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.

Poker Day 528: Sick Day

Poker tournaments can be fun and exciting - but sometimes other things take a higher priority. You'll see what we mean, after we summarize our day at Kansas Star Casino....

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: A-J offsuit

The day didn't start well, when A-K on the first hand failed to bring a pair and another player bet big. Now we're in late position and no one has raised. So we do so, to 100. Two other players get in.

ON THE FLOP: A-7-7

Looking good - two pair with a strong kicker! We're ready to make the continuation bet - but first, a man across the table offers 100. Then a man to our right raises to 250! Have they forgotten us or something? We call, as does the man across the way.

ON THE TURN: 9

That probably missed everyone, so now can we take charge? The man across the way checks - but the man to our right puts out 250 again. We're concluding he has an Ace, but we can't back down from our kicker. So we call. The man at the far end folds.

ON THE RIVER: 6

Maybe our remaining opponent finally is getting the message, because he checks. But because he raised earlier, we check as well for safety.

"Do you have an Ace?" we ask as we show.

"I have a 7," he says. In fact, it's 9-7! He got in with that, and wound up with a full house.

It was that kind of day for us, as good cards turned into misses. Our pocket 9's folded before pocket Jacks. A big bet with K-Q of spades missed everything. We staggered to the first break with only 1,200 chips, then won some back with A-K in the Big Blind when we pushed and no one called.

We finally went for it all with A-10 and 800 left. Both cards paired.... but of course, enough was left of other things to give a man a Broadway straight. He took out two players, including us, and we wound up in a meager tied for 42nd place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "The floor" was called two tables from us late in the first hour. At first glimpse, it appeared someone had a heart attack. Then security was called - and within minutes, paramedics were in the poker room with a stretcher.

"He had low blood sugar," the Tournament Director told us during the first break. We don't have medical expertise, but apparently this was a diabetic shock.

When we saw the trouble happening, we folded a weak hand and walked near the table with the ailing man. Then we offered a short prayer for him, based on some bold Biblical advice:

Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up... - James 5:14-15

We are not ordained ministry, to the point of being a church Elder. If we were, we probably would have carried a vial of oil with us - and we would gone all the way over to offer its use. But prayer can be enough....

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. - James 5:16

"I'm surprised they haven't stopped the clock for this," we said to players around us. The incident happened with about six minutes left before break time - yet the cards and chips kept flying at all the other tables.

The clock finally was stopped for 12 minutes during Break 1, while paramedics cared for the man. He was able to shift to the stretcher with his head propped up.

As the man was rolled out of the poker room to be taken to a nearby hospital, we did something spectators at sports events commonly would do upon seeing this situation. We clapped our hands for the man. No one else joined in. They watched, then got back to business.

While we question how the Tournament Director handled the game at that moment, the casino's security team and paramedics clearly knew what they were doing. We commend them for handling things with care and professionalism. But we can't help wondering what the other players were thinking.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. - John 13:34-35

We plan to keep praying for that ailing men, even though we don't know his name. If you have a bit of God's love within you, will you join us in that?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 191 final tables in 528 games (36.2%) - 39 cashes. Experiment update: down $125.

First Hearing

Our last post mentioned a poker championship in Ohio exclusively for "deaf" people - players with hearing impairments. It's good that those players can be out and active. But we'd like to ask: what if something could be done so they can hear?

Modern science is making it possible for children to hear, where they otherwise might not. But a man once walked on Earth who restored hearing in a more amazing way:

So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." - Luke 7:22

This was the report of Jesus Christ, given to disciples of John the Baptizer (as one well-known minister calls him). John had baptized Jesus (Luke 3:21), yet somehow developed doubts about whether He was the real Messiah. Jesus's answer was that the proof was in the miracles that He did.

There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears.... He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. - Mark 7:32-35

Jesus not only healed the man's hearing disability, but allowed him to speak clearly.

Some poker players long for a one-off card on the river to stay in a tournament. Yet Jesus accomplished greater miracles than that. And the Bible shows a time is coming when that will happen again....

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.... - Isaiah 35:5

This will occur when people see "the glory of the Lord" (verse 3). Tonight some believers will enter a season of the year that pictures the future time when that will happen - when Jesus returns to Earth:

...They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. - Matthew 24:30b

The season begins with what Jews call Rosh Hashanah, and some believers call the "Feast of Trumpets." Read more about it by clicking here. Perhaps God wants you to join the celebration, and look forward to the time when a Deaf Poker Championship is something in the distant past.

A Big Stack

Let's go back to the man we mentioned in our last post, who offered a theory about why Jesus possibly could have had long hair.  We asked him if Jesus was his Savior - and after thinking for a moment, he said yes.

"What's Jesus been doing for you?" we asked.

The man thoughtfully began naming several things, starting with good personal health.  Hopefully he's doing that God's way....

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. - Proverbs 3:7-8

"Giving me a job that I love," the man said next....

Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is a gift of God. - Ecclesiastes 5:19

The man also mentioned his family.  If yours is functional and not dysfunctional, that's also a blessing from the Lord....

God sets the lonely in families.... - Psalm 68:6

Perhaps you can add to this man's list, with how Jesus is working in your life.  It's good to consider these things - and we're entering a great time of year to do it.  Some church groups will mark a fall "harvest festival" beginning next week, and Canada will mark its Thanksgiving Day a few days after that.

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. - Psalm 7:17

If you have the things mentioned by the man next to us, you have a "big stack" of blessings.  May you take time to realize it - and be thankful, to borrow from a familiar song, to the "God from Whom all blessings flow."

