The Self-Taught Life

When it comes to poker, do you think you've seen it all?  Do you dare to think you know it all?

There's a computer in Canada which programmers say knows more than you.  And here's the more amazing thing - they say the computer taught itself how to play Texas Hold 'em.

This announcement, for some reason, is not in CardPlayer magazine.  It's in Science.  An online summary indicates this ultimate poker "bot" called Cepheus went through "24 trillion simulated poker hands per second for two months" to develop a winning strategy.  By comparison, some human players do well in a tournament to see 10 hands in a 20-minute blind period.

We couldn't get the playing part of Cepheus to work on two different computers.  But its "pre-flop strategy" in heads-up Texas Hold 'em strikes us as odd.  For instance, it raises with J-4 unsuited practically every time.  So it's an aggressive bot -- yet the programmers tell us it's liable to win most of the time.

We'd stop here and open the blog for comments. Are you a "self-taught" poker player like this?  If so, has it worked for you?

But we'd go farther -- and ask if you're "self-taught" on the bigger things of life.  Have you learned on your own what's going to happen after your life is over?  Or whether there's a God?

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. - I Corinthians 2:11

 

If God is a mystery to you, perhaps God is closing your eyes to it for now.  But if you're reading this and you're ready to know more, we don't think the self-taught approach will work.  You're going to need help.

"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. - I Corinthians 2:16

The search for the mind of God starts with reading the Bible -- slowly, not being afraid to ask questions along the way. Ask them to God in prayer. And if you know someone who's already a believer in God and Jesus Christ, ask them for guidance in areas which seem puzzling.

Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who seeks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. - Matthew 7:7-8

We're willing to help if you have questions; leave a comment and an e-mail address if you wish.  May God help you learn the deep things, of this life and the next -- even if it doesn't come at a rate of 24 trillion points per second.

The Lonely Old Man at the End of the Bar

The first two parts of our road trip had gone well.  We attended a memorial concert for a college music instructor, then took spring cleaning to one of the very few places in our area which accepts styrofoam for recycling.  But then....

Hollywood Casino was only a few exits up the highway from the recycling point.  So we dreamed of making quick money playing poker there, even on a Wednesday morning.  The casino was a largely-empty place, with only one full-looking table active in the poker room.

So we sat down at the slot-style Texas Hold 'em machine where we'd won money several weeks before.  But alas, not many good cards showed up for us -- and only in one hand did we hit a successful-looking flop.  In this heads-up format, our $50 investment evaporated to nothing in only a few minutes.

As we drank a free consolation soda before leaving, we pondered why we'd done this.  Money to pay for the trip would have been nice.  But there was no engagement with anyone, no moment of interaction about the gospel or the things of Christ.  We'd simply drained our wallet quietly, then walked out as quietly as we walked in.

This isn't really why we started playing poker several years ago.  Instead of using it as a tool for evangelizing, we'd become simply another small-scale gambling junkie.  We only visited casinos on occasion and with a set limit on losses, but we still were not being the sort of light Jesus wants believers to be.

Abstain from all appearance of evil. - I Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV)

We've visited casinos more in the last 12 months than we ever have before.  There have been moments of success - but more often times of loss and defeat.  The lesson for us is clear: resist the urge to stop and play, unless we don't mind throwing money away.

It is true that anyone who desires to be a church official wants to be something worthwhile.  That's why officials must have a good reputation.... They must be self-controlled, sensible, well-behaved.... they must be kind and gentle and not love money. - I Timothy 3:1-3 (CEV)

We do not hold an official title in the church group we attend.  Yet a similar standard should apply to us.  We shouldn't be "greedy of filthy lucre," as the King James puts verse 3. We should realize the chances of losing money in casino games, instead of drifting toward expensive habits.

Our apologies for making this post a confessional.  But as we mark one year in our new home this week, we think it's important to share some of the lessons we've learned from playing poker more often for real stakes.

Not everything has been bad (an upcoming post will get into that).  But as the annual "Lord's Supper" service approaches for us, we see a need to shake ourselves away from the trend we've been on with poker.  What about you?  What is your experience - past or present?

Man Vs. Machine

It's probably not good for a casino when its ATMs aren't working properly -- especially on your busiest night of the week.

That's what we encountered over the weekend when a family road trip led us to stop at the Hollywood Casino.  It's not located in Hollywood, but next to a Kansas City racetrack -- and it has a Hollywood movie "theme" to it, somewhat like a theme amusement park.

We didn't want to risk all our cash at a table game, so we tried using our ATM card.  And tried.  And tried.  All the machines turned us down, and apparently turned down other players as well (although not all).

We could have taken it as a sign from God, watched some Saturday night college basketball on a big screen and gone on our way.  But then we saw it -- a "Texas Hold 'em Heads Up" electronic machine, somewhat like a slot machine.  You play poker one-on-one against the machine's computer.

