own "trip fours" on the river. Our big winning hand turned into our big loser, and we drove home with eighth place and no more blinking lights.

MINISTRY MOMENT: One young man at our starter table is chewing Nicorette gum, to overcome a tobacco habit.

"It beats smoking, I guess," he said. We agreed with this. Lots of things are better than smoking, especially for your body.

"We're all gonna die of something," he added. We agree with that, too. But that gave us a thought.

"And after you die.... what happens?" we asked.

"Most likely.... nothing."

"But what if there's a judgment?" we followed. "There very well could be."

Some ministers would say that response was too soft. We should have spoken in more convicting faith. because the Bible has no "could-bes" about this:

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.... - Hebrews 9:27 (NLT)

People unaware or unaccepting of God have no real knowledge of this. That's because they haven't seen it directly. But a Christian should have faith in God, but in what He plans to do for people after this physical life is over.

For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead. - Acts 17:31 (NLT)

These words originally said to the generation alive after Jesus Christ was resurrected. Some of them may have heard about it. But other people who actually saw the risen Savior may have still been living witnesses to it. Jesus will come back to judge. But there's some good news about that, back in Hebrews....

...So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await him. - Hebrews 9:28 (NASB)

People who "eagerly await" Jesus strive to live a life free of sin. They repent, if and when they do sin. They long for salvation and eternal life, and the Bible promises they'll receive it. Other people who expect "nothing" after death are in for a rude surprise. Why take a chance with that? Isn't the better course to accept salvation through Jesus now?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 216 final tables in 568 games (38.0%) - 46 cashes.

Never Let 'em See You Sweat

Dealers in poker tournaments sometimes "wash" the cards as they shuffle. They're all scattered face-down across the table, and mixed up with the dealers' hands.

But there are times when we wish someone in a casino would wash the poker chips as well. Maybe even with bleach. We've been able to scrape, well, something off them - likely dirt, or even sweat, that's built up over a lot of play.

We're reminded of that by a question posted at a poker chat room overnight....

Is poker a game as stressful as it seems?.... If the bet is very high, stress increases?.... only with experience decrease?

We think the answer to this depends on the situation and your perspective.

If you're playing simply for free food at a sports bar, that's low-stress. The emphasis is on having fun and camaraderie. If you're at the WSOP Main Event playing for millions of dollars and a world title, the stress level probably would be higher - especially if you want to regain your $10,000 buy-in, which most people do not do.

A big bet or all-in moment certainly makes a hand more exciting. If you've faced these moments before, the experience can make them easier to handle. But we think it also helps to have something with you to stay calm. And no, we don't think that has to be a glass of wine or bottle of beer....

The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. - Psalm 29:11 (KJV)

True peace and calm (the opposite of stress) come from God. How does He provide that?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace.... - Galatians 5:22 (KJV)

....as in the Holy Spirit of God. A lot of people talk at this time of year about "peace on earth" (Luke 2:14) - but they may not realize Jesus's birth in part was designed to bring a different sort of peace agent:

And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth.... - John 14:16-17 (KJV)

God's Holy Spirit can lower the stress level in all kinds of situations at a poker tournament. And even in far more dire moments....

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; you rod and your staff they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4 (KJV)

If you feel stressed out during or after a poker night, pray to God for His Spirit of peace. But be sure you repent of your sins as you do (Acts 2:38). Then, to borrow a U.S. Southern phrase about hairstyles - the higher the stakes, the closer to God.

First, Second or Chop?

Some people show up at poker tournaments with other issues on their minds. We mentioned one recent game where a player was in the area for a funeral - and we tried to remind him of the Bible's promise of a resurrection.

Believers in God have held onto that hope for thousands of years - even in Old Testament times:

If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. - Job 14:14 (KJV)

Job is not talking here about setting out a 1,000 chip and betting 250. The "change" he wants is described in the NIV as a "renewal" - a body being renewed to new life. Jesus Christ confirmed that....

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies…." - John 11:25

But our prior post may have surprised you, by mentioning multiple resurrections. It's explained in the Bible's final chapters....