Poker Day 432: The Return of the King

This time there was no trouble getting a seat at the table.  We offered our $20 today, and sat down to play at Arrowhead Poker.--even showing up an hour early, because the website indicated Sunday tournaments now begin at 12 noon.  (It was fixed after we pointed that out.)  Could we take advantage of players distracted by a room filled with pro football games?

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: A-K offsuit

We captured a couple of early pots, including two hearts which became a flush that an opponent never saw coming.  But several promising pre-flop hands have missed the flop, so we need to win another hand fairly quickly.  Sitting in the Small Blind at a table of six, no one raises before us - so we dial it up to 2,500.  Only one player dares to call us.

ON THE FLOP: 3-10-5

An ordinary flop at best.  But we're first to act, and see a need to look strong.  So we make a continuation bet of 1,500.  Our opponent calls.

ON THE TURN: 5

The board pairs, but we doubt that changes anything for our opponent.  We check to make sure.  He checks as well.

ON THE RIVER: K

Now that's what we needed!  We make a "go-ahead, call me" bet of 3,000.  But after thinking it over, our opponent folds.

"I figured you had a King," he says.  We respond by saying half-jokingly he "had me figured out."  But the river was a fountain of blessing for us, as we gain several thousand chips.

We won another big pot minutes later when two diamonds turned into a flush on the flop.  We checked, and a big better obliged us by wagering 10,000.  We raised all-in to 19,000, and he folded.  From there, we endured to the final table (admittedly on a two-table day) with 35,000 chips.

Once there, a man went all-in across from us.  We saw A-Q, and couldn't resist calling.  But that man had K-K -- and despite the notorious difficulties pocket Kings can bring, we only paired a Queen.  We were eliminated in tenth place.  Out of 12 players, that's not really good -- but a final table is a final table, in our scoring.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The female dealer at our table took a short break, and the poker room manager took her place.  She's "getting the dew off her lily," he said.

"That sounds so Southern," we noted (remember we used to live there).

"More like hillbilly," a man across from us joked.

But we recalled an old Atlanta afternoon newspaper which claimed on the top of Page 1 it "covers Dixie like the dew."  Then we noted: "Now Jesus is the lily of the valley.  The Bible makes that clear."

That comment seemed to stump the table -- and perhaps that's OK, because we couldn't remember exactly where in the Bible that phrase is.  It's in a book you may have never read:

I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.  Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens. - Song of Solomon 2:1-2

What does this mean -- and how do we know this refers to Jesus?  After all, it's in a section of the Old Testament.  But by turning to similar-sounding sections of scripture, we can understand this better:

I will heal their waywardness and love them freely.... I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. - Hosea 14:4-5

Who is our ultimate Healer?  None other than God....

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. - Psalm 103:2-3

Jesus did numerous miraculous healings when He walked on Earth.  Several Bible translations indicate Song of Solomon is an exchange of poetic language between a "Beloved" one and a "Lover."

I am my lover's and my lover is mine; he browses among the lilies. - Song 6:3

Are you browsing in this world for true love - perhaps for physical or emotional healing?  With apologies to Whitney Houston fans, God offers the greatest love of all....

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

This admittedly is a complex topic.  If you have questions about it, leave a comment and we'll research things further for upcoming posts.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 152 final tables in 432 games (35.2%) - 25 cashes.  Today marked our first final table since mid-June -- but we're still at a 50% final table percentage in 2014 (7/14).

The Hands of God: Making Straight

Did you know some common poker terms can be found in the Bible?  Here's one....

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'" - John 1:23

Poker players make a straight, with five numerical cards in a row (4-5-6-7-8, for example).  So why did John say this phrase?

The word "straight" in the original New Testament Greek can mean to keep things level, or head directly toward something.  We think John was trying to point people of his day directly to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Others of that era did the same thing:

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. - Acts 4:12

As we prepared to write this post, we learned about a TV comedy starring a man who supposedly "saves the world."  Except his show was cancelled this week, after less than one season.

The name being discussed in Acts is the same One John mentioned....

..It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but who God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. - Acts 4:10

The name of Jesus heals people. The name of Jesus brings salvation.  That's putting it as "straight" as we can.  Do you believe it?

Follow the Leader

"Changing out 100!" announced the dealer at our Ultimate Texas Hold 'em table. The dealer apparently wore a well-hidden microphone, because a "pit boss" came within moments to verify the transaction.

The dealer explained to us he had to get approval for any chip exchange of $75 or more.

"So in other words," we noted, "you're one under authority."

The phrase stumped him for a moment, so we explained.  "You're under his authority.  I read that in a book once."  Moments later, we explained that book was the Bible....

The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.  But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.  I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes.  I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." - Matthew 8:8-9

The phrase about being "under authority" actually was spoken to Jesus Christ, instead of by him.  Historical legend claims a Roman centurion was an officer over 100 soldiers (although the actual number may have been lower).

This man came to Jesus to have a servant healed of paralysis (verses 5-6).  And he was convinced the mere statement of healing by the Lord would do the job.

When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." - Mathew 8:10

Faith in Christ paid off for that centurion and his servant, as the servant "was healed at that very hour" (verse 13).  So we would ask two questions from this:

1. Are you under authority in your life?

2.  If so, to whom?

Professional poker players may seem like free spirits.  But have you noticed how many of them wear sponsorship logos at the table?  Those endorsement deals provide a steady income, we suppose -- but players probably are obligated to do what the endorsers desire.  When they do, they're under the authority of those sponsors.