Suddenly we were back in college, when a crude computer version of this was set up at one of our workplaces.  The computer wasn't random at all, so we figured out a pattern to beat it with ease.  How much more difficult would the 2014 model be?

We inserted $20 into the slot to find out -- and quickly won a few hands.  We reached $49, then dropped to around $33.  Then came this hand:

BLINDS: $2/$4 (it's set up technically as a limit game)

IN THE POCKET: Q-8 offsuit

The machine tends to raise pre-flop more often that not.  We play along, and call with $4 invested.

ON THE FLOP: A-Q-Q

Ooo - this looks like fun!  We didn't write down every detail -- but as we recall, we checked here.  The machine bet, and we called.

ON THE TURN: 4

No harm done.  Now as best we remember, we bet the standard $4.  The machine was "thinking" for a moment -- then raised to $8.  We called, of course.

ON THE RIVER: 8

Our house is full, and we think our wallet will be as well.  We check here, to lure a bet.  It does.  We raise to $8. (The machine is smart enough to check-raise from time to time as well.)  It calls.

The computer has.... A-10!  Our boat beats its two pair, and we claim a massive pot.  Our $20 investment is now at a high for the night of $69.

And at that point, we press the white "cash out" button.  We tripled our investment in less than 15 minutes.  How easy could that be?

Of course, we had to find out how easy.  So on the way out of town this morning, we stopped by the casino again (a casino with lots of open space at 8:45 a.m. on a Sunday morning) and went to that very same machine.  This time the tables turned on our $20 bill.  We won one all-in hand to get above par, and reached a high of $33 -- but the computer made a couple of big hands to top us.

We cashed out in less than 10 minutes for a $2 consolation prize, and drove home realizing we still had a $31 gain for the weekend.  That's still a profit of better than 150 percent.

But even as we drove to our weekend lodging Saturday night, we realized something was missing from our poker experience.  That something was people -- and these days, that's a main reason why we play poker at all.

A poker ministry (and for that matter, most ministries) requires interaction with people.  You can't ask a machine if Jesus is its Savior.  In fact, you couldn't even type a text message to this machine at all.  Yet Jesus said....

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20

You can program a machine to play poker.  But can you really program it to obey the words of God?  You might fix it to shut down for the Sabbath, or not "lie" (as in bluff") during a hand.  But machines can't do this....

Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you. - Deuteronomy 5:16

If you want a quick poker experience, and perhaps some fast cash for other tables, the Heads-Up machine is worth a try.  But table games are far better for sharing things with other people  -- especially the deep things of God.

Poker Night 326: The Uptown Tops

Downtown Columbus has Texas Hold 'em poker again.  Tonight we walked up Broadway to Uptown Wings - a rather small corner restaurant with some rather big local names behind it.  For instance, it's not every day you see a picture of the local Better Business Bureau director on a restaurant wall.

It's also a rare day (anymore) when we last indeed deep into a final table.  But a chain of events tonight opened the way for it....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: 10-5 offsuit

We won a modest early pot with two pair -- but then the big betting began at our table.  One man who's notorious for pre-flop raises moved across from us, and started tossing out 3,000 chips almost like they're bread crumbs in the park.  Waiting for the "right moment" has meant a lot of folding, and slowly has dwindled our stack.

This hand begins with us at 3,500 -- and in the Big Blind for 400 on top of that.  These cards look very foldable.  But a surprising thing happens -- the big gamblers simply limp in.  No one raises.  We're grateful and check.

ON THE FLOP: Q-10-5

We're very grateful now!  We have two pair, and decide it's finally time to join the crowd.  "I'm all-in," we announce with our last 3,100.  Most of the table of six smells big trouble and folds.  But the big bettor (who earlier declared us "the tightest man at the table") thinks opportunistically and calls.  While he's made a few big hands to win pots, we suspect we have him topped.

ON THE TURN: 4

OK, that seems harmless.

ON THE RIVER: 3

We still don't sense any problems -- but the big bettor can pull acting jobs, so we're not completely sure.

"Two pair," we say as we flip over our cards.  The opponent looks -- and folds!  It's a timely "double-up plus" for us, to 7,200.

The action moved quickly with only about 18 total players.  We were at the final table of eight before the one-hour break.  Then after that break, big cards started coming our way.  We went all in with A-Q -- and it turned into a full house, which increased us to around 21,000.  The next hand brought us K-Q, which turned into another full house by the turn!  Back-to-back boats built us back to the 30,000 range, while players fell off around us.

With only three players left, we looked down at pocket Aces -- after the man ahead of us went all-in!  Of course we called, and a huge shift of chips resulted in our favor.  We were heads-up with a man, competing for a $50 Uptown Wings gift card (beginning next week, the prize will be cash).  The Tournament Director talked about splitting the prize, which was fine with us.

