Poker Day 578: Hit and Miss

A change in our work situation allows to play in daytime poker tournaments for the time being. That led us today to Hollywood Casino Indiana, where we had a tough act to follow - since the husband of one of our nieces made the money at the World Series of Poker Main Event the night before. Could we match or top that?

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: 9-3 offsuit

So far today, we haven't matched anything.An aggressive play with A-Q suited lost to a man with a 10 who made a pair on the flop. We've dropped from a starting 12,000 chips to about 9,200. This normally would be folding time for us - but we're in the Small Blind and no one's raised at a full table of nine. We dare to call, since it only costs 50 more.

ON THE FLOP: 5-6-7

An interesting "island" flop for us. We can connect to a straight with a 4 or an 8. We check, and a man to our left offers 300. We call, and we recall four players still remaining.

ON THE TURN: 4

There it is - we hit the straight! We're first in order, and slow-check. But the man who bet before now throws out 800. Other players are calling, and now this becomes a cliché: Be careful what you wish for, because you might really get it.

We're pretty sure the bettor has an 8, for the better straight. Why else would be bet? Our "under-straight" now has us underwhelmed. "I'd better not," we say.... and fold.

ON THE RIVER: 8

Wow! We would have hit the straight both ways. And we could have topped the straight on the board, with our 9! No one bets now.

"I'm playing the board," the man who bet first says. No one had a 9, so we could have claimed a big pot. So the final score: two hits - but a big miss. And it all seemed so logical.

We finally won a good pot to reach the first break at 9,925. Hour Two brought a huge round in the blinds, as A-5 won with two pair and 8-J turned into a full house. We reached a high for the day of 18,100, and reached the final table at 15,400.

Our second-break total was 14,100, as we missed eliminating a man at the end thanks to a 7 on the river. Then came a couple of good hands which lost - and with blinds mounting, we finally went for it all with K-J. A man who was hitting big cards and amassing a monster stack of chips called.... with K-Q of spades. Of course, he hit a flush. That left us out in seventh place, out of 19 entries. Only the top two earned money.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man to our right at our starter table claimed at one point that he's gained the nickname "a**hole." We told him that didn't sound very nice.

"At least he's publicity," he said. "Any publicity beats no publicity, right?"

"Satan the devil's had a lot of publicity," we answered. "And I don't think it's going to turn our well for him in the end."

That seemed to go over the heads of everyone - but do you grasp what we're saying? A lot of people talk about the devil. In fact, they may be under the devil's sway without realizing it.....

..But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short. - Revelation 12:12

Satan (which we believe is really an "it," not a male "him) has spiritual control of this world right now:

The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.... - Revelation 12:9

But God sent someone to Earth to turn us away from Satan, and back to Him....

He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning . The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. - I John 3:8

Jesus came as the Son of God, and overcame the devil by living a sinless life. But the work of Satan won't truly be destroyed until Jesus comes again with His angels....

And I saw an angel coming down from heaven.... He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended.... - Revelation 20:1-3

As many preachers have said about the Bible, if you read to the back of the book, believers win. God will win. Jesus will win. The devil's P.R. machine will go bust, like our K-J did today. Is that what you're seeking - even in this life?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 222 final tables in 578 games (38.4%) - 48 cashes.

Poker Night 557: Couple's Therapy

It was a dark and rainy night. Then suddenly.... a poker game broke out.

That's as far as we'll go, in comparing Wednesday night's tournament at Hollywood Casino Indiana to Halloween. We made a good decision to avoid the "holiday" by playing poker there. Scarcely anyone there put on costumes. And the only "scares" at the table were the usual ones. You know....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: K-Q offsuit

The one-hour break is approaching, and we need a rally. Despite winning an early pot or two, things have not gone well. Hands like 8-8 have fallen short. Now we have good cards in the leadoff position, with 9,350 chips from a starting 12,000. We limp in, as is our custom. The players on either side of us call, with no raises.

ON THE FLOP: Jh-10c-9c

WOW! The royal couple leads the way to a straight! But what will other players do? A woman in the Big Blind does us a favor, by betting 2,000. But then comes the "scare" - because two clubs are showing, so someone might be chasing a flush. We decide a patient play would be too risky.

"All-in," we announce - for 9,150. The man to our left wants nothing to do with that. But that woman thinks things over for about a minute. We simply smile at her, to "help" with her decision.

"I'll call," she finally says.

"Do you have the straight?" we ask.

"I'm on the way." She shows K-10, with no clubs.

"Because I do have the straight." We show our cards.

"Nice," she admits. But could she escape with a split, by getting the complete straight?

ON THE TURN: 9s

The board pairs. No worries there.

ON THE RIVER: 2s

We go to the first break thanking God! We double-up to 20,200 chips, while the woman is left with only about 800.

After the break, we quickly reached the final table after a round of blinds with 19,600. But attempts to be creative failed from there. We survived to the second break with 8,200. Then with blinds climbing, we tried to force the issue by pushing with K-J. But a different woman made a full house to knock us out. Our money run ends, with an eighth-place finish on a 14-player night.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Only one dealer dressed up in a "costume" of any kind for the tournament, and that man simply put on an orange reflective vest. "Keep it as simple as possible," he explained.