...They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. - Revelation 20:4-5

The first resurrection belongs to those who are faithful to God until the end of their lives (first part of verse 4; Hebrews 11:35). But if there's a first one, that logically means there's going to be at least a second one - after Jesus rules over Earth for a millennium.

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:12

This will be a massive resurrection, likely involving billions of people. It also will be a resurrection of judgment, with this sobering warning....

If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. - Revelation 20:15

Some believers actually consider this a third resurrection - with the rebellious burned up along death and "Hades" (verse 14). This really is not a "podium finish." The Bible calls it a "second death."

We've won some money in poker tournaments lately by "chopping" the prize money with other players. We're thankful to do that, even if it means a little less than a first-place prize. But some tournaments don't work that way; the World Series of Poker Main Event comes down to one person in first place, with another in second.

God's judgment works the same way. We see nothing in the Bible to indicate you can "straddle" and be in more than one resurrection. Which resurrection you receive ultimately is up to God, since He's the only one who can resurrect us. But read Revelation 20, and strive for the first one. Any judgment there apparently will be quick, with the prize assured.

Poker Night 555: The Hunt for Green October

A surprising sight awaited us as we climbed into the car for work today. Red stains were on the passenger's seat and steering wheel. A check of the wheel confirmed.... ketchup from a cheeseburger.

Why were they there, and what does this have to do with poker? The answer to the latter - everything. We'll explain the other part, as we review a memorable Wednesday night at Hollywood Casino Indiana....

BLINDS: 600/1,200 (hand is from memory, as best we recall)

IN THE POCKET: King of clubs-King of spades

It's been an evening with more ups than downs. After winning two of the first three hands, our starting stack of 12,000 chips went to 15,025 - but a big loss late in Hour 1 left us with 9,025 at the break. Then we had a "two-hand slam" (as we call it) in Hour 2, with unshown K-K and a revealed A-K gaining us huge pots.

We reached the final table with 48,900 chips. Now it's Hour 3, with eight players remaining. Nice cards like these call for a raise, and we make it 3,000 to go. Two other players call.

ON THE FLOP: 6h-2h-10c

It looks like the coast is clear. We offer a continuation bet of 3,000. But across from us sits a man who looks amazingly like a church friend from our Wichita years. He has a huge stack - and he goes all-in. The player between us folds.

"Wow," we say. We didn't expect that move, and now we wonder what's up. Does that man have pocket Aces? Did he somehow make two pair out of that flop? A call to find out would take us from a nice stack to the rail.

"The book says to play these," we add.

"I haven't read the book," our opponent responds. Which may explain what he did.

We're in a position to make the money (top three), and don't want to blow it at a moment like this. So....

"I may regret this. But I'm going to fold." We take a moderate-sized loss, to avoid a huge mistake.

Then that man surprises us again. He shows.... 6-6! He bet big, because he had three of a kind. "I had to be careful, with hearts out there."

"Did you have hearts?" another man asks us. We reluctantly admit we did not.

We seldom do this, but we question our opponent's strategy here. If he had called the flop, he could have persuaded us to bet bigger on the turn - and potentially drain us a bit more slowly. But the push was a red flag, and we heeded it. (And another thing: would you have shown your 6-6 afterward?)

Playing it safe and steady worked for us from there. Our stack never became dangerously low, and we had 43,000 chips when the fourth-place player was eliminated. That meant we made the money for the first time in Lawrenceburg.... and the second tournament in a row!

At that point, our strategy changed. We had a regular job to do at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, so we were in a rare situation of attempting to give our chips away. After an "aggressive" gain or two (as that big-stack man put it), we finally pushed with K-J. The big stack had pocket 3's, and they won the race. (He wound up winning the tournament minutes later.)

Our $70 buy-in resulted in a $197 payoff. We drove home at 11:00 p.m., thankful to God for what's turning into a huge October at the table. And we stopped on the way to the freeway at the McDonald's drive-thru - for two victory cheeseburgers we could devour during the drive. So those ketchup stains developed in the dark - and are an unusual sign of poker success.

MINISTRY MOMENT: One man who made the final table was visiting from the Cumberland Lake area of southern Kentucky. He was in our area for the funeral of a friend he made while serving in the Vietnam conflict.

"That's why I have hope in the resurrection," we told him. "The dead will rise again."