"Let's play a couple more hands," our opponent said.  He won the first, when he pushed and we folded with little.  He went for it again in the second -- going all-in with three hearts on the board.  We held Ah-7c, as well as a chip lead.

"Say go ahead.  Say go ahead," he urged.

"But that gift certificate sounds so tempting!" we admitted as we pondered.  We didn't want to blow it now -- so after a few seconds, we folded.  (Of course, the river card was a heart which would have given us a victorious flush.)

On the third hand we had A-9 of clubs, which felt much more comforting when our opponent pushed again.  But before that happened, he accepted the settlement offer: we'd split the $50 prize.  Playing out the hand showed he had K-10, and an Ace on the flop would have ended things with us in first place.

It turned out Uptown Wings didn't want to split the gift card -- so our opponent accepted the $50 card, and paid us $25 cash from his wallet.  (That's something we could not have done; we showed up with three.)  It marks our first live tournament win since last December -- and we walked home smiling and thankful to God.  But not whistling a happy tune; we didn't want to become a "mark" for any downtown criminals.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "What's your name?" our final table heads-up opponent asked at our crucial moment of decision with A-7.

"Richard."

"Richard," he said with the Tournament Director.  Then they loudly said together, "Dick!!!"

We smiled and said nothing, as these adults turned our name into a sexual perversion.  We admittedly have never used that shortened name because of the connotations some give it.  (We're amazed Dick's Sporting Goods has become a successful national chain in recent years.)

By choosing to say nothing, we followed the example of Jesus....

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.  Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. - I Peter 2:23

The apostle Peter wrote these words with Christian slaves in mind.  Verse 18 advises them to show respect to all masters, regardless of how the masters act.

For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.... if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. - I Peter 2:19-20

We've faced this kind of name-related "trash talk" from time to time, going back to junior high school.  But tonight we heard from adult men -- and sadly, one of them wore a T-shirt promoting Masonic lodges, which we thought were supposed to uphold God and solid character.  Truly there are times when it's better to keep quiet.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 116 final tables in 326 nights (35.6%) - 18 cashes.

One on One

It seemed a little different for us today -- "Resurrection Sunday" (others call it Easter) without any poker to watch (and blog about) on TV.

For several years, NBC started the annual National Heads-Up Poker Championship broadcasts in early April. But there was no weekend tournament in Las Vegas in March 2012.  The event was called off, apparently due to a lack of sponsorship -- another aftershock from the federal crackdown on online poker almost a year ago.

So we can't watch poker pros and amateur celebrities staring down each other across the table.  How about developing another kind of personal relationship instead?  We're talking about a relationship with God, through His Son Jesus Christ.

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"... - John 21:15a

Jesus asked Peter this question not once, but three times -- matching the three times Peter denied knowing Jesus before the crucifixion.  Each time, the Lord's question cut a little bit deeper.

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?"  He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."  Jesus said, "Feed my sheep." - John 21:17b

The Greek word for love is different in verse 17, than in the verses before.  Strong's Exhaustive Concordance indicates Jesus changes from a social or moral love to an "affection" or "personal attachment."  That's the kind of love Jesus wants us to have toward him -- a love from the heart, not simply the head.

So how many times does Jesus need to ask you this big question?  Are you simply "heads-up" with the Lord of the universe -- or are you going farther?

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. - Ephesians 3:17-18

National Heads-Up Week 6: Meeting of the Minds

The outcome actually was settled in March, but NBC showed the finals of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship today. Erik Seidel swept Chris Moneymaker for the title -- and in the process had to overcome Moneymaker's coach. Not simply any coach, but a "Mindset Coach."

Sam Chauhan explained he helps Moneymaker remain focused at the table. "There are things in life you can control and things you can't control," he said. "I help him to focus on the things you can control."

Chauhan's correct in describing not only poker, but what we face in life every day. But do you need to hire a Mindset Coach to help you focus? Moneymaker did, and we suppose a lot of athletes do. But rank-and-file poker players don't have that privilege. Thankfully, there's a valuable book available to help the rest of us. And it says....

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 2:5 (KJV)

For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. - I Corinthians 2:16 (KJV)

Yes, we know - some of you may be scoffing, and think Christians are out of their minds. You may point to the "Bible guarantee" a radio preacher made about this weekend, which turned out to be as empty as going all-in with 5-2. But many believers are thinking, rational people -- and they try to talk some sense into people prone to going out of a limb (even in the body of Christ).

Christ's mind was filled with the things of His Father. You can develop that mind by seeking God to provide His Holy Spirit.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. - II Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

To be fair, there are plenty of people who can help you develop a godly mind. They're called ministers, pastors or elders, serving at congregations large and small. Listen carefully to their words -- but always verify what they say by studying the Bible for yourself. Focusing on God can help you control the temptations to sin.