Even if you don't have a sponsor, you're "under authority" at a poker table.  A Tournament Director or dealer enforces the rules and settles disputes about hands -- whether you like the outcome or not.

In the classic words of a Bob Dylan song, we all "have to serve somebody."  Believe it or not, even Jesus Christ did while walking on Earth:

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 offered this prayer at least twice, in the hours before He was crucified (verse 42) - and perhaps stunningly, God the Father told His perfect holy Son no.  It was God's will that Jesus suffer and die.  Jesus accepted that authority from His Father -- and was rewarded with a resurrection to the Father's right hand in heaven.

So what about you?  Are you under God's authority?  It's really for your good, because you can enjoy a future resurrection to eternal life as Jesus did.  Accept it by putting your faith in God and what Jesus has done on your behalf.  It will be change worth far more than $100 in chips.

Poker Night 397: No Respect at All

The late comedian Rodney Dangerfield had a famous line: "I don't get no respect."  In poker, respect has to be earned -- either by becoming a tournament-winning pro, or by doing well on a local circuit.

At Lil Kim's Cove tonight, one man muttered his bet on the flop of 500 received no respect when several people called it.  But could our reputation at the table turn into a big win, when it mattered?

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: Ace of clubs - King of spades

We've been playing a bit on the loose side, which has brought ups and downs in our chip stack.  But we won a pot prior to this with modest pressure bets from start to finish.  Now we've dealt ourselves "big slick," but no one has raised at the table.  We decide to lay low and simply call.  The blinds don't raise.

ON THE FLOP: 6s-8s-2c

So much for having big cards.  They're in the lead only if no one has a pair - and a player across from us bets 300 as if he does.  We choose to hang tough for at least one card, and call.  One other player does as well.

ON THE TURN: 5s

Not big, but still helpful.  We now have a flush draw, and get help when the bettor cautiously checks.  The entire table checks.

ON THE RIVER: 7d (suit may not be precise, but not a spade)

We missed it all -- but the table checks again.  So we try to use "the button" of the dealer playing last to our advantage.  We bet 800, hoping to run off the competition.  It's what we call a "semi-bluff," because we do have high card -- but we're hinting at much more.

"I have to call," the man across from us says.  Uh-oh.  The third player folds.

"I have the 9," he then reveals.  Ouch.  We were so focused on a possible flush that we missed the possible straight on the board.

"You caught me," we admit as we show our cards.  Our stab at the pot leaves us with a big loss.

But the good news is that we recovered from that loss, with some timely cards.  With 5,600 chips after the one-hour break, A-Q brought us a couple of big gains -- first to 10,000, then 15,000.  We held on from there to make the final table, as the two-hour break came.

The fun didn't stop there, as we went all-in with A-Q again at the start of the final table and found a Queen on the flop.  That improved us to 50,000, while other players pushed and failed.  With four players left, everyone agreed to a settlement: a 20-10-10-10 split of the $50 prize money.  The chip leader received $20; we were a weak third at the time.

With play continuing for a "bucket of beers" (the usual second-place prize), another player pushed and failed.  That left three players, and we made a gain after that with pocket Aces.  A few hands later, a second and final settlement was made when the chip leader decided he didn't want Big Dog Poker points.  The man to our right claimed first in points, giving us second.

That chip leader has agreed to buy us a couple of sodas on our next Lil Kim's poker night, since we don't drink beer.  That along with a $10 win made our night successful.  It's our first local cash win since a six-way settlement there in mid-November!

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man to our left dealt with aching teeth during the game.  And for some reason, he started talking about other medical problems.

"If I get tapeworm, can I resist it in the name of Jesus?"

"Jesus can heal all our illnesses," we told him as the next hand was dealt.

He agreed with that, then added, "Can he heal my.... call."  His chips for the next hand were tossed in, as he spoke.

"Many are called," we suggested, "but few are chosen."

"I know," the man responded.  "I've read that."

Perhaps you have not.  They're the words of Jesus:

For many are called, but few are chosen. - Matthew 22:14 (KJV)

What does Jesus mean by this famous phrase?  It comes at the end of a parable about a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son.  Several people were invited, but....

But they paid no attention and went off -- one to his field, another to his business.  The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. - Matthew 22:5-6 (NIV)

The following verses tell about the king sending out a marauding army, which took vengeance with murder and arson.  Then the king tries again, inviting anyone interested on the street -- but one person is found at the banquet without proper clothing, and is thrown out of the hall (verses 7-13).

So what do you make of this puzzle?  What's the ultimate point of Jesus in this parable -- especially that well-known verse 14?  Offer a comment with your thoughts, and we'll compare ideas in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 137 final tables in 397 nights (34.5%) - 21 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 283 point wins in 1,394 games (20.3%), 92 final tables, 10 wins, 12 cashes.  No-River Hold 'em - 30 point wins in 113 games (26.5%), 25 final tables, 1 win, 2 cashes.

We actually made two final tables today.  An online No-River Hold 'em game during the afternoon brought us fourth place out of 78 players - but sadly, only first place received prize money.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $85,787, up $138.

In the Long Run

It's a historic weekend for us - not at the poker table (well, not yet at least), but in another part of life.  We stepped outside for a Saturday night run.  And we ran.  And we ran.  And without planning to do it, we finally stopped about 58 minutes later.  By our figuring, we'd made it 6.2 miles non-stop.  It was a 10-kilometer run - our first in 16 years!