We thanked our opening dealer for the fact that the poker room seemed to be a "Halloween-free zone." And we said a couple of times about the event, "Give the devil his don't" - as opposed to "his due."

If you think Halloween is simply a big money-making project for costume companies and other businesses.... well, that's true. But its roots are in something very ungodly:

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. - II Corinthians 4:4

That "god of this age" isn't the God of creation. It's Satan the devil - promoting darkness instead of light. Or have you noticed how dark, scary things dominate Halloween-related events and traditions? Here are some examples....

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. - Deuteronomy 18:10-11

It may seem like harmless fun in late October. But the Bible shows God views it differently:

Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.... You must be blameless before the Lord your God. - Deuteronomy 18:12-13

As one study Bible explains in its notes: consult with God about the questions of life - maybe even about whether you should play poker. Any other method goes outside God, and will not have his blessing.

Visit this link to learn more on the history of Halloween (and related events such as the "Day of the Dead" and "Guy Fawkes Day").

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 209 final tables in 557 games (37.5%) - 44 cashes.

Is This Crazy or What?

The public address announcer in the poker room announced someone had a seat waiting for "pineapple." At our tournament table, that led to a question.

"What's the difference between 'pineapple' and 'crazy pineapple'?"

Our table decided there was none - that it was P.A. shorthand. But a check online reveals they're actually two different games. Both involve being dealt three cards. "Pineapple poker" requires you to dump one card before the flop; "crazy pineapple" lets you wait until after the flop.

So in poker slang, something becomes "crazy" if you have time to wait before making a decision. Of course, some people think it's downright crazy to play poker at all - especially people like us, who claim faith in God.

But some people said the same sort of thing about Jesus Christ long ago. In fact....

Then said the Jews to him, "Now we know that you have a devil...." - John 8:52 (KJV)

How could Jesus, the Son of God, possibly be demon-possessed? The skeptics didn't think He was the Son of God - and they certainly didn't understand some of the things He said. Such as....

Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am now here. I have not come on my own, but he sent me." - John 8:42

Jesus the Son came from the Father's throne in heaven. This was a first - one the critics simply could not grasp. And that appearance had a great purpose:

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. - I Peter 1:18-20

Jesus was designated to redeem us from our sins, that we might have hope of eternal life. And God the Father planned it all out before our Earth came into being! That may sound "crazy" - but a supernatural God made it happen.

Believing that requires faith - a crazy kind of faith to some. But let's be honest: what other hope do you have of living beyond this life? Isn't the promise of living forever with Jesus worth taking a "chance" on Him?

Cynn City

Soccer fans will be focused today on the World Cup finals in Russia. The event might last three hours, if it winds up in a penalty kick shootout. But imagine an event where determining a world champion came down to a showdown even longer than that - practically lasting all night.

Courtesy Joe Ginn/WSOP.com

That's what happened this morning at the World Series of Poker's Main Event. The final two players battled from Saturday sundown until nearly 5:00 a.m. Las Vegas time - and it ended with Indiana native John Cynn (right) outlasting Florida's Tony Miles to take the "title belt" and $8.8 million.

The lead in heads-up play went back and forth several times, so we give credit to both men for playing hard and well. But in the end, this Main Event probably will inspire a lot of clever headlines (like ours) - and maybe even a few sermons from preachers.

For instance, Miles wore a Tim Tebow college football jersey to the final table. Tebow is known as a  believer in Jesus Christ. We're not sure where Miles stands on that - but his challenge for more than ten hours was, well, overcoming Cynn. It's your challenge, too, only with a different spelling....

...for everyone born of God overcomes the world.... Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. - I John 5:4-5

Louis Armstrong sang years ago, "What a Wonderful World" - and in some ways it is. But it's also a world filled with sin:

For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. - I John 2:16

This endurance contest isn't only for one night - it's a lifelong "main event." So how can you overcome these more common "sins"? We skipped over part of chapter 5, which offers an answer:

This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. - I John 5:4b

The late George Michael sang it correctly: you've got to have faith. But it needs to be in the right things - or better put, the right Ones. It means believing in Jesus as God's Son, and turning to Him to cover your sinful life.

...For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. - Revelation 12:10-11

That "accuser" is Satan, the devil (Job 1:6-9). The blood of Jesus can pay the penalty for your sin, and give you freedom to testify of the good things God does in your life.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21

On this Sunday in Las Vegas, Mr. Cynn came out on top. It's a victory he earned. In your life, "sin" doesn't have to win. Put your faith in the Son of God who can help you overcome it.

The Proper Answer

Is there a "right way" and a "wrong way" to play poker?

Lots of people have different approaches. But we ask this in the wake of Monday night's tournament, when a man suggested we don't know how to play. We'd bet on the flop, after a man went all-in pre-flop and a sidepot developed for three other players.

We'll let you comment on whether our approach was correct. But as that man grumbled, we chose to say nothing in response. And we think that "answer" was the proper one....