P.S. If you watched carefully, did you notice Chauhan's shirt? It had the Full Tilt Poker logo Seidel wore -- NOT the Poker Stars logo of Moneymaker! Who wants to explain that one?

If You Have a Queen (or a King)

We won our first match Saturday night in the heads-up poker tournament at The Red Barn. Then we lost two in a row -- the second stolen from us when an all-in opponent caught a flush on the river. But even before the games began, we saw something disturbing.

"It's your f***ing cards or your f***ing wife! Your cards or your f***ing old lady!"

The woman didn't look that old at all -- but she was angrily in a man's face, claiming he'd promised to stop coming to The Red Barn for poker nights. After a prolonged chewing-out, a bouncer stepped between them and persuaded the woman to leave.

"Would you want to go home to that?" the mostly-silent man then asked the room. Most of the men seemed to take his side.

"Did you promise her you wouldn't come here?" we asked the man.

"Yeah," he admitted. "But that was before she went out on her own all day long, doing her thing.... I stayed at home, spent nine hours cooking a Boston Butt, got drunk.... And then she comes home and says I have to spend all night with her?!"

We've never been married, so we don't claim any personal expertise in marital relations. But we know a good source of advice for couples, so we'll quote from it:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.... In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. -- Ephesians 5:25, 28

The love Jesus showed was truly an "all-in" sort of love. And He did it despite the fact that we're far from perfect people.

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. -- Romans 5:7-8

The love Jesus showed was sacrificial (a word worthy of another post). He put our need for salvation ahead of Himself -- being self-less as opposed to self-ish.

Card-playing actually might be one sign of a troubled marriage. We've known of husbands who play cards "with the boys" late into the night, while wives wait at home and internally churn over what's happening to their relationship. The men practice avoidance; the women seek loving attention.

In this case, we personally think the husband made the wrong choice. If he made a promise, he should stick to it -- even if it made him look like the official club wimp. After all....

The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. -- Psalm 145:13b

A happy "Queen" in the home is better than two Queens in the pocket anytime.

(If you dismissed all this after reading we've never been married, we encourage you to read this article by a man who's had a happy marriage for decades.)

Heads You Win

The National Heads-Up Poker Championship is next weekend in Las Vegas.

Our record in local heads-up games since last October: 14-23. (We were "two-and-out" in double elimination tonight.)

Now you know why we're not going to Vegas. Do you have any advice for improving our record?

Heads-Up: One and Done?

It happened again Saturday night. For the second time in three weeks, we played a heads-up poker match at The Red Barn which was over in a single hand.

We had Q-8 of spades. The flop brought three spades, including the King! We slow-played our flush, betting small and calling a raise. The turn was 10s, and we checked -- then called a bet. The river was 6s, putting a flush on the board.

"I'm all-in," our opponent said. Since only one card could beat us, we....

Well, we actually did pause a moment to think about this. What if he had that one card? Why else would he push? After that pause, an alternative explanation came to mind: he was making a big bluff to scare us off the pot.

"I'll do it. I'll call," we said. After sorting out the chips, we showed our Queen of spades -- and he showed an Ace of spades, to top us.

"Now we're even," our opponent said. In fact, this was the very same man we'd eliminated two weeks before with quads! Now he had knocked us out of this double-elimination event.

Have you made a big mistake in your life -- even bigger than the one we made? The good news is that God is willing to help you through a "loser's bracket" of sorts, to gain ultimate success.

For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.... -- Proverbs 24:16

How can he rise? By repenting and turning back to God. Pray the sort of prayer King David did, after he made a big mistake:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. -- Psalm 51:1-2

In some poker tournaments, you can "re-buy" your way back into the action. God's gift of forgiveness is free, but you must humble yourself and ask for it. Once you do, learn from your mistakes -- and try not to repeat them.

Heads-Up: Dressed to the Nines

(BLOGGER'S NOTE: This entry is our second annual "Blog Simulcast," also being posted at The Blog of Columbus, Georgia.)

As I scurried to the car around 8:10 p.m. ET Saturday night, a "wintry mix" was falling -- more snow than rain. The forecasters on TV went back and forth so much on the chance for snow that I'm not sure if they wound up being right or not.

Yet I was undeterred as I drove down U.S. 280 in Phenix City. I remembered the old "over and under" rule from icy winter storms in Atlanta -- slow down at overpasses and underpasses. But where I was going, people were more likely to put "over and under" on the Saturday night pro football game.

I drove to The Red Barn in Phenix City, for its weekly Saturday night heads-up poker tournament. Yes, a bar was open on 25 December. But from what I could see, it was NOT serving spiked egg nog.

"Are you here to play?" the tournament director asked when I walked into the side room of The Red Barn.

"Yes, sir," I said. "It's a day on, not a day off." In terms of winning money, that is. My apologies if that explanation disappoints people looking ahead to Martin Luther King, Junior Day....