Admittedly our pace was slow.  As we told a man at church earlier in the day, he could beat us in a race by a mile.  But our running is based on a trait we also try to practice at the poker table -- a trait we've mentioned here several times, and Jesus Christ encouraged.  It's called endurance.

And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. - Mark 13:13 (KJV)

Have you ever played poker with someone who acts (to borrow a phrase from our Dad) like they have a train to catch?  We frequently face online players who go all-in on every hand.  They can be bullies, and perhaps get on a hot streak to build a big stack.  But in our experience, we don't remember anyone winning a tournament by taking that approach from start to finish.

A classic children's story should have taught us all "slow and steady wins the race."  It's a proven strategy in investing for retirement.  And it's Biblical -- only expressed in a different way:

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong.... but time and chance happen to them all. - Ecclesiastes 9:11

The longer you hang around in a poker game, the better the odds that a good "time and chance" will happen for you.

We're convinced that's why we make the points on a regular basis at an online "Midnight Special" poker game we play.  Some players are ready to go to bed, because they have to work the next morning.  Because we're currently out of work (an endurance contest in itself), we have the flexibility to play all night -- and waiting for good hands pays off.

The first couple of times we won money in live local tournaments, it worked the same way.  We played a "grinding" style, which took more than four hours to finish the game.  But the outcome was a payoff.  No wonder a New Testament writer concluded....

Behold, we count them happy which endure.  You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. - James 5:11 (KJV)

Review the book of Job and all he experienced in the beginning.  Then review the last chapter and see his holdings at the end.  We won't give away the outcome here - but enduring with faith in God worked for him.  It's working for us, in everything from poker to jogging.  It might work for you, too.

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. :-/

The Nose Knows

Plenty of poker players wear sunglasses to disguise their eyes at the table.  "They make me invisible," one man declared the other night.

But maybe he's hiding the wrong thing.  New research indicates if you're lying, your nose is most likely to give you away.  It doesn't grow longer as in the story of Pinocchio, but it turns red when you stretch the truth.

Imagine the impact of this news on poker.  Will top players in Las Vegas intentionally develop sunburned noses, to avoid a tell?  Will fake "Rudolph" or clown noses start appearing on ESPN?

It doesn't have to be that way.  Offering a bluff to "stab" at a pot is one thing.  Saying you have a hand you really DON'T have is something else - something God opposes:

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue.... a false witness who pours out lies.... - Proverbs 6:16-19

God detests lying so much that it makes his "hate list" not once, but twice!  The first time seems to have the implication of careless speech, while the "false witness" phrase refers to seeing one thing and saying another.

Why does God hate lying?  Because it reflects the exact opposite of His Son, our Savior....

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

In contrast, Jesus said lying reflects a differing being:

You belong to your father, the devil.... 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

Which one would YOU rather emulate?  Jesus will judge us all someday - and he won't need a "nose check" to do it.

P.S.  How can you tell a "tell" at the poker table?  Care to share any tips - even anonymously?

Poker Night 368: Call Me Fiscal Cliff

The issue of the moment in Washington politics is how to avoid a so-called "fiscal cliff" at the turn of the year.  In the world of no-limit poker, dangerous cliffs and decisions can lurk around the very next turn.  We encountered a couple of them tonight at The Red Barn -- and to borrow from Abraham in Genesis 22, we hoped the Lord would provide.

BLINDS: 1,000/2,000

IN THE POCKET: J-K offsuit

We've barely taken a seat at the semifinal table.  And we're barely in the game, having won nothing since the opening hand.  More than an hour later, we have 2,000 chips - and now we're in the Big Blind, so we're forced to move all-in from the "get-go."  In fact, we don't even look at our cards until the flop is shown.  One man across from us raised 5,000 pre-flop and received callers.

ON THE FLOP: J-Q-5

Now we look - and now we have a ray of hope.  But the man across from us decides to go all-in himself.  The other player in the hand quietly folds.

"He's just acting like a tough guy," the dealer says.  As the dealer grumbles about a player bullying his way to a pot, he turns over the flop cards for the next hand.

"No, wait!" we quickly remind him.  "I'm all-in."  The dealer forgot about us!  The flop is flipped back to face-up, and the hand goes on:

ON THE TURN: 8 (may not be precise)

There's no reason to delay....

ON THE RIVER: 6 (may not be precise)

Now it's our turn to flip over cards.  "Jacks with a King," we say.

The big bettor shows a Jack of his own - but with a 3!  We escape with the main pot, and recover to 10,000 chips.

A similar break came our way at the end of the second hour.  Forced all-in again in the Small Blind, J-5 again wound up bringing a Jack on the flop.  Two other men couldn't top it, so we survived to Hour Three with the minimum 5,000 chips.

But the run ended there, as Jc-2d in the Big Blind (forced all-in once more) lost to a club flush another player made on the flop.  One more club would have saved us - but instead we barely missed the final table, finishing in tenth place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A little bandage puzzled a couple of players at our table tonight.  They wondered what this card protector could be about.

"It reminds me God is a healer," we explained.  "He can heal our hurts."

We happened to be wearing a couple of bandages as we said that.  We tripped and fell on the sidewalk while jogging downtown in the last four days -- not once, but twice.  We have wounds on both elbows, both knees and both hands.  But the Old Testament offers these words:

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. - Isaiah 53:5

This is a prophecy about the coming of Jesus, who was punished with everything from a beating and scourging to crucifixion.  The Lord accepted it all, to pay a penalty on our behalf.  Some believers take the "wounds" part to mean they can have physical healing from God.  But it seems safe to say the focus is on spiritual healing....

