A Different Sort of FOLD

In this age of text message shorthand, you may have heard of FOMO - the "fear of missing out." We'd like to create a new one for poker. It's FOLD - "fear of losing dollars."

We're inspired by an online column by poker millionaire Jonathan Little. He explained the proper mindset poker players should have. In part....

Learning to think in terms of equity (instead of dollars) is a great way to conquer the fear of losing money.... You must accept that you will win and lose pots when you play poker.

In some cases, the FOLD is logical. If you have 7-2 offsuit, that's not statistically likely to turn into a winning hand. But when you have something like J-J or 10-10, the walk becomes more unbalanced. A big bet by other players (whether they have something or not) could make you wary and lead to FOLD.

In short, poker is a game with no guarantees. If you develop a serious case of FOLD, you're not likely to do well. We need a different mindset - one that we think is downright godly:

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought, and never fails to bear fruit. - Jeremiah 17:7-8

Trust completely in your own skills, and you set yourself up for failure. It's far better to put your trust in a God whose plan never fails.

Yes, "heat" will come - perhaps from aggressive bettors who want to test your courage. But if you accept the fact that drought sometimes will happen and stay close to God in those times, fruitful times will follow.

Some Christians are marking an example of this today. They consider it "Palm Sunday," when Jesus entered Jerusalem five days before the "Passover" festival week (John 12:1, 12). He arrived knowing He would be arrested, bloodied and killed five days later. Yet consider how Jesus faced it....

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." - Matthew 26:39

Jesus could have FOLD-ed - with the "D" here standing for His divinity. Yet He did not. In a restless moment of tense anticipation, He accepted God's will. Many of His disciples reacted differently - and Jesus was not surprised by that.

"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'".... Then everyone deserted him and fled. - Mark 14:27, 50

Jesus put His life all in - putting His confidence in a Father who could resurrect Him. Days later, it happened. His disciples didn't understand until after it happened. Whose example is better for you to follow, when things in life become uncertain? The FOLD way - or the faith way?

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 Big Folder

We've been studying through one of the more complex books of the Bible lately. If you read carefully, you might come across a few apparent references to poker. For instance:

The fool folds his hands and ruins himself. - Ecclesiastes 4:5

A poker player looking for some "inspiration" might stumble across that verse, and resolve to play every hand during his next trip to the table. But we've seen plenty of players wind up in ruins taking that approach, too.

Verses like this are why we believe you should read the Bible carefully. This is not about poker at all - at least not directly. Consider the verses around it....

And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless.... Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. - Ecclesiastes 4:4, 6

The context here involves the work we do. Some people make a living playing poker, of course. Whether you do that or not, what is your motive behind the work you do? Verse 4 indicates some people act based on jealous envy of the success of others. That's a dangerous approach to take....

For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts.... greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy.... All these evils come from inside and make a man "unclean." - Mark 7:21-23

Jesus Christ said those words - declaring greed and envy "evil." But our main verse is in contrast to that. Someone who "folds his hands" and doesn't work at all will wind up in ruin.

Verse 6 shows the more balanced why of thinking. Earn a modest living peacefully, instead of overworking with a greedy intent. To borrow an old Rush Limbaugh phrase, going for it all can lead to a loss - in this case, loss of relationships and sound-minded priorities.

Hmmm - come to think of it, maybe there are poker lessons here. Play hands and games with a tranquil, peaceful state of mind, instead of a "get-even" philosophy. And don't overdo things, as you strive for success. After all, we've played long enough to know that sometimes a "fold" can be the best play of all.

Poker Night 553: Service Error

"Sunday night is folding night," we said several times tonight at Jack Casino. No, not football night. We entered the Sunday evening tournament, partly because of a busy schedule this week - but also partly in hopes that other players would be distracted by pro football games on the TV screens. But when is a fold right, and when is it wrong?

BLINDS: 800/1,600

IN THE POCKET: 10-10

We've won a few pots and slipped a few times. But we start this hand with around 17,000 chips from a starting 15,000. And because very few people have entered the night tournament (as opposed to 96 in the pricey Sunday midday event), we're already at the equivalent of the final table.

It appears seven players are left - but a troublesome man who was knocked out has returned, thanks to a re-buy. So there are eight of us, and no one has raised. It's tempting to raise with this pocket pair in the Dealer's spot, but we decide to cautiously call. About four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 5-6-7

Straight potential is in plain sight. But no one bets ahead of us. So in last position with an overpair, we bet 2,500. The returnee calls; everyone else folds.

ON THE TURN: 7

Now we have two pair, and the returnee checks to us. His actions during the evening have left some players puzzled, and we wonder if he returned on tilt. So we bet 2,500 again - and he raises to 5,000. Now we're more sure he's on tilt. We quickly call.

ON THE RIVER: 2

If he's on a straight draw, he missed it. But this time, our opponent bets first - putting out 5,000 of his own. This gives us pause.

"This is a big moment," we say as we stare at our cards. "I know your works, to borrow from a book I've read."

"There's a tell," the man sitting to our left says.

Huh?!? We look across the table and see nothing unusual. Our opponent is getting a drink from a server. But we have the sense that our pocket pair isn't good enough - like he has pocket Jacks or something.

"I'm going to let it go," we say.

Our opponent then turns over - 6-6! He had a full house on the turn! Our hunch was right, but a little late. So what about that tell?