"That's a snappy suit you have on," the director added. It was the same suit I'd worn to a worship service during the afternoon, which was followed by a nice dinner with friends. If only my gray tie hadn't been so uncooperative - because the director fixed it for me once, spotted it crooked again and wondered who tied it in the first place.

The side room at The Red Barn was chilly for several people - even though the window "air conditioner" at one end was set to 86 degrees F. There weren't enough warm bodies on hand to improve things. And of course, that meant not as much hot air from trash-talkers.

"It's snowing like h**l out there," the tournament director said after a check outside. Nearly a minute later, he suddenly realized what he had said. "That's an oxymoron, isn't it?" Umm-hmm....

While I sat at a table warming up with solitaire, a man holding a cell phone explained why a female friend couldn't play. "Christmas Day is the one day of the year at Waffle House when all employees are required to work." Even calling out sick could get you fired, he said. Who knows what happens to a manager who didn't order enough frozen hash browns?

(The good news for that female employee is that she already had received $170 in tips on her shift. First prize at Heads-Up Poker Night normally is $60 - and you probably don't have to deal with nearly as much cigarette smoke.)

One woman in the unofficial poker room was playing for the first time, so the tournament director explained the rules - and even played a hand with all the cards face-up. Sometimes I wish all the hands were like that - because my chances would improve substantially.

The Heads-Up tournament director delayed the start of play, hoping more players would show up. But 30 minutes after the scheduled start time, only 11 names were on the list. The usual maximum is 24, so my chances of winning were more than twice as good. If only my play could improve that quickly, after three shutouts in a row....

After the draw for bracket positions, I faced a man I've played on two other Saturday nights. We were 1-1, and he jumped to the lead in a few hands. But I rallied by making three sevens and a "double-up" with Ace-Queen, and it led to this....

BLINDS: 400/800

IN THE POCKET: A-K of diamonds

With the blinds this high (each player starting with 4,000), a hand this good is worth a big move. We go all-in, and our opponent calls. He has 10-4 of diamonds - and a chip count reveals we're exactly even, so we're BOTH all-in for a winner-take-all showdown.

ON THE FLOP: J-9-8 (only the 8 is a diamond)

Uh-oh -- our opponent has a straight draw to win.

ON THE TURN: 10

That pair gives him the lead, and there's no longer any hope of winning with a nut flush. We need a big card.

ON THE RIVER: J

It's not big enough, and the man beats us for the second time in a row. It's called "winning a race" in poker -- and it beats drag racing on slick roads.

Thankfully, the Heads-Up tournament is double-elimination. We were now in the losers' bracket -- and while we waited, someone called the tournament director to wish everyone "Merry Christmas."

"Bah humbug," one of the players answered. "It's Christmas night, and I'm playing poker." And unlike my Dad's Christmas night card games, he had to pay for the liquor.

After early matches were finished, we sat down for our second match against a man named Ben. "My name's Richard," Ben said. "My name's really Richard Benjamin."

"Well, I'm Richard Burkard." If my middle name had a W, it would have matched his last name -- and I would have someone for comparing notes about identity theft.

Then came one of the most amazing moments in my four years of playing live poker....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 4-9 offsuit

On the very first hand of the match, Ben calls in the small blind. I check the big blind.

ON THE FLOP: 9-9-9

Did I see that right? Yes, I did - quads-come-quick! Hoping to make a big gain, I check. So does Ben.

ON THE TURN: 7

Not wanting to scare Ben away, I bet a meager-looking minimum 200. "Raise to six," Ben says. I ponder a moment, tempted to go all-in - but instead simply call.

ON THE RIVER: 5

Now it's time to strike. "I'm all-in," I say.

"I have to call," Ben says. "I've got a full house." He shows 7-10.

"Can you beat quads?" I say. Of course he can't - but he's understandably stunned by what just happened. So is the tournament director, whom we both call over to examine the cards. "This was a one-hand knockout," I tell him - a little like another Saturday night match, which put a fighting troupe out of business.

"Awesome two-bet!" a man across the room said to us when he heard about what happened. It's called in poker a "slow play" - but I've never seen it lead to a faster exit.

But one punch doesn't win a poker tournament, even when it's Heads-Up. The next elimination match proved to be the end for us, as several losses led to a forced all-in bet with 5-8 of clubs on the 12^th hand. Our opponent had King-Jack, made a full house -- and sent us back to our empty one.

We didn't win the tournament, but at least we improved to winning one match. And for an unexpected consolation prize, we found a buildup of wet snow on our rear windshield to take home and store in the freezer. Columbus now has seen a noticeable snowfall four winters in a row. If only the poker cards fell that attractively all the time....

Of Alcohol and Aces

"May the angels of heaven smile down on you, in the game you're about to play." Those may sound like strange words from a poker tournament director. But this weekend, he wanted us to eliminate someone he considered a pest.