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that e might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. - I Peter 2:24

Whether we live a life of perfect health or endure decades of disease, all humans are destined to die.  The only way to be "healed" of that is to be resurrected by God.

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.... The last enemy to be destroyed is death. - I Corinthians 15:22, 26

As some ministers like to put it: God is our only hope of getting out of this life alive.  Is He your hope?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 128 final tables in 368 nights (34.8%) - 20 cashes.  Had we reached the final table tonight, the percentage would have climbed back above 35.

Truth or Consequences

Do you remember a Fox Sports Net poker show a few years ago, where the players were wired to heart monitors?  The theory was that their pulse rates increased when they held big hands.

Now there's scientific evidence that people who lie also have a higher heart rate, as their blood pressure goes up.

So it's a risky move to bluff -- but apparently more dangerous to your body if you state the bluff to others.

Have you ever noticed your body changing during a poker tournament?  If so, what happened? (Please do not mention your stories of drunkenness; we're not counting that.)

Soho No-Go

Lil Kim's Cove traditionally is closed on Thanksgiving.  So we've traditionally traveled to Soho Bar and Grill on Thanksgiving Eve, for their Wednesday night tournament.

We did it again tonight - and found hardly anyone was there. A staff member told us the poker game was on Tuesday night this week -- moved up for some kind of pre-Thanksgiving bash tonight.

That's their choice, and we respect that.  We only wish the notice had come much earlier, to spare us the drive.

So we'll update our weekly poker statistics another time.  In the meantime, here's something else that could raise your.... well, hold it.  A New York doctor says he has a way to prevent your eyebrows from going up, and giving your hand away.  It's a form of plastic surgery he calls "poker-tox."

We think the price of several hundred dollars is a bit steep - especially considering it only lasts a few months.  Would you give it a try?  Why or why not?

Poker Night 358: The Perfect Escape

"The best place to see the dregs on Columbus society."  That's what a reviewer wrote this past summer about a restaurant/bar/game room called Players, on the north side of our city.  Sounds like the perfect place to do poker ministry, doesn't it?

We went to Players for the first of two weekly Sunday tournaments.  And for the first time in our city, we paid a buy.... oops; the proper wording under city regulations is cover charge.  The fee was small, at five dollars.  The potential payoff was large, as enough players showed up to fill six tables.

Unlike other local tournaments, everyone starts at Players with the same amount of chips: 5,000, with nothing extra for buying sandwiches or Jell-O shots.  The chances are even for all - and the drama maybe was a little higher....

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: A-9 of diamonds

Our game started with a slow decline -- losing several times to players hitting winning hands on the river.  But K-J turned into a timely pot with a winning pair of Jacks, so we reached the one-hour break at 5,050.  Now after a failed round of blinds, we have 4,000 and little margin for error.  We call; most of the table of seven gets in with no raises.

ON THE FLOP: Ax-8d-5x

That's top pair and a big moment.  When the table checks to us, we go all-in for our last 3,000.  We'd be happy to buy the pot right now, but a man across the table from us calls.  Everyone else folds.  He shows A-2, so we have a comfortable lead.

ON THE TURN: 10d

Good, good.  Let's dodge one more....

ON THE RIVER: 2d

"Noooooo!" we cry aloud.  Our opponent hit two pair on the river to take us....

"He wins," a woman next to him points out -- but gesturing toward us.  "He made a flush."

"Ahhhhhh!" we now declare.  We didn't notice three diamonds on the board.  We're glad she did.  Our opponent gained his second pair -- but in the only wrong way possible.

That restored us to 10,000 chips, but rising blinds and a couple of missed chances with promising cards were our downfall.  Forced to go all-in again in the Big Blind, we had a lowly 2-9.  It didn't pair for us, and a man with three 7's took another player out with us.

The scorekeeper at the door to the Players "poker room" noted we were the 28th player eliminated.  That means 28 points for us, if we want to press on toward a quarterly championship.  That number would sound great at other local venues -- but on this day, we barely missed the semifinal table by finishing (by our eyes) tied for 18th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We took our Lord's Supper card protector, which a woman sitting down to our left found interesting.

"Is Jesus your Savior?" we asked her.

She said yes - then explained one recent blessing.  "I had brain surgery recently."

You'd never know that from looking at her, except perhaps for a scar near her right forehead.  That woman apparently believes in a God with great power....

O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. - Psalm 30:2

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sin and heals all your diseases.... - Psalm 103:2-3

The medical profession can do wonderful things.  But ultimately, life and death are in the hands of God.  And even when difficulties occur in hospitals, such as the spread of dangerous infections, we can look to the Lord:

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. - Psalm 32:7

Has God ever performed a healing miracle in your life, or perhaps someone you know?  Leave a comment with your "testimony" if He has.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 124 final tables in 358 games (34.6%) - 19 cashes.

Poker Night 342: Diamonds or Junk?

Our Thursday night routine resumed tonight -- as Lil Kim's Cove has moved poker night back to where it's been for years.  That meant a short walk, a two-dollar can of soda, and careful play against a table filled with much larger stacks of chips.  But can you be too careful?

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: J-8 of diamonds

We won the first pot of the night, but the gain was small.  A large-scale missed flop later in the first hour left us with only 4,500 chips after the break.  We say "only" because bigger stacks abound; one man openly is boasting about having 100,000 in large denominations.