The man didn't respond to our idea, and continued to tell war stories. But is that your hope? Do you want to see friends and loved ones again - people who may have died this month, or even decades ago?

Atheism offers no such hope. You're born, you die, and that's that. There was even a branch of Judaism in Jesus Christ's day which lacked that hope....

Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. - Mark 12:18

Their influence apparently remained on some people, even after Jesus was resurrected. An apostle had to reassure believers....

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. - I Corinthians 15:19

But the good news (otherwise known as gospel) is that a resurrection is coming. It was promised by Jesus while He walked the earth:

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

Why would Jesus hand out rewards to people who are dead? The only way we can appreciate them is by living again.

But here's the thing: the Bible says there will be more than one resurrection of the dead. How can that be? See if you can find it in the Scriptures, and we'll explain in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 207 final tables in 555 nights (37.3%) - 43 cashes. Since marking 500 tournaments last year, we've won money seven times in 55 tries, or almost 13 percent of the time!

The Game of Life

At one of our recent poker nights, we introduced you to a man who seemed to have some Biblical knowledge. He told us a couple of times, "I'm speaking life over my cards."

That may sound silly in a poker room. But then again, how many times have desperate players declared they have "two live cards" in an all-in situation? For instance, they might have A-Q in a race against someone else's pocket Jacks.

But the phrase "speak life" can become an overused church cliché. In our poker examples, playing cards by themselves are not living things. They cannot breathe, grow legs or walk around the table. Wouldn't this approach make more sense....

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. - Proverbs 3:21-22

In other words, ask God to give you the tools for a better life. "Sound judgment and discernment" can be valuable things in a poker tournament.

There was a time when church leaders had supernatural power to raise people back to life, simply by saying the word. Jesus did it several times, explaining....

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10

Some people have referred to modern society as a "culture of death." Our home area had a stunning example of that today, as a man wildly opened fire at a downtown skyscraper. Jesus wants you to have an abundant life - and we think that can mean playing some poker from time to time.

And beyond that? God is planning for believers to have eternal life. But there's one big condition:

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

In short; you need Jesus. If you repent of your sins and allow God to have control of your life, Jesus can enter through the Holy Spirit....

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and shall be in you. - John 14:16-17

That Spirit entered the disciples shortly after Jesus ascended to heaven. Will you accept Jesus, to allow the Spirit to give you new life?

Mo' Money, Mo' Money?

After some recent disastrous nights, we decided to hit the "pause" button on poker tournaments this past week. The timing was ironic, because of a book we've been studying lately. It's a book that talks about acquiring money and wealth (among other things). Consider these words from a wise man:

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. - Ecclesiastes 5:10

Ecclesiastes is a Biblical book which comes right after Proverbs - and King Solomon is commonly considered to be the main writer of both. That king of Israel could write knowledgably about wealth because he had plenty of it:

The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the land. - I Kings 10:14-15

Our NIV Study Bible says "666 talents" came to about 23 metric tons of gold. That's 23,000 kilograms, or more than 50,000 pounds. With the price of gold this weekend at about $1,184 per ounce, that computes in modern terms to more than $900 million per year! This makes the WSOP Main Event almost look like chump change.

Yet King Solomon came to realize all that wealth eventually comes to an end....

I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool?.... - Ecclesiastes 2:17-18

We've never seen a safe buried alongside a wealthy person. It wouldn't be "safe," anyway, because people would be tempted to steal it.

Our point is that if you're playing poker simply to run up a bankroll, that can be fleeting. Even if you keep setting earnings records, you'll lose it all when you die (Proverbs 27:20). That's why it's better to make something else your top pursuit....

But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. - Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

The Bible promises God's Kingdom will last forever. That's where our "treasure" focus needs to be (verses 19-21). Is that where yours is - in the poker room, and outside it?

Paying to Play

Local poker "tours" in bars or clubs can be relatively inexpensive. Buy a soda (or some other drink). Find a seat. You might win a nice small prize.