But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. - Matthew 5:39

These are famous words of Jesus Christ - but it's very hard advice to follow. Some poker players love to engage in trash talk, perhaps to throw others off their game. It's only natural to join the, uh,  discussion. And to be honest, Jesus sometimes did:

..."We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me.... You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire"... - John 8:41-44

Calling someone a child of the devil doesn't seem very nice, does it? Yet Jesus did it to "Jews who had believed him" (verse 31) - and by the time the conversation ended, that group wanted to stone Him (verse 59).

But at the end of His earthly life, Jesus practiced the advice of Matthew 5 - and in the process, fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy:

...He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. - Acts 8:32

Perhaps better put, to borrow from an old hymn, "He never said a mumblin' word."

Jesus set an amazing example of humility in His death, as he submitted to the torture of His accusers. May we all try to follow that example - in a poker room, and in all walks of life.

Can We Tempt You? II

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Can We Tempt You?

No, our title does not come from a poker tournament or cash game. It comes from Pizza Hut, which asks that question every time we place an online order.

But it easily could come from poker. A column this weekend by a long-time poker writer in Texas notes temptation at a casino can come in many forms. You could be anxious to win a hand, after being dealt poor starting cards for hours. You could be at a table with new players betting wildly, and think you can join in with a "puncher's chance" of hitting it big.

"Temptation" is the stuff of old game shows and steamy reality television. But its origin goes back much farther than that....

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and are in. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked.... - Genesis 3:6-7

Many people consider this the first temptation in history - Eve being lured by a serpent (compared by many to the devil), to eat from a tree that God said was off-limits (verses 1-5). God cursed the first family for breaking His command. As a result of this, many people have prayed....

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.... - Matthew 6:13

That's a proper way to pray, as Jesus suggested it (verse 9). But did you know Jesus at one point walked head-on into a temptation minefield?

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. - Matthew 4:1

Read the first half of this chapter, and you'll see Satan tempted Jesus three times. Yet the Lord resisted three times and prevailed, despite a 40-day fast! How did He do it? And if He can do it in a desert, can you do it as well in a poker room?

As they might say on reality TV, stay tuned....

Cyber-Poker-Monday

For some shoppers, this day has become known as "Cyber Monday." So we might as well join in, by updating the online poker sites we visit.

PokerStars has raised the stakes in recent months. It's still for "play money" in the U.S., to stay legal. But the days of 1/2 tables are over. Now they start at 50/100, but the site hands out free chips every so often to keep you interested. Look at what happened to us there recently, in a "cash game" format:

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: 4-2 offsuit

We have small cards in the Big Blind, at a table with 4-5 players. No one raises, so we get in cheap.

ON THE FLOP: 4-4-4

Are you kidding me?!?! The computer hands us the ultimate jackpot of quads! But of course, we want to maximize our winnings, so we check. A player to our left offers a modest bet of about 200. We smooth-call (as best you can do that online); other players bail out.

ON THE TURN: 2

Whoa - now we have a full house! But wait; quads beat a full house!! Things are still ridiculously perfect for us, so we check again. Now our opponent bets around 500. Of course, we call.

ON THE RIVER: 9 (may not be precise)

A card which doesn't matter to us at all. If our opponent had 9-9, he still only has a full house. We rub it in by checking again - and this time, he goes all-in for about 1,300. Of course, we call. Then we stay silent during the showdown, while he has 10-10. We make a big gain, of about 2,000 chips.

In November alone, our total from playing cash games at PokerStars has jumped by more than 22,000 chips - and the website awarded 25,000 bonus chips on top of that.

National League of Poker has become our place for Thursday night play. There are several free weekly tournaments, with a $250 prize pool on Thursday nights. We have yet to crack the top 100 this year in any of them - but now NLOP has a ring game option, and we doubled our "token" count one night playing No-Limit Omaha.

If you want good clean poker fun without the worry of losing money or getting noticed inside a casino, online sites like these are perfect for you. But be advised: not everyone's chat language is good and clean. They're still "worldly" places - but we're reminded:

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. - John 17:15

If you try hard enough, you really can come "out of the world". In 2016, that would mean turning off the TV, radio, internet and mobile devices. So much for online poker.

But Jesus did NOT ask God the Father to "rapture" His disciples out at this point. Instead, He prayed for the Father to provide them protection from the devil. He continues:

They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. - John 17:16

Jesus was "out of this world" in part because He didn't indulge in the sinful ways of this world. For the rest of us, that's a daily battle - but it's one we need to fight:

Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will receive not of her plagues.... She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her." - Revelation 18:4, 8

This world is in for destruction. But those who come out of it and follow the example of Jesus can have protection from that final judgment. We hope you'll make the right decision.

If you've read to the end of this, we thank you - and invite your comments: What's your favorite place to play poker online? And why?

Finding Your Table

If you have the right connections, you can play poker these days almost anywhere. You can play in bed, on a laptop computer. You can play hands while walking down the street or in a subway car, thanks to smartphone apps. You can even play a game in the middle of an important meeting. (Remember John McCain?)

But when it comes to playing poker in person, things are old-fashioned and traditional. You take a seat at a table - and hope you'll eventually reach the final table.