So at our table of six, we now sit one behind the dealer.  We're dealt these medium-high suited cards.  We have enough chips for only three "laps around the race track," as we like to call it.  Would you risk 18 percent of your holdings on this, simply to see a flop?  We decide the odds of hitting a flush are too steep at this point to take this chance, especially with other players calling.  We fold.

ON THE FLOP: 9d-10d-Qd

WHAT?!?!!?!?!!?  It's all we can do to keep a "poker face" when we see this.

"Here come the diamonds," one man says.  Well, not the ones he might want.  We slowly pull back our folded cards and show them to the dealer, who also folded pre-flop.  We say nothing.  He says quietly what we knew -- we let go of a straight flush.  But the hand continues without us....

ON THE TURN: 9c

As we recall, one player offered 5,000 at this point.  "One more diamond!" another says with optimism as he calls.

ON THE RIVER: 2c

"Good no-diamond," that man now says.  After a moment of stare-down, both players check.  The caller has Q-J, and top his opponent's Queen with a better kicker.

"Look at what I folded!" we now announce -- and show our folded cards.

The table is stunned at the one that got away.  "I would have called with two diamonds," a couple of players say.

"But my stack is so small," we respond as we pick up our five chips totaling 4,500.  Those players insist they still would have entered the hand -- easy for them to say, with much larger stacks.

This hand came down to how much of a risk-taker (some would flat-out say gambler) you are.  We tend not to be.  And in this case, it cost us a 5,000-chip bonus for the straight flush -- and probably 9,000 more, because the players with Queens for two pair were likely to call if we went all-in.

We dreamed redemption would come two hands later, when we had A-8.  We limped in.  A man raised 3,000.  We added 500 more, to go all-in.  But the board didn't pair for us; instead 3-4-5 appeared, and a man with A-2 made a winning straight.  We left with 13th place -- and dreams about what might have been.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Earlier in the day, we visited a local hospital.  One of the regulars on our poker circuit checked in about a week ago due to chest pains.  Harry told us doctors found "other stuff" -- including occasional involuntary shaking, which still can't be explained.  We promised we'd pray for his recovery.

This short visit really is the least we could do for Harry.  But in making the trip, we recall words of Jesus about a future time of judgment....

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat.... I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me." - Matthew 25:34-36 (NASB)

In the Internet era, a "visit" also can be accomplished in an online way.  Harry's relatives set up a laptop computer by his bed -- and of course, he's using it in part to play online poker.  The relatives also created a Facebook account for him.  So if you'd like to send him a message, click on this link -- but be patient; Harry admits he's new at using computers.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 121 final tables in 342 nights (35.4%) - 19 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 261 point wins in 1,112 games (23.5%), 82 final tables, 10 cashes, 10 wins.  No-River Hold 'em - 8 point wins in 42 games (19.0%), 7 final tables, 1 cash/win.

For the third time in August, we won money at NLOP!  It was a second-place finish Tuesday night, in a tournament with 398 players.  There's an interesting story behind that game, which we'll share in an upcoming post.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $82,986, up $1,388.

Poker Night 315: Show and Tell

Wednesday began for us with a strong morning jog, and ended with a strong finish in live poker.  Thursday began with an even strong morning jog, topping two miles non-stop.  Could the day end with an even stronger showing tonight at Lil Kim's Cove?  Some timely cards certainly couldn't hurt....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: J-J

We won an early pot when 4-2 of diamonds turned into a flush.  Now we're "under the gun" -- first to act with a high pocket pair and about 8,900 chips.  But we know how other people at the table love to raise pre-flop, so we limp in.  We're a little disappointed when everyone else in the hand does the same thing, with no one raising.

ON THE FLOP: 2-2-K

That face clearly is a concern -- so when the play checks to us, we offer a "feeler" bet of 250.  Most of the table doesn't like that, and folds.  But the Big Blind immediately to our right calls.  We're heads-up.

ON THE TURN: 2

Three x 2 = full house for us.  The Big Blind checks again, and we hope to run him off by betting 600.  But that's where it gets weird.

"Why are we messing with this?" our opponent asks -- and he turns over one of his cards.  It's a King!  He calls -- and without realizing it, he does us a big favor.  We're topped, but we say (and show) nothing.

ON THE RIVER: 6

The man with a King checks.

"You win," we say as we check and show our losing pocket pair.  "You saved me some money.  Thank you!"

Let's face it -- that sort of early card-flip would never ever happen in a major-league tournament.  That low river card probably would have brought a third bet from us.  So his "tell" (done because he thought we also had a King) saved us from walking into a big loss.

If we won any more hands after that, they weren't memorable ones.  We had 6,550 chips at the one-hour break.  But then we bet heavily early in Hour 2 with a Jack in our hand and top pair on the flop -- losing to a  player with two pair.  Then forced a push with A-5, which brought no pair and a loss to two pair.  Our "big move" wound up toward the rail, as we finished in 16th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Our little battery brought another curious question, even before the tournament began.  We explained it reminded us of the power of the Holy Spirit.  "Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?" we asked the man.

"Oh yes," he answered.  "Very powerful force."

"What has the Holy Spirit done in your life lately?"

The man thought for a moment, then began listing his blessings.  "A roof over my head, good health, food on the table, money to buy cigarettes...."

Wait - what?!  "I'm not so sure those cigarettes will keep you in good health," we told the man.

He indicated he somehow "needed" those smokes.  But unlike the marijuana discussions we've had elsewhere, we're unaware of any medicinal benefits from smoking cigarettes.  Instead, the Bible reminds us....