"He's paying for a drink when he has 800 chips [really thousands] on the table," the man to our left explains. "He knows he's winning."

What do you think? Is that a real tell? Or could it be a sign that a player is confident, and potentially could be too confident?

We thankfully received a bail-out moments later, when we received pocket Aces. A double-up put us at 19,500 at the two-hour break. Another big hand after the break put us at a high of 30,000.

But much like our last trip to Jack Casino, then came a couple of fatal slips - this time from erring on the side of caution. We folded pocket Queens when a man pushed after a flop with J-10. We feared he'd hit two pair; he only had one, as did a man who took him on.

Then we entered with 6,000 and A-8, saw an Ace on the flop, called an all-in bet - only to see an opponent with A-Q! The board didn't save us, and lousy timing took us out. We finished fifth out of 15 entries - but only the top three earned money, and we left frustrated about another potential cash that got away.

MINISTRY MOMENT: That man to our left hit a big jackpot, when he dared to play 3-6 and the flop was 3-6-A. "Thanks, God," we thought we heard him say.

"If you're thanking God," we told him, "you're thanking in the right direction."

A lot of people curse God and Jesus Christ. You may hear it often, in a poker environment or other places. But instead, we should be thankful to God for any blessings we receive. Consider this case Jesus encountered....

As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" He looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. - Luke 17:13-14 (NLT)

It was a healing miracle times ten! But keep reading....

One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Praise God!" He fell to the ground at Jesus's feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. - Luke 17:15-16 (NLT)

In this moment of praise and worship, the Lord seemed to pay more attention to the people who were not there....

Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"....  Luke 17:17-18 (NLT)

If other people around you are thankful over something - even if it's a big comeback by another poker player - do you join them? Be careful. God doesn't get so distracted by the praise of some people that he overlooks the ingratitude of others. In fact, it might come up where you least expect it - at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 205 final tables in 553 games (37.1%) - 41 cashes. We'll be taking a short break from live tournaments for upcoming church activities.

Remember As You Play....

The fool folds his hands and ruins himself. - Ecclesiastes 4:5

No one's ever won a poker tournament by folding every hand. In fact, the rules might require you to play once in a while - when the Big Blind comes and no one raises. The only way to make a gain is to make a bet. The key, of course, is knowing when to do it.


But in this case, "folding your hands" means something a bit different - not doing any work. You'll "starve to death," warns the Contemporary English Version. Yet note the verses around it....

And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor.... There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless - a miserable business! - Ecclesiastes 4:4, 8

This gets to a core question - why you do what you do. Do you play poker simply to get even with a big-money opponent? Do you grind in cash games for hours or days, because you have nothing else to do with your time?

The key, it seems, is to have a mind focused in the right direction:

Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. - Ecclesiastes 4:6

How do you get this tranquil mind? We don't think it comes from within.

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.... - Romans 8:6

The Holy Spirit can give your life real peace - the ultimate peace of knowing what will happen after this "tournament" of life is over. It comes by repenting of your sins and accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior (Acts 2:38). Is it time for you to "fold" to something better?

Join the Fold? II

A recent post here talked about the fold in poker. It's a simple act which means you've lost the hand.

Sometimes a fold is easy -- for example, when you have 2-4 offsuit and an opponent goes all-in before the flop. Other folds can be difficult, yet wind up looking like strokes of genius. For example, you could lay down a big straight if your opponent has a full house.

What would you say was the best "pay-down" in poker history? We're open to your comments. In the meantime, how about the biggest one in human history....

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.... and I lay down my life for the sheep. - John 10:14-15

These words came from the mouth of Jesus Christ. We established in that other post that He's the way to a "sheepfold" - a place to have life, where the "fold" is more like a palace.  Yet did you realize Jesus "folded" long ago - as in folding His life?

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.... - John 10:18

Jesus gave up His life, yet was resurrected to eternal life. And that life is not only for Him:

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! - Romans 5:10

Through Christ's death and resurrection, you can have salvation - and be part of his "sheepfold" forever. A stroke of folding genius, indeed. Have you taken advantage of it?

Join the Fold?

It's probably the least respected move in poker. To fold your hand means you give up your cards. You surrender. You're out of the hand. You can't win - even if the 2-4 you fold before the flop is followed by 2-2-2 on the flop.

Yet is a "fold" always a bad thing? We pondered that this week when a radio speaker referred to this....

Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. - John 10:1 (KJV)

We could hear the scoffers right away, joking a "sheep" at a poker table folds all the time. But in King James English, a "sheepfold" refers to a yard where the sheep are kept. (Other Bible translations say "sheep pen.")

Yet here's the amazing thing, which we didn't even know until we looked it up tonight. The Greek word for fold in John 10 is translated in most other parts of the New Testament as "palace." Here's one example....

Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, to the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas. - Matthew 26:3 (KJV)

The Greek word usually refers to palaces of worldly leaders. But Jesus also talked about a "fold" that was quite different....

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. - John 10:16 (KJV)

Jesus is organizing one of the biggest "folds" in history - and if you consider yourself enough of a loser to surrender your life to Jesus, He wants you to be part of it!

But did you notice the warning of John 10:1? You have to enter Jesus's fold by "the door." What does that mean?

I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. - John 10:9

Have you ever played private poker games, where you might need to know the password to get inside? Jesus says He is the door to this massive fold. You can't enter it without knowing Him.

There's more to this folding action, and we'll explain it in a future post.