Where those circuits don't exist, the price of poker in casinos can be more costly. We did the math this morning on the tournaments we've entered since moving to our new home area:

Jack Casino - 7 games x $80 buy-in = $560
Hollywood-Indiana - 7 games x $70 buy-in = $490

That's a total investment of $1,050 in about four months - and this is playing the least expensive games of the week. Our winnings to show for it? Despite nine final tables in 14 tournaments, so far we've earned only $69 as a "bubble boy".... plus $19 playing blackjack, to recover a bit of our losses.

If poker is your "hobby," it clearly can turn into an expensive one. Thankfully, we're at a season of life where we can afford entering on a regular basis. But if your budget is tight and you have family considerations, it's something to consider carefully. This advice is very practical....

If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. - I Timothy 5:8

The context of this verse involves widows in the church. But there's a lesson here for all of us....

But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. - I Timothy 5:6

That's because the pleasure eventually ends. So will your "poker run," even if it's only for small change:

For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. - Ecclesiastes 2:21

We were reminded this morning that some things are more important than a poker bankroll....

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant or to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. - I Timothy 6:17

If your thinking is dominated by putting Aces above Kings, it's probably time for a change. Put God first. Then your family. Then pleasures and pastimes such as poker, as your remaining time and money allow. Those are the best and longest-lasting priorities.

Face: Up to It?

"That's why I don't play poker," a young man said at our regular job the other day.

His reason had nothing to do with money or ethics. "I don't have a poker face," he explained. He added he tends to let his expressions and feelings come forward - so if he's dealt pocket Aces, the rest of the table probably would know in an instant.

The "poker face" has become such a common cliché that Lady Gaga made a hit song with that title (albeit with questionable lyrics). We think some people who have trouble maintaining one in club games try to make up for it with big talk - boasting about winning hands they might or might not have.

Believe it or not, there are times in the Bible where people are told to have a "poker face" of sorts. One case occurred when a leader lost two sons due to their disobedience....

Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not let your hair become unkempt, and do not tear your clothes, or you will die and the Lord will angry with the whole community..." - Leviticus 10:6

No obvious signs of grief were allowed, because the fire that killed the other sons had come from God (verses 1-2). The victims simply received what they deserved. Perhaps that carries over to some ministers today. To be honest, we've seen modern TV preachers with "poker faces" so grim that it's hard to believe they consider the gospel "good news".

So how do you develop and keep a good poker face? One idea we have is to think about the worst thing that could possibly happen, such as the Bible scene above. Or if you see two Aces on the flop and you have pocket Aces, pretend someone else is on a royal flush draw.

But when the hand is over and a pot is won, it's OK to show some emotion. That's true with any blessing God gives, too:

The Lord is my strength and my shield.... My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to him in song. - Psalm 28:7

A good "poker face" indeed takes some practice, but it can help make you a good poker player. We've offered our suggestion for developing one. If you have a better one, please leave a comment.

Poker Night 546: From Ace-Rags to Riches

"Has John Cynn ever played here?" we asked our first dealer in tonight's tournament at Hollywood Casino Indiana.

"I don't know," he answered. Cynn, a native of Indianapolis, won the World Series of Poker Main Event this week. He was not in Lawrenceburg for our tournament, so our chances for success jumped dramatically....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: Ace-6 of hearts

We've won one pot with hidden pocket Aces, and split another with a Jack. Now this "turbo tourney" is near the end of its first hour, and we have about 10,800 chips from a starting 12,000.

A man at our table of eight raises to 500. We take the approach that any Ace is a potential top pair, and we call. Five players are in the hunt.

ON THE FLOP: A-4-3 (no hearts, as we recall)

There's the top pair - but are others thinking the way we're thinking? The only way to find out is to bet. After the lead player checks, we offer 500. Three other players call. They can't all have Aces.

ON THE TURN: 4

Now we have two pair - and we really doubt anyone else has a 4. Our bet on the flop would have run off those chasers. So we choose to keep the pressure on, with another bet of 500. That scares away one more players, but two others call again. Is our "rags" kicker good enough for this?

ON THE RIVER: 5

Ugh - that opens the door for trouble. Anyone on a straight draw just made it. The first man in line checks. We pull out chips, as if we're about to bet again - but then think better of it and check. The third player ponders for a few seconds. If he bets, he probably runs us off. But he checks.