We were already in the loser's bracket of a heads-up tournament, after losing our first match. Now we had to play a young woman who openly admitted she was drunk and was being annoyingly confrontational with some people. "I want nothing to do with a drunk-a** woman," the director declared at one point.

"Do you believe in angels?" we asked the woman who heard the director's blessing.

"Yes, I do."

Yet the woman was drinking -- and telling people about how she "chopped the prize money" earlier in the evening at a regular poker tournament in the next city. "I may be drunk, but I know what I'm doing," she told us as we started to play.

"I haven't been this drunk in a long time," our opponent declared. Then, perhaps because we were a listening ear and not talking back, she explained what was behind it. "I'm feeling heartbroken right now." It was emotional pain for a female friend, whom she said was being treated badly by a boyfriend.

"People think they know all about me," the woman continued. "But they don't know what's in my heart."

Then our opponent switched the talk to poker -- and we failed to offer our thoughts on what she was going through. First of all, God knows what's in her heart. And what He knows might disappoint her....

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? -- Jeremiah 17:9

The woman's heart may have convinced her she needed alcohol to cope with a friend's pain. But the angels she believes in probably would offer an alternative approach.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. -- Ephesians 5:18

God's Holy Spirit is a comforter with far fewer side effects than "Southern Comfort."

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. -- II Corinthians 1:3-4

We prayed at the end of the night that this woman might come to know the comfort which God offers. It's even less expensive than shots at a bar.

Oh -- you're wondering how the game ended? We went all in for 2,500 with pocket Aces. The opponent who kept saying she "didn't care" called with Q-4. Then she hit Q-4 on the flop, and a 4 on the turn for a full house.

Yes, we lost to a drunken woman (who we think deep-down wasn't quite as drunk as she sounded). We went home humbled. Poker can do that to you. May she learn that lesson, too.

Remember As You Play....

James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. -- Galatians 2:9

The Contemporary English Version translates this verse as Paul receiving "a friendly handshake." Of course, some people don't enter a poker tournament with a "friendly" mindset. They want to win -- period.

We went 2-2 in a Saturday night heads-up tournament, and were surprised by how our second win ended. We offered a handshake to our female opponent, and she declined -- saying something about "not shaking hands."

Here's the thing: she shook hands with us when the game began. It's not like we needed sanitizer after more than a dozen hands -- was it?

This made two times in four heads-up tournaments that a loser refused to shake our hand. And sadly, we think that reflects badly on them. It's a matter of simple courtesy -- and in this case, the realization that poker is merely a game.

Even pro hockey players traditionally shake hands after a playoff series -- and hockey is about as rough-and-tumble as a game can be. If they can calm down and act sportsmanlike, we think you can as well. It's a small way to show etiquette, and even walk the Christian walk.

Getting It Straight

Saturday night was our best Heads-Up tournament showing at The Red Barn so far. We won our first three matches -- and had we won the fourth, we would have been guaranteed prize money (given to the top three finishers). Alas, we lost that fourth match and were eliminated in the losers bracket after that.

But one incident in the second match stood out for us -- and we hope it will for the man we played:

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: 9-9

We're in a healthy chip lead. Since we're not dealing, we post the big blind. And when a pocket pair comes, we jump on it -- but not too much, lest we scare our opponent away. We raise 400, and get a call.

ON THE FLOP: 9-8-7

With three of a kind, we decide to go for it -- putting our opponent all-in. After a moment, he calls and shows A-6. "I need a straight," he admits. (Or perhaps running Aces.)

ON THE TURN: Q

So much for the running Aces.

ON THE RIVER: 5

"I didn't get it," our opponent says with resignation. Do you agree?

"But look -- you did get a straight," we point out. He was looking for the 6-10 straight, but hit a 5-9 straight instead!

Our opponent obviously was thankful that we pointed that out. "Honesty is the best policy," we told him.

"What?!?!?" some of you may be screaming at this point. Honesty -- in poker?? A game filled with bluffing? And in a format where bluffing probably works better than any other? Well, there's a Bible verse describing people like that....

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. -- Titus 1:15

Keep a "poker face," shake hands with the alleged loser and start snickering after he walks out of the room -- and you probably have a corrupted conscience. But the Christian poker player is different. He realizes a "God-conscience" some call the Holy Spirit will nag at him later.

Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. -- Hebrews 13:18

Honor to us means fair play -- even if it hurts us. A heads-up game which could have ended in 30 minutes wound up being a 45-minute marathon. But winning honestly made things worthwhile.

A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. -- Proverbs 12:17

Oh, by the way -- did you notice the winning hand we helped our opponent see?

Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. -- Psalm 27:11

Heads-Oops

Remember when we played in a Saturday night heads-up poker tournament a couple of weeks ago? We were eliminated in what would have been the semifinals -- and as we drove him, we wondered if it might have been a double elimination event.