This crossed our mind because today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Our question is simple: what table will be your focus today?

Will it be a poker table? Some casinos apparently don't expect that, because they're calling off regular Thursday tournaments for the holiday.

Will it be a restaurant table? Some casinos are offering Thanksgiving Day buffet specials - probably at a marked-up price, and with no children allowed.

Will it be a family table? Now that's more along the lines of a traditional Thanksgiving, and it's usually good to share a holiday with close relatives.

But have you thought about spending some quality time today at a very different table - the "table of the Lord?" We think there's no better table to visit, and here's why....

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. - I Corinthians 10:21

The Bible often puts things in cold hard terms. While a poker table could have ten players with different agendas, the spiritual life has only two sides - the Lord's side and the devil's side. God's preference for you should be obvious:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.... - Psalm 23:5

This classic psalm ends as a prayer to God. He can give you spiritual nourishment and comfort during challenging moments - whether in poker or some other place.

Perhaps your holiday schedule includes all the tables we've mentioned. Whatever you're doing, we hope you'll take some time at the "Lord's table" thinking about God on this Thanksgiving Day - and even thank God, because that's what the day really is all about.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. - Psalm 100:4

 In terms of poker, we're thankful for four tournament cash wins this year - especially two at Kansas Star Casino, where the competition can be stiff. So please comment and tell us: what are you thankful for this year? In poker or otherwise?

Poker Night 475: House A-fire

Maybe it's because the players shuffle their own cards. Maybe it's because Kansas Star Casino has an automatic shuffler under its poker tables. Whatever the reason, we're finding Yvie's poker games tend to have stranger hands. Here's an example from Monday night....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: K-K

Blame us for this one. We're dealing, in a game where we've won a couple of small early pots. A woman at our table of seven has raised to 1,600. We're certainly not going to run away from "donuts," so we call. About four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: Ad-Ah-Ac (suits may not be precise)

Talk about stunning the table!  "The Auto Club flop," we say - as we've dealt ourselves a superior full house.  But there's one nagging little problem. The deck has a fourth Ace somewhere. Does the woman across the table have it? She makes a continuation bet of 1,000. A man to our right calls. So do we. Everyone else is out.

ON THE TURN: 2d

A card from the other end of the galaxy which doesn't seem to matter.  Now the woman across from us checks, The man in the middle checks.  We sense some insecurity from this, make a bet of 1,500 - and get two callers.  If one of our opponents had that fourth Ace, wouldn't they have raised?

ON THE RIVER: 3d

Now three diamonds in a row are showing - but we know a straight or flush won't do someone any good. Our opponents check again, and we reach for chips.

"C'mon, just call," someone at the table tells us.

"No, I have to bet," we answer - and set out 2,000.

"He has to be an a*s about this," someone else says.

"I have to call," the woman opposite us then decides. "I have a boat, too."  Those actually are comforting words. We were concerned she might have quads.

"I'm going to fold," the man in the middle says. "My boat's not good enough."

Then the woman shows - J-J!  Our Kings top her and the other player who admitted to 6-6. We make a massive gain of more than 10,000 chips, and receive a bonus of 5,000 from the Tournament Director for the best hand of the night so far.

"You weren't afraid of the Ace?!" the woman asks. Well, that's why we didn't go all-in at some point. We made the bets big, but not so big as to be potentially crippling.

Good cards kept coming for us, and our starting stack of 10,000 grew to 34,600 by the first break - then to 60,500 in the second term. We reached the final table with 45,000.  But then the good cards ran out, with the blinds getting huge. We went for it all with K-10 of clubs and our last 25,000. But the board didn't pair for us, while A-9 by another man was rewarded with 9 on the river.

We finished the night in fifth place, satisfied to score our best finish since mid-April. And the take-home lesson for us from the last two tournaments is that being slightly more disciplined can make a big difference.

MINISTRY MOMENT: At one point we bet 2,500 to take a pot. An opponent across from us said, "I'll fold, you silver-tongued devil."

"I try not be a devil," we answered. "I try to be an angel." Then we turned to a man at our left. "But I can't even be an angel. I can be a child of God, but not an angel."

Does this confuse you?  If you think humans are on Earth trying to "earn their wings" to become angels in heaven, what the Bible says might come as a surprise.

But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor...." - Hebrews 2:6-7

Humans are made "a little lower" than angels - and verse 9 goes to say Jesus was "made a little lower than the angels" when He came to Earth. Yet should our human goal be to become angels?

Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life? - I Corinthians 6:3

That's not merely a rhetorical question. Your Bible says humans someday will judge angels. This implies we won't simply be on their levels - we'll be above them. How is this possible?

...Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.... Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in is sufferings in order that we may also share in is glory. - Romans 8:14, 17

True "children of God" have an amazing future - as heirs of God's Kingdom, joining in an inheritance with Jesus Christ Himself. That's a step above angelic living. If you'd like to know more about it, leave a comment and we'll try to explain it further.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 177 final tables in 475 games (37.3%) - 33 cashes.

Who's Gonna Win?