"I have an Ace," we say as we show. The other players.... don't even show! They apparently missed their draws or had smaller pairs! We win a big pot of more than 4,000 chips, and reach the first break at a high of 16,125.

The trouble is, we never made it any higher. Good cards such as K-Q didn't convert into pairs for us in the second hour. Then when we saw pocket Jacks, we took on an aggressive woman across the table. She bet 2,200 on a meager-looking flop. We went all-in for 8,400, and she called.... with Q-Q! Her Queens held on to top our Jacks, and we missed the final table. We finished 13th out of 19 players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man two seats to our left won the first three hands of the night. That started jokes about whether he could win every hand and score a perfect game. One man suggested a sidebet on it.

"I would bet against me making it," the winner admitted.

"C'mon now," said the man between the winner and us. "You've got to have faith."

That was our opening. "I'd rather have faith in God, than have faith in him winning every hand."

The men smiled at that thought. But it reminded us of a line a well-known radio preacher said years ago: "Everyone has faith.... in something. The question is, what is your faith in?"

If you put all your faith in yourself or in other people, you're likely to be disappointed....

But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah. - Psalm 49:12-13

Sad but true - our bodies eventually wear down and die. But God promises to resurrect us, at least to a moment of judgment (Revelation 20:11-12). And if you put your faith in God and Jesus Christ now, that moment will be better than you might think:

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. - Ephesians 2:8 (KJV)

Faith in God can lead to salvation and eternal life. And did you notice the amazing thing about it? It's not really our faith that does it. It's His faith, which God gives to believers through His Holy Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.... - Galatians 5:22

It starts by asking God for something the first disciples of Jesus requested when He was on Earth: "Increase our faith!" (Luke 17:5) If you'd like help in doing that, please leave a comment; we'll be happy to help you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 201 final tables in 546 games (36.8%) - 41 cashes.

The Marathon Man (WSOP Edition)

As this year's World Series of Poker rolls on in Las Vegas, we're struck by how may events now have catchy titles. The "Deuce-to-Seven Lowball Triple Draw" admittedly sounds awfully nerdy. But we've mentioned the "Colossus" - and this weekend, the "Marathon" concluded.

Courtesy WSOP.com

Australia's Michael Addamo won the five-day Marathon, which had more than 1,600 entries. The name apparently comes from the fact that each level of blinds lasted 100 minutes, while your neighborhood poker room might increase the blinds after 15 or 20.

But let's be honest - don't most poker tournaments feel like marathons? Especially if you survive deep into the final table? The first table or two might seem like a sprint, as wild players take their chances and go bust early. But the fight to make the money takes time, and usually isn't easy.

A wise man once wrote about that - even though we don't think he ever played poker:

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. - Ecclesiastes 9:11

We've been surprised by how long "turbo" tournaments can last in our new area. Even with 15-minute blinds, it took more than three hours in our last event to whittle 14 players down to four.

Outside the poker room, our lives also can be like that. While Addamo won a bracelet at age 23, it came after four years of effort at the WSOP and other events. To reach the ultimate success in life can take far longer - a lifetime, in fact. But consider what's promised:

To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations... I will also give him the morning star. - Revelation 2:26, 28

Jesus Christ made this promise to a church in the city of Thyatira (verse 18). National authority under Jesus is the reward to those who "endure," as the King James Version puts it. That will happen when the Kingdom of God comes to Earth.

There's been some sad news lately about famous names dying from suicide. It's hard to argue they truly "endured to the end." If you're thinking about doing the same thing, read this letter from a church President. Then seek professional help, if necessary. Save the desperation push for A-Q in a Small Blind - while ending your marathon of life successfully.

Poker Night 540: Restless Hearts

The Stanley Cup finals. The Women's College World Series finals. The major league baseball draft. Amidst all that, we played poker tonight at Jack Casino. Could we, like Las Vegas hockey fans, have a golden night?

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: Ace of hearts-Queen of hearts

A couple of early efforts have not worked, and we come to the Small Blind with about 13,500 chips out of a starting 15,000. These big suited cards are worth a raise, and no one else at the full table of nine has done it.