Tonight we returned to The Red Barn, and found out. Yup, it was. We left too soon, and could have won after all. :-(

At least we knew tonight. Not that it helped. We went 0-2. :-(

Saturday Night Barn Dance

"What are you doing here?" one man asked as we stepped inside The Red Barn Saturday night.

"On a Saturday?!?" another said with surprise. We'll explain their surprise in a moment -- but first to the game. Every Saturday night The Red Barn has a "heads-up" poker tournament for prize money. We wanted to escape Halloween keepers knocking at our door (since we don't keep Halloween), so this event was part of our strategy.

We knew how to approach the game from watching NBC's National Heads-Up Championship and playing one-on-one games at National League of Poker. Since this tournament had only 16 players, there were fewer hurdles to jump to win the first-place money.

We won our first match easily, with our opponent only winning one hand and splitting another. We won our second match, although it took a bit longer. Then came the semifinal, and a crafty opponent who we knew would be a challenge....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: K-7 offsuit

We're dealing, which makes us the small blind in this format. We tend to play hands in this format unless desperation requires a tighter approach. So we call, but our opponent is in the lead and exploits it. He doubles the bet, and we call.

ON THE FLOP: A-K-7

Our opponent checks, and we're feeling good. After all, we hit two pair! A hand or two before, our opponent held two pair and tried to put us all-in (he showed the cards afterward) -- but we said no. Now it's time to return the favor.

"I'm all-in," we say. "23-skiddoo" -- as in 2,300 chips left. (The starting stack is 3,500, not counting food and drink purchases for bonus.)

Our foe stares at us for several seconds, as if he's pondering this carefully. At last he answers. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Well, yes -- we committed to it.

"I'll call," the opponent answers -- then turns over A-K. Ouch! We need a seven, or some odd combination to split the pot.

ON THE TURN: 8

Close, but no.

ON THE RIVER: 4

"I had you going, didn't I?" the winner says. He pulled an acting job on us, but no doubt knew all along he had us topped.

We had the right hand -- but we simply had bad timing. But we still made the semifinals in our first heads-up tournament. At the NBC event, two winning rounds would have earned us $25,000. At the Red Barn -- well, at least there was free chicken on the grill with potato salad inside.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The quarterly championship tournament for our poker league occurred at 12:30 Saturday afternoon. We qualified for it, but we didn't go -- and we explained to our first opponent why.

"I keep a seventh-day Sabbath." So we went to a worship service, which happened to be within a mile of the tournament. Yet we could attend this Saturday night event, based on how the Bible indicates time is measured:

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. -- Genesis 1:5 (all from KJV)

This "evening-morning" pattern continued for the first six days of creation. But interestingly, it is not mentioned when it comes to day seven....

And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. -- Genesis 2:2

Perhaps that's because the seventh-day Sabbath pictures a coming rest for this world, when Jesus returns to Earth. A "rest" from sin and strife, from Satanic influence and war -- one in which the Kingdom of God will extend into eternity.

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left of us entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. -- Hebrews 4:1

Do you want a place in that eternal "rest area" -- and are you fearing God, so that He might let you in?

Poker Night 175: 10-10 WINS

If our title brings a familiar smile to your face, you either live in the New York area or know something about broadcasting. That's the name of a radio station in that city. It brought very good news to us tonight -- as we WON a live poker tournament at the Red Barn in Phenix City!

This was our first live win since last August (which actually was a heads-up handshake), and the first outright triumph since December 2008. We'll get to the meaning behind our title, but another big hand turned the tide for us along the way....

BLINDS: 1,000/2,000

IN THE POCKET: K-Q offsuit

We only have 4,000 chips left at a semifinal table (three tables played). There's little choice here but to call and hope. Three other players get in the hand, giving us a potential win of 17,000.

ON THE FLOP: A-6-9

The other players plunk down thousands, while we sit and watch. Not a comforting sight, without a pair.

ON THE TURN: J

The betting continues around us. We feel even more doomed. But hope remains....

ON THE RIVER: 10

....and did it ever come! Two players left in the hand bet 4,000 on a big sidepot.

"You can call me the Lion King, because I'm on Broadway," we announce -- as in a "Broadway" straight that no one else can match.

We took about 12,000 chips to the final table, and had a setback or two there. But then that title came to life. We went all-in with pocket 10's, and it held up despite face cards on the board. Other players' stacks drained away, leaving us heads-up against a young married woman -- trailing in chips by about a 3:1 margin.

But then our cards started pairing on the flop, and our experience playing heads-up games online seemed to kick in to our advantage. We only recall our opponent winning one pot which was not a pre-flop fold. So we rallied for the lead, and she eventually pushed all-in with 45,000. She had a 9, which matched the top card on the flop. We had a 10, with an open-ended straight draw. But a 10 on the turn was good enough -- and 10-10 won us the match!