The discussion at our poker table the other day turned to matters of belief - and sadly, that did not mean God or Jesus Christ.

"The devil is in control," a man said (or words to that effect).

"The devil only wins if you let him," we responded.

A couple of people at the table seemed to agree with our view. But let's take the comments in order. There's a bit of truth to that....

In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them. - II Corinthians 4:4 (KJV)

Who or what is this opposing God - trying to block the light of the gospel?  None other than the original "prince of darkness" - Satan.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved to judgment.... II Peter 2:4 (KJV)

Those angels were cast down from heaven with the devil, which was once a top-level angel called Lucifer (Isaiah 14). But even if Satan is a "god" over this world, that doesn't mean Satan has to be the god of your life:

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

That may sound simplistic - but even veteran Christians know it's a constant challenge and fight. We need help....

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

The "one who is in you" needs to be Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit:

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. - Colossians 1:27

Would you like to know how Christ can be in you? Leave a comment, and we'll be happy to help -- so the "good God" wins in the end.

Getting on the Winning Side

You never know who you'll meet playing online poker.  Awhile back "flopblogger" (our web handle) had this chat with a player named "silkNsatan":

Me:　I hope you're more silk than Satan. :-)
silkNsatan:　hope u more flop than blog [...]
Me:　But I'm admittedly more into the things of God than Satan.
icandothis:　glad to hear it
silkNsatan:　same thing probleyjus differnt name
silkNsatan:　buddhist here
silkNsatan:　buddhist here
silkNsatan:　try anyways
Dealer:　LTDUSARET wins Main Pot ($2320)
Me:　Aha
Me:　I believe many people worship Satan, without realizing it.

It had been a long time since we reviewed exactly what Buddhists believe, especially when it comes to Satan.

One website we consulted says Buddhism has a devil character named "Mara" - one considered wicked, evil, "the Murderer, the Tempter." That's not far away from what Christians think about Satan.

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. - John 8:44

In fact, Satan sometimes can appear "silky smooth" to people:

And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. - II Corinthians  11:14

And that's why we think "people worship Satan, without realizing it." They accept lies and deception that they think is a reflection of God, but really is not.  That's why the Bible warns:

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm n the faith.... - I Peter 5:8-9

But how can you tell whether you're following God and Jesus, as opposed to Satan and demonism? We recommend taking time each day reading carefully through the book of truth (John 17:17), the Bible.

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. - Acts 17:11

Just as some poker players stage big bluffs to get you away from winning pots, Satan can come up with ideas and reasoning to steer you away from God and Jesus Christ. Check people's thinking against what the Bible says - and let the Bible be your guide, no matter how others might "spin" it.

Payoff Guaranteed

Poker tables and dice tables are two very different things.  Yet the other night we heard a statement which could apply to both of them.

The speaker warned when it comes to evildoers, God has "loaded the dice" against them.  This practically matched the classic title of a church sermon on The Andy Griffith Show - a title which won the preacher praise from Barney Fife for being clever.

Yet we heard that warning from a real-life church pastor (now deceased) - and he has a valid point.  The Bible had a warning along those lines, long before those men came along....

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. - Psalm 34:14

Some people go to poker nights to have fun.  We'd like to think most of them do.  But sadly, a few may show up seeking trouble. If that describes you, God has this warning:

..The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. - Psalm 34:16

The word evil can refer to many things.  Look at what this psalm emphasizes:

..Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. - Psalm 34:13

Evil things can be done with words, every bit as much as actions.  Yet make no mistake....

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. - Galatians 6:7-8

The Bible warns our actions will have a payoff - whether we're at the poker table or outside.  Wise actions will be rewarded; it could happen in this life, but most assuredly in the life to come.  Evildoing will be punished as well, with destruction authorized by God.


The game of life ultimately is that simple.  How will you choose to act in it?

Whom To Root Against

One interesting twist about the casino trip mentioned in our last post was that it occurred during the opening weekend of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.  The day we went included a shocking upset, as the Mercer Bears beat the Duke Blue Devils.

"I'm a Christian," we told our table, "so I can't root for any team called the Devils."

We recall one high school where we used to live, where the girls' basketball coach actually changed her team's nickname.  Instead of "Devils," they became the Angels.  Why would someone do that?  Because the Bible warns against the devil....

Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. - I Peter 5:8

The devil offers people all sorts of interesting temptations, pretending to be your friend.  But the Bible shows Satan wants to "devour" you -- eating your life away through things such as over-gambling at poker.

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. - John 8:44

 Jesus said these words -- and Jesus battled against the devil's temptations several times (Matthew 4:1-11).  Yet the Lord prevailed, and so can we.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering. - I Peter 5:9

Resisting the devil isn't easy.  That's why God offers help, through the Holy Spirit.

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

With all due respect to graduates of Duke, Arizona State and other schools, the "devil" is not one to support.  God plans to remove Satan eventually.

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven.... He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:2

God created all the "chips" of the universe, and He eventually will hold them all again.  Including you, if you allow it.