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from  God?  You are not your own; you were bought with a price.  Therefore honor God with your body. - I Corinthians 6:19-20

The context of these verses actually involves "sexual immorality" (verse 18), but we think the principle still applies to smoking.  Medical studies by the truckload have shown the harm tobacco can do, at least to your lungs.  And we can smell enough odor on our shirts after an evening at the poker room to know we're getting some "secondhand smoke."

We pray that smoke isn't harming us -- and you know, our morning jogs are a good test of that.  We're thankful to God that we're doing well so far.

Christ gives me the strength to face anything. - Philippians 4:13 (CEV)

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 111 final tables in 315 nights (35.2%) - 17 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments- 225 point wins in 947 games (23.8%), 73 final tables, 7 cashes plus 1 other win.  No-River Hold 'em - 5 point wins in 25 games (20%), 4 final tables, 1 win.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $76,846, down $4,965.  Suffice to say: a bad week there.

Poker Night 287:Scare You, Scare Me

"It's OK.  It's all right./ I'm gonna take your chips tonight."  That was the song a player tried to sing tonight at Lil Kim's Cove.  (We hereby claim the words, since we doubt he plans to go to Nashville and become a country songwriter.)  If we wanted to sing along with him, we'd have to make some big and accurate decisions.  Take this example....

BLINDS: 1,000/2,000

IN THE POCKET: Q-3 of clubs

We've made it to a six-player semifinal table, thanks largely to a big blind double-up in the first hour with K-K.  We've hung on from there, beginning this hand with 6,500 chips.  The bad news is we're Small Blind - but the good news is that no one raised ahead of us.  In fact, only one player called.  These cards are marginal, but we decide to follow the classic poker reasoning: "They were suited."  We call.  The Big Blind mysteriously folds, so we're heads-up.

ON THE FLOP: 2c-2s-4s

An uglier flop than this is hard to find.  We need a lot of help, so we check prepared to fold.  Our opponent checks, too.

ON THE TURN: 3s

"Any bet wins, any bet wins," suggests the Big Blind.  Hmmm -- we now have two pair and a fairly good kicker.  So let's see if his advice is right.  We bet the minimum 2,000 -- but we get called.

ON THE RIVER: Ah

That's not exactly the card we wanted to see.  What if our opponent is sitting on Ace-high?  This time we check.

"I'm all-in," he announces -- with far more chips than the 2,500 we have left.  Uh-oh.

We stare at our opponent for a moment.  Then we laugh a bit, to break up any tension.  The man offers no help, as we think this move over.  We decide he pushed simply to make us chicken out.

"I'll call," we say with a smile -- ready to accept things either way.  "I have a 3."

But our opponent shows 6-6.  He has a better top pair, and he has us packing the tent.  We're eliminated in 14th place -- and another reminder that hunches don't always work.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Is that a piece of trash?" the Big Blind said as we arrived at the semifinal table.

"Actually, it's a bandage," we explained.  It was our card protector for the evening -- and of course, it had a purpose.

"I brought this to remind me that Jesus is a healer," we told the man a couple of minutes later.  "Do you believe God can heal?"

The man said he did.  "He can raise the dead," he noted -- which reminded us of a miracle which was pointed out to us in a Bible study group earlier in the week.

....Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.  Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." - John 11:43-44

An old church story says Jesus specified Lazarus - or else every dead person would have come out.  As the Son of God, Jesus had that power.  But He only used it on rare occasions - not even to restore John the Baptizer after his beheading.  So why here, and why now?  Lazarus was a friend of Jesus, who had been dead four days (verse 39).  But more importantly....

So they took away the stone.  Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  I know that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." - John 11:41-42

Jesus the Son was sent to Earth by God the Father.  He was sent with many purposes.  In this case....

....Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." - John 11:4

Many Jews believed in that glory, and put their faith in Christ after seeing this miracle (verse 45) - but others had seen more than enough, and plotted His execution (verse 53).  Which side would you have been on?

We know of several people fighting seemingly losing battles against cancer right now.  We pray that God might heal them, but realize the answer might be no.  That's why we put faith in another statement Jesus made in this chapter:

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never died.  Do you believe this?" - John 11:35-36

Our exact question to you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 105 final tables in 287 nights (36.6%) - 17 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 185 point wins in 801 games (23.1%), 63 final tables, 7 cashes.  One-table sit-n-goes - 8-13-10-3-3.

We're finding the new browser version of NLOP is much easier to play than the downloadable program.  Hiccups and delays are down sharply.  But the format change has included tougher standards for winning points -- more in line with the "top ten percent" practiced by real poker rooms.  Yet earlier in the day, we had a top-40 finish in a 655-player tournament.  Our 3,000-point buy-in earned us 5,857.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $67,754, up $2,130.

Poker Night 270: Squeeze In Somewhere

A verse early in the book of Proverbs offers some helpful poker advice:

My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. - Proverbs 1:10

Romans 3:23 reminds us we're all sinners, so we're not pointing fingers. But we thought of this verse tonight after playing at Lil Kim's Cove with one of those big raisers -- a man throwing out a lot of chips pre-flop, and daring you to see if his cards are serious or a bluff. It pays to be patient, and wait for the right moment to make a move. One of those moments fell in our lap fairly early....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 8-4 offsuit

"Nobody raised?!" we say with mock surprise before looking at our cards. We're in the big blind by ourselves, after Mr. Big Bettor knocked out a player -- and that man does us a favor by "taking a hand off," folding under the gun. So with nothing to lose, we happily check instead of folding.