First place at the Red Barn is $25 -- but we wound up taking home much less. With five players remaining, one of the five suggested the prize money be split five ways. We had the low stack at the time, so considered this a generous offer. Everyone accepted a five-dollar night, but we had the satisfaction of first place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A final table hand found everyone checking the flop. Almost everyone checked the turn -- but then the woman who eventually finished second made a bet.

"We were going along just fine until you did that," we joked as we folded.

"She was on your Christmas list until then, wasn't she?" a man between us joked. Of all topics, that opened the door for some thoughts about Christmas in July.

"I used to keep Christmas," we told the man between hands. "But then I started studying it -- and I found more evidence in the Bible that Jesus kept Hanukkah than Christmas."

What do we mean? We'll give you some time to check the Bible about it, before we explain in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 73 final tables in 175 nights (41.7%) - 14 cashes.

Heads-Up Week 4: Thou Shalt Not Tempt....

Bad beats happen in poker. Top players talked about their most painful losses today, during the NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship. Then we saw one, as Jason Mercier caught a 5 on the river to eliminate Phil Laak.

Mercier had pocket 5's, and only two outs. Laak decided to be playful, and put Mercier's cards on either side of the spot where the river card would come. Shame on him -- it was tic-tac-toe.

But shame on NBC's Craig Hummer for declaring Laak "tempted the poker gods." Why do we say that? Let's look at some simple statements....

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." - Deuteronomy 6:4

"I am the Lord your God.... You shall have no other gods before me." - Deuteronomy 5:6-7

"For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens." - I Chronicles 16:26

We believe there are no "poker gods" -- only the one true God, presented in John 1 as a Father and a Son named Jesus Christ.

Yet Hummer was right in one sense. Jesus said during a moment of trial, "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." (Matthew 4:7, KJV)

Laak might have been better off doing what Chris Moneymaker did as he was eliminated -- simply turn away from the table, and be pleasantly surprised if a blessing comes.

P.S. We could go after NBC colleague Ali Nejad as well, for comparing Laak's attitude to Zen and Oprah Winfrey -- but not this itme.

Head, Heart and Hellmuth

Poker fans probably are still buzzing about Phil Hellmuth's latest televised disaster. If you haven't seen it, we don't want to give away too much. But in the second hand of this NBC Heads-Up Poker segment, Hellmuth thinks out loud about how to answer an all-in challenger -- and does it for so long that his opponent forces the issue.

"My heart is telling me I should ship it all in," Hellmuth tells Annette Obrestad more than once. Interesting words -- since believe it or not, the Bible seems to suggest you go against what your heart tells you to do.

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" says Jeremiah 17:9. Ecclesiastes 9:3 is even more blunt: "The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live...."

Hmmmm -- on second thought, maybe these verses are not about making decisions by "going with your gut." They're talking more about an overall attitude of life, with hearts producing all sorts of "evil thoughts" as Jesus said in Mark 7:21-22.

Bible writers put the thinking process and the heart together. That's why there are verses such as, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...." (Proverbs 23:7, KJV) Nowadays, most people refer to the heart as the center of emotion -- with the mind as the base of cognitive thinking.

As NBC's Craig Hummer pointed out, Hellmuth in this case should have put the two areas together. If Hellmuth had put the brain first (as he admits in a post-match interview), he would have folded easily and looked for a better opportunity.

But what all of us need (and this goes for Obrestad as much as Hellmuth) is a new heart. One with all the evils of a sin-filled life removed.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God," David prayed in Psalm 51:10. How does God make that happen? We'll suggest two ways -- by putting your faith in God (Acts 15:9), and allowing the positive example of other believers to refresh you (Philemon 20). Maybe you can come up with others.

Sometimes hearts win poker hands with a flush. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes listening to your "heart" can get you into a disastrous hand (yes, we know from experience). But may your goal be to have a completely changed heart -- as Galatians 4:6 says, changed by God sending "the Spirit of his Son" to dwell there.

It's Not Your Day When....

You're playing an online heads-up game.

You're dealt A-K on the second hand.

Your opponent raises you to 3x big blind.

A King comes on the flop.

Your opponent bets 110. You call, with top pair and top kicker.

A small card comes on the turn.

Your opponent bets 370. You call again.

A small card comes on the river.

Your opponent puts you all-in. You call.

Your opponent has K-K.

It happened to us just now.

As we said -- not our day. :-(

March Heads-Up Madness

Unless you have a good memory or a close watch on poker blogs, you might not know the National Heads-up Championship is underway in Las Vegas this weekend.

If you don't want to wait until NBC shows the tournament in April and May, the field is at eight as we write this. Hopefully we won't spoil anything by noting no "celebrities" are left in the field. Who do you like, of the players remaining?