Whodunnit

We had a very good day in a National League of Poker tournament Sunday -- finishing in the top 20 out of 950 players. And along the way, we apparently played with someone from another culture.  We say that based on this chat:

THAKUR_SAAB: 　JMD
Me: 　In English that means...?
chipmover: 　lol
THAKUR_SAAB: 　JMD
Dealer: 　THAKUR_SAAB wins Main Pot ($5,250)
chipmover: 　and that means
sootedone: 　Jesus mademeDoit
Me: 　Jesus take the wheel :-)
A website which specializes in acronyms didn't give us much help figuring out the real meaning of JMD.  We don't think someone with that name would talk about Jamaican dollars.

But what about the other player's suggestion?  Does Jesus "make us" do things -- such as going all-in with pocket Queens?  The Bible seems to give conflicting answers to that....

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me."  For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. - James 1:13-14

So much for the late Flip Wilson's legendary comic line, "The devil made me do it!"   James goes on to write our own desires lead to sin -- and eventually to death.

Yet there are also times when believers say God inspired them to do or say things.  There are verses supporting that as well:

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.... Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. - Galatians 5:18, 25

This refers to the Holy Spirit, which God provides to those who repent of their sins before Him (Acts 2:38).  To use Jesus's description....

....The Spirit of truth.... you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. - John 14:17

As a general rule, we'd say God and the Holy Spirit should get the glory and credit for any good things we do and decisions we make.  Let God "take the wheel" of your life.  But when we choose a sinful evil way, don't point fingers toward heaven -- blame your own human nature and repent of what you've done.

Poker Night 402: How Grand a Finale?

Boxes are our focus right now -- finding big usable boxes, then filling them.  That's what happens when you move to another place, hundreds of miles away.  But tonight we took a break from packing, because we had one more local stop to make.  The Red Barn marked our last scheduled tournament in the Columbus area.  And it started with a lot of lousy cards -- until....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: A-8 offsuit

A-7 worked well for us a few hands ago; both cards paired on the flop, and we won with a 2,000-chip bet.  Now we've recovered to about 7,200 chips, and we join several players in calling.

ON THE FLOP: A-8-6

Looking familiar -- and good.  We bet 700 with top two pair.  A woman sitting to our immediate left who's marking her birthday calls.  Two players across the table call as well.

ON THE TURN: J

We still feel confident about things, so turn up the pressure with a bet of 1,400.  But we're not running off anyone: the woman calls.  A man next in line goes all-in, with only 1,125 left.  The other man calls as well.

ON THE RIVER: 9

The man across the table from us checks.  We aim at him, with a bet of 1,000 more.  The man who went all-in holds out his cards, like he's already lost and ready to surrender.

"I raise - 10,000."  HUH!?!?!   This surprise comes from the woman to our left - a woman we forgot was still in the hand.  What led her to do this?

"I don't have 10,000," we admit as we ponder.  Did she hit three of a kind, and let us bet into her all this time?  Does she have a smaller two pair?  After a moment, we decide on another explanation.  She's won a lot of hands, built a big stack of chips -- and now she's bluffing to claim a huge pot.  At least we hope so.

"I'll call," we decide with our last 3,800 or so.

"I've got a straight," she says quietly -- and shows 5-7!  We're left flabbergasted.  We never saw that coming -- and now we're going.  The birthday girl takes out two players, and we finish our final trip to The Red Barn tied for 12th.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The other man eliminated by that birthday girl has the name Diallo.  At least that's how she said it.  But then she made a twist.

"'Diablo' means devil, you know," she pointed out.

"I wouldn't want to be called a devil," we tried to tell her -- although we're not sure she heard us.

Would any right-thinking person want to be called a devil?  Yet believe it or not, Jesus at one point almost was accused of that....

Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.... But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons." - Matthew 12:22, 24

Why did the Pharisees reach this conclusion?  We're led to think it was really a verbal slap out of jealousy -- a bit like a losing poker player declaring, "I had you beat on the flop."  Jesus was eroding their following, through His miracles and teaching.  The Lord's response was based on logic:

"If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself.  How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out?.... But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." - Matthew 12:26-28

Demons fled from Jesus's presence on several occasions -- because they knew who Jesus was, far better than the Pharisees did.

"What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted.  "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?" - Matthew 8:29

Demons recognized 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ was the Son of God.  Do you recognize Him that way today -- and move toward Him in acceptance and worship, instead of running away in fright?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 138 final tables in 402 nights (34.3%) - 21 cashes.  Our next post will finalize our record in the "Columbus era," and explain where we're going from here.

Your Turn: Job Force

Long before we started playing poker and created this blog, we posted an Bible-based article online which asked the question: Is God a Gambler?  Someone who read that article sent a comment on it the other day....

Didn't God gamble with the Devil over the "Godliness & faith" of Job. God sits back and allows Satan to utterly destroy everything that Job has, his home, his wealth, his family, his heath, everything. Just to prove a point.