"Three hundred more," we announce. Then the dealer corrects us, because we only put out 300. As Small Blind, we also must add 50 to match the Big Blind. OK, we'll do that. "What's 50 chips among friends?" we joke. But the serious matter is that three players call.

ON THE FLOP: 3h-4s-5c (last two suits may not be precise)

A flop from the wrong end of town, as far as we're concerned. But we're first to act, and realize we should to avoid looking weak. We bet 500. A man across from us calls.

Then a man at the far end of the table raises to 1,200. Huh?!?! What part of that flop led to a raise? Perhaps he has a low pocket pair, and made three of a kind?! We're not sure, but decide not to be bullied. We call. The other man calls, and three are left in the hand.

ON THE TURN: Jh

This is a bit better, because now we have a draw for the nut flush. This time we check - but the man down the table bets 3,000.

A lot of river cards are potentially good for us here: any 2 for a straight, any heart for a flush, and even an Ace or Queen to secure top pair. That adds up to 18 outs, with a 39 percent chance of success. But we think the man is trying to stop people on draws, and bet big to prove it.

"Nice block," we say - and fold. But the other man in the hand calls.

ON THE RIVER: 5s

We missed all the options, and feel better about our decision. The big bettor goes all-in, and the other man folds. Then the winner of the pot is nice enough to show what he had - A-2! He hit a straight on the flop, and defended it well.

That's the sort of night it was for us - a night when potentially big cards simply didn't work. While pocket 9's turned into a full house for a nice win (we never showed it), A-10 lost to a straight. Pocket 6's lost to pocket Jacks, when a man went all-in. Finally we were forced to go for it all in the Big Blind with K-Q - but a man with pocket Aces beat us. No final table tonight; we finished in 24th place out of 36 players.

Courtesy Twitter.com/DwightC87

MINISTRY MOMENT: Breaking sports news occurred during the tournament, with the death of pro football legend Dwight Clark.

"The good news," we told players around us, "is that he'll live again. There will be a resurrection."

Those players said nothing. Perhaps they didn't understand how we could we say that. Perhaps you've presumed Clark went to heaven immediately after he died. But the Bible tells us something else....

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.... - Hebrews 9:27

The sad news about life is that it ends. Our physical bodies will stop functioning, due to an endless number of reasons. But this "judgment" does not occur right away.

...So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. - Hebrews 9:28

Jesus will bring salvation. People don't have it in heaven now - not even believers in God. They're waiting for the second coming, in their graves.

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:6

First?! Yes - the Bible indicates there are multiple resurrections, based on your relationship (or lack of it) with God and Christ. Eventually....

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.... The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:12

That point is when the real judgment takes place. We will not attempt to guess whether Dwight Clark will be in a first or second resurrection; that determination is up to God. But we offer sympathies to his family, and hope you'll consider carefully what the Bible really says about what happens when loved ones die.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 197 final tables in 540 games (36.5%) - 40 cashes.

Knowing Where You're Going

Poker hands can have plenty of twists and turns. Pocket Aces before the flop can become worthless if the flop includes a 2 and someone else holds 2-2.

In a recent post, we introduced you to a man who looked at life somewhat that way. He admitted he wasn't sure where he was going, once this life is over. Yet the Bible offers answers about this - answers that might surprise you, even if you attend church often.

But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish... Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death shall feed on them... their forms will decay in the grave.... - Psalm 49:12, 14

Unless something miraculous happens, we're all heading for the "muck pile." But the writer of this psalm didn't stop there....

But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Selah. - Psalm 49:15

"Selah" can mean "meditate on this." Have you thought about what happens after you die? If you're a believer in God, there's great reason to be hopeful:

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. - I Corinthians 15:22-23

Notice this carefully. Believers will be "made alive" when Jesus comes again. It doesn't say they're alive in a spiritual body in heaven now. The faithful who have died are waiting for their Lord to come back. And then....

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. - Revelation 5:10

You read it correctly - reigning on earth, not in heaven. So what should we do to receive such a reward?

Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. - II Peter 1:10-11

It's a bit like being dealt pocket Aces. Don't assume you "have it made" - even though some preachers might say you do. We've been doing a good bit of study into that aspect of salvation recently. Check the article we wrote recently about it, and offer your thoughts.