ON THE FLOP: Q-5-8

We make second pair, but realize other players could be limping in with face cards. We check, and about four others in the hand check as well.

ON THE TURN: 7

Based on what we learned from the flop, we feel better about second pair after seeing this lower card. So we bet 500 to see where our opponents really stand. Two players call.

ON THE RIVER: Q

Now we have top two pair -- but we're still reluctant to be overzealous. Yet we're first to act, so we offer 700 in hope. A woman across from us folds. A man to our right calls.

"I was chasing," he admits -- and shows A-5. We think he was on a flush draw. But his miss is our gain, and we win about 2,000 chips.

A second "big blind special" came our way in the second hour with pocket 7's, bringing us up to 15,000 chips. We played tightly after that to reach the semifinal table. Then with ten players left (two tables of five) and the blinds at 2,000/4,000, Mr. Big Bettor announced: "If anyone calls, I'm raising."

We happened to look at A-10 of clubs, and dared to take him on -- going all-in with 12,000 left. He called, of course. Then he showed 8-8. The flop had K-9 and the turn was J. But we missed everything when the river was 9. He won the race, and we narrowly missed the final table with a tenth-place finish -- but it was still our best live tournament result in two months.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A fascinating discussion about religion and habits developed during the one-hour break at our table. It started with talk about drinking wine during pregnancy.

"The Bible says Jesus turned water into wine," a woman across from us said.

"That's true," we agreed. "It doesn't say grape juice." If you need proof of that....

Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.... and the master fo the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. - John 2:7, 9

The master of the wedding feast went on to tell Jesus in verse 10: "You have saved the best till now." If that drink wasn't wine, why would the master have said that?

Meanwhile, back at the table: "I know some church folk who say they don't drink, but they stand outside the church smoking cigarettes," a woman said. She made a valid point. Some people don't seem to consider tobacco use a "sin" because the Bible doesn't mention it directly, as opposed to drinking alcohol. Yet the apostle Paul warns:

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought a a price. Therefore honor God with your body. - I Corinthians 6:19-20

The context of these verses refers to physical conduct - whether it be sexual immorality (verse 18) or other activities. There's plenty of scientific evidence to show smoking can harm your lungs. So what's the difference between that and drunkenness from wine? We'll examine that (and other topics which came up during the break) in upcoming posts.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 100 final tables in 270 nights (37.0%) - 15 cashes. We came close, but now have missed nine in a row.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 163 point wins in 734 games (22.2%), 56 final tables, seven cashes.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $59,933, up $1,515. Our total was above $60,000 before a small loss Wednesday night.

Poker Night 268: Broken-Hearted

The talk was about friendship at our Lil Kim's Cove table -- but as one woman put it: "There are no friends at the poker table." Would you consider what happened in this hand a case of friendship, or something else?

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 10-9 of hearts

We won a nice early pot with two pair and a top-kicking King, so we have about 9,800 chips. Now we have suited connectors, so we're afraid to try them. No one raises at our table of six.

ON THE FLOP: Ah-Jh-6h(?)

We're not exactly sure about the third card -- but we know we made a flush on the flop. One player ahead of us bets the minimum 200, and we're happy to raise 500 more. A man to our left calls. So does the first player.

ON THE TURN: Ad

That seems nice and harmless (possible full house notwithstanding), so we bet 700 more. The man to our left calls again; the man to our right folds.

ON THE RIVER: 4h

"Be careful now," our remaining opponent says as we ponder our chips. Yeah, he has a point. A fourth heart is not exactly what we wanted to see there -- especially if our opponent was chasing with a single heart. But if a flush is the issue, only two cards beat us.

"OK - 1,000," we respond. Our opponent calls it - then says something we didn't want to hear.

"I've got the Queen." Sure enough, he hit a higher flush on the river! We're thankful we took his advice.

That hand turned the momentum of the evening against us, as we lost a few other promising hands after that to players striking it rich on the turn or river. We finally felt compelled to push with 7-9 of hearts in the big blind -- but they didn't pair, and two players with matching A-J for two pairs combined to knock us out. Sixth place at this table is a disappointment again.

MINISTRY MOMENT: There were several tonight, but we noted the return of Elaine -- the weakened woman in a wheelchair, who's now out of the hospital. She told us she spent about three weeks there, and slipped into a coma for three days.

"I've been praying for you," we told Elaine.

She appreciated that. "It helped," she declared, "because I'm here!"

We asked you to join us in praying for Elaine, and we thank you if you did. But we'd prefer to give the real praise to God -- because we simply followed Biblical instructions.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. - James 5:15

No, we didn't ask Elaine about her sins. But we now hope she considers her experience carefully, and chooses to travel in a godly way. (She's already resisting the urge to resume a smoking habit, which is a good start.) This as well is a gift from God....

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. - Psalm 103:2-3

"But wait," you may be saying. "I know someone who lived for God for years, and they suddenly died." Indeed, all humans will die someday (Hebrews 9:27). But the Bible promises....

All these people were living by faith when they died.... they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. - Hebrews 11:13-16

Without faith in God's coming "holy city" and kingdom, the future indeed is hopeless. With that faith, the present becomes much more meaningful. Will you accept God's promise, and look to Him for both physical and spiritual healing?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 100 final tables in 268 nights (37.3%), 15 cashes. The slump has grown to no final tables in seven, and one in the last 13.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 161 point wins in 729 games (22.1%), 55 final tables, 7 cashes. Three-card UFC - 2 final tables in 12 games, one win.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $56,563, down $174.