Our understanding of this comes down to two conversations between Satan and the Lord:

"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied.... "But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."  The Lord said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." - Job 1:9, 11-12

God praised Job in verse 8 as "blameless and upright," indicating no one on Earth was like him.  But the exchange strikes us more as an "I dare you" challenge than what we would consider a gamble.  The lives of Job and his family were the "chips" in the middle -- and Satan indeed played aggressively, not once but twice:

"Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."  The Lord said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." - Job 2:4-6

The devil caused a lot of collateral damage, with ten children and an unknown number of servants killed.

But note God put limits on this "game" - first ordering the protection of Job's body, then his life.  And did Job really do what Satan predicted?  If the devil expected Job to curse God and switch sides, we've found no verse indicating he did.  Instead....

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. - Job 42:5-6

The rest of Job 42 shows God blessed Job even more at the end, than at the beginning.  And Satan can't really claim the dead children and servants as its own, because....

Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out -- those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. - John 5:28-29

 For many Christians, this time of year is a reminder of God's power to resurrect the dead.  It started with people healed by Jesus, then in a more glorious way with Jesus Himself -- and eventually will include the rest of mankind.

We're welcome to your thoughts on the story of Job.  What lessons has that book taught you?  Leave a comment, and we may go deeper in a future post.
 

Mediums Well?

Advertising is how many "free poker" sites generate income, to offer prizes to players.  But an ad we saw while playing at National League of Poker last week made us want to laugh out loud:

We couldn't resist commenting on it in the chat box:

Me: 　So NLOP is showing me
Me: 　a banner ad with a medium's
Me: 　predictions for 2012
Me: 　Really
Me: 　LOL
Dealer: 　moron wins Main Pot ($2,450) with Two pair, queens and deuces
JerMan: 　wonder if they predicted their going bankrupt?***...lol
Yes, you read that correctly -- the banner ad is offering free predictions for 2012, during a game in February 2013.  That's absurd, of course.  But then we added this:

Me: 　I don't believe in mediums
Me: 　I'm simply mild :-)
Have you ever been tempted to consult a "medium" -- or perhaps something similar, like a fortune-teller or psychic?  Perhaps you wanted to know in advance if you should enter a poker tournament, or whether you'd wind up wasting your money.

The Bible's answer is that consulting such people is a waste of time and money in itself.  Read what happened to two early apostles:

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.  She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.  The girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." - Acts 16:16-17

Was the girl shouting lies?  To be honest, no -- she was "preaching" the truth about the apostles' message of salvation through Jesus Christ.  But it still displeased the servants of God....

She kept this up for many days.  Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!"  At that moment the spirit left her. - Acts 16:18

That action started a chain of events which led to Paul and Silas being thrown in prison (verse 23) -- and that brought a jailhouse miracle, which resulted in a jailer becoming saved (verses 29-33).

But shouldn't the apostles have shown some tolerance to a girl promoting their evangelistic campaign?  They clearly didn't, and the passage gives a clue why:

When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas.... - Acts 16:19

We're led to conclude the slave girl was talking about more than the apostles.  She was telling fortunes on the side to earn a small fortune for her owners -- and God's apostles wanted nothing to do with that.  It's a "spirit" Scripture warns against:

Let no one be found among you who.... practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. - Deuteronomy 18:10-11

"Divination" is defined by our dictionary as "the act of foretelling future events."  It also defines a "medium" as someone thought to have powers to communicate with dead people.

Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord....You must be blameless before the Lord your God. - Deuteronomy 18:12-13

God is Spirit (John 4:24) -- a Holy Spirit (II Corinthians 3:17-18).  The Bible shows all other spirits are unholy.  We're led to think they're rooted in Satan, the devil.

The Bible is filled with predictions about the future, of course -- and several mentioned by Old Testament prophets already have come true.  Can you name some of them?  Offer a comment with your thoughts, and we'll return to this topic in a future post.

Poker Night 382: Target Dog

At least one African-American man at The Red Barn didn't realize what holiday it was tonight -- the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.  But plenty of poker players showed up, perhaps because of the holiday.  After all, you're not likely to find poker tables around the dance floor at an inaugural ball.

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: J-J

We won an early pot with three 4's, then split another with Q-9.  So we come to this hand in fairly good shape, with 6,400 chips.  We're first to act and limp in -- but at this table of six, the man to our immediate right has been joking a bit about making us a target.  When the play calls to him, he raises 1,500 from the Big Blind.  At other times we've folded, but not now.

"I'll take you on this time," we say as we plunk down our chips.

"Oh oh," our opponent responds as one other player calls.

"Sometimes you've got to take a stand," we tell him.  He seems to accept that.

ON THE FLOP: Q-7-5 (last two cards might not be exact)

A card above our pair concerns us.  But the Big Blind checks.  So do we, along with the third player.

ON THE TURN: K

Now we could turn the "oh oh" around.  Things look even worse for our hand -- and the Big Blind decides it's time to bet, offering 1,000.  Yet something tells us this is a bluff to run us off, so we call.  The third man folds.

ON THE RIVER: 9

The Big Blind responds to this with a bigger bet, tossing out 2,000.  Calling this would leave us with a measly 1,500 chips.  The more we ponder it, the more we become convinced he means what he says.

"I'll fold," we say.  Sure enough -- the pot winner turns over K-9.  He made running cards for two pair, and claims a Red Barn "Rodney" bonus of 5,000.