(P.S. We're not finished talking about that man next to us at the table; more is coming in a future post.)

Going Strait

In a recent post, we asked for your thoughts about a statement of Jesus. If you read it in some Bible translations, it almost sounds like a poker tip....

Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat. But strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it. - Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV)

Right off the bat, let's make it clear: Jesus is not talking about betting to make a "belly-buster" straight draw. Admittedly, those chances can be "narrow" - but no.

We think Jesus was talking about receiving eternal life. It's a step beyond the physical one you have now. This life will end in death (Romans 6:23). So how do you advance to the next level? Jesus provides an answer:

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

If you think there's a "highway to heaven" for lots of people living any way they please, this should make you think again. Jesus is "the way." And He coined the cliche, by saying the way to eternal life is on the "strait and narrow." So it starts by knowing Jesus. Then beyond that....

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. - Romans 2:7-8

To make another thing clear: We do not think poker is evil, of and by itself. These verses lead to a deeper question: why do you play? Purely for "self-seeking" reasons? Or is there some "doing good" involved?

May you consider your actions carefully - and yes, even think narrowly. Eternal life certainly is better than facing an angry God.

The Human Element

We've played a computer in heads-up Texas Hold 'em at a casino a few times. Sometimes we've won. Sometimes we've lost. But imagine having to take on three computers at once.

The Texas Hold 'em table at the family-friendly game site Pogo.com is set up that way. Unless you're a member, you sit down to play for free against "Computer 2", "Computer 3" and "Computer 4." If you fold, the computers take on each other like an old Japanese monster movie - and they're programmed to be aggressive at times, with pre-flop raises and bluffing pushes.

It took us four tries to figure out a winning formula against these guys.... uh, machines.... and Saturday night it worked. By ignoring the prodding voice who says, "Let's play some poker!" we were able to knock out #2 and #4 at the same time with an all-in bet - then eliminate #3 on the fifth round of blinds with a full house.

For doing all that, we won.... 60 tokens, which we could use if we had a paid membership. That's not exactly what we're looking for online these days.

For one thing, how can you talk about the things of Christ with a computer? Even God realized this long ago....

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil.... - Hebrews 2:14

Verse 11 makes clear this is talking about Jesus - the God-Being who created humanity:

He is the image of the invisible God.... For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. - Colossians 1:15-16

Jesus created human beings. Then He came to Earth to "share in their humanity." Why would a God-Being lower Himself and do such a thing?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

Jesus the Son lived a perfect, sin-free life to defeat Satan the devil, and open the way for us to have eternal life with Him. You don't have to become a mechanized "bot" to do that, either. It starts with confessing how human you are, repenting of your sins and turning to God's way of living.

Jesus shared Himself and went "all in" for you. Are you willing to respond to that love, and do the same thing toward Him?

The Right Direction

"Are you doing good?" the young man behind the casino cashier's window asked.

We have a stock answer for that, when we're playing poker. "I'm trying to do good." After all, isn't that what a poker ministry should be about? As Jesus put it....

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.... - Luke 6:27

Then we did something we don't recall ever doing before. We pulled out our card protector of the day and showed it to a cashier. In this case, it was "Lord's Supper" protector from our recent church convention. But his response to that was an amazing surprise:

G>^V

That's the best way we can recreate with a keyboard what the young man had on one of his wrists - symbols that looked like a tattoo.

"God is greater than my ups and downs," he explained.

Aha! Such clever symbolism - since math buffs know ">" is the "greater than" symbol.

Does that short formula sum up your view of God? Anyone who plays poker regularly will learn there are times of success and times of setbacks. But a Biblical apostle realized something....

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.... - Philippians 3:8

Knowing Jesus is greater than any poker win, since we'll all eventually have to make a final trip to the "cashier's window" of life. We can't take our chip stacks beyond the grave. But a relationship with Jesus can last for eternity, since God can resurrect you to eternal 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. - I John 4:4

That one "in you" can be Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.

If your life seems to lack purpose beyond regular routine trips to poker rooms, maybe it's time to borrow from modern politics. It's time to "Alt-Right" - alter your course, and get right with God. The winning formula of that cashier can work for you.