We never recovered from that loss, although we made it to the second hour of play.  An all-in bet with 9-9 led to a King on the flop and an Ace on the turn.  A man with a King took the pot, and sent us home in a lowly 22nd place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: That man in the Big Blind asked a curious question before we were eliminated.  "Are you a Tasmanian devil?"

He didn't seem to be drunk.  But his screwball question opened a door of witness for us.  "No, I'm not a Tasmanian devil.  I try to live like an angel.  Live like an angel, and you'll keep the devil away."

The man seemed to agree with our answer.  But perhaps you're asking: how can we live like angels?  We certainly can't make ourselves invisible, and fly between the heaven of God's throne and Earth.  But consider what a New Testament writer asked....

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? - Hebrews 1:14

Angels are servants -- and they're not simply serving God.  They're serving people who will inherit salvation.  That can mean angels are serving you!  And by extension, we should be serving other people.

There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. - I Corinthians 12:5-6

Martin Luther King Day has become a "day of service" for many people and organizations in the U.S.  There's nothing wrong with that.  But we'd ask what sort of service you've been doing for God lately.

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. - Joshua 24:15

We think the best way to serve God is to follow His commands.  Start with the Ten Commandments listed in Exodus 20, then review how Jesus explained them early in the book of Matthew.  Consider yourself and your ways carefully.  Are you serving God like an angel -- or perhaps inadvertently serving someone else?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 131 final tables in 382 nights (34.3%) - 20 cashes.  That makes five missed final tables in a row.

Called and Those-n

We mention below our success Sunday night in the National League of Poker Weekly Championship.  It began with a generic simple greeting we usually write in the chat box at the start of play: "Happy Sunday to all."  It led down this road....


Rembones:  not if live in Newtown !
Me:  Indeed. Praying for Newtown.
Dealer:  roadglide wins Main Pot ($2,960)
Rembones:  That won't help***

We sensed a resistance right away to anything related to God.  But in light of the bloodbath at a Newtown, Connecticut grade school, we realize some people want to talk through the issues involved.  So we continued:

Me:  What do you recommend?

Rembones:  Try our best to identify people like that BEFORE it's to late, and have mental health facilities ava

Rembones:  ilable for the mentally sick***

We have no objection to that.  And as an aside, we realize some readers of this poker blog might have a different kind of "sickness" without realizing it.  If you're addicted to gambling to the point where it's affecting your relationships and life, help is available.  But back to the table....

Me:  Sound ideas.

Me:  But in the meantime,

Me:  praying for God's comfort

Me:  on survivors can't hurt.

Rembones:  You also need to accept the FACT that you can never design the laws around the extreme exceptions in

Rembones:   society !

Me:  True. Cain killed Abel.

Me:  Long before there were guns

Me:  and bombs.

Our last post offered the thought that Satan affected Cain's thinking in Genesis 4....

But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. - James 1:14-15

So Rembones's ideas seem to have a proper direction.  Until....

Rembones:  hey will ALL be ***ll of dog *** !

Dealer:  roadglide wins Main Pot ($17,920) with Flush, ace high

Me:  Part of that was

Me:  censored.

Me:  But judgment is coming

Me:  for all of us.

Rembones:  Oh boy, we have one of THOSE people at the table !

Yes, a believer's words can give himself away.  But come to think of it, that will be part of the basis for God's ultimate judgment:

But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.  For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. - Matthew 12:36-37

Jesus said these words, which should make us all think about ours.  What are you saying?  What are you writing online, for that matter?  Are they words of good, or of evil (verse 35)?

Clearly Rembones didn't think too "good" (pardon our English) of us, or "those people"....

Me:  Those? :-)

Rembones:  The goof***ball bible beaters !!  What a goof !!

Me:  I don't beat it.

Me:  I simply believe it.

Rembones:  Like I said***........ GOOF !...

Admittedly, some fired-up preachers do pound on the Bible to make their points.  For best results, we recommend opening the Bible.  Read what it says.  Then live by what it tells you to do.

Then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in your word.... Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. - Psalm 119:42, 105

We were facing a bit of taunting at this moment for our beliefs.  But instead of responding with more name-calling, we wrote this....

Me:  So what is your hope

Me:  beyond this life?

Rembones:  We DON'T need any of the goofy superstitions, just common sense !

That didn't really answer our question.  Here's the answer we find in Scripture:

....A faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.... - Titus 1:2

Me:  What's your common sense

Me:  explanation of what's

Me:  beyond this life?

After asking the question again, Rembones may have had enough of us.  He went all-in with K-A, as mentioned in the earlier post.  We had pocket Queens, and eliminated him from the tournament.

Dealer:  flopblogger wins Main Pot ($18,740) with One pair, queens

Me:  Do think it over, friend.

We encourage you to do the same thing.  If God's promise of eternal life is "superstition" or somehow not good enough for you, what's your alternative?  Is it really better?

Rembones left the table with no further comment.  But another player observing all this brought the discussion to a close:

petebiz:  I guess we will never know

Me:  Maybe not in this life. :-/