Eli's Coming

It's not easy winning a bracelet at the World Series of Poker. But this week, a man won a bracelet for the fourth time.

Courtesy Cardplayer.com

Eli Elezra won a seven-card stud tournament, defeating nearly 300 opponents to claim nearly $94,000. Four bracelets in 13 years could put him in the hall of fame, as fewer than 50 people have won four WSOP bracelets.

Elezra is a native of Israel - and his first name Eli has a history dating back to ancient Israel:

...Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord's temple. - I Samuel 1:9

Eli Elezra no doubt is good at reading his opponents. But Eli the priest made a mis-read, when he saw a young woman appealing to God....

Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine." - I Samuel 1:13-14

He wasn't the first male to misunderstand what a woman was doing. Hannah explained, and Eli calmed down to bless her (verses 15-17). But chapter 2 shows Eli was flawed in other ways that were even worse. That led to this statement from God, to one of Hannah's children....

And the Lord said to Samuel.... "For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them." - I Samuel 3:11, 13

You can sit at a final table and look sharp. You can even sit outside the house of God and look sharp. But if you don't keep your family in order, God reserves the right to judge you for it. That's why a famous proverb advises:

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. - Proverbs 22:6

Eli Elezra calls himself on Twitter a "family man" - and his autobiography is called in Hebrew Poker Legend. May you put those titles in the proper order, and not do what made another Eli legendary in a Biblical way.

Poker Day 565: Six-Packed

The gambling this week actually began on Monday morning - simply by getting in the car. We decided to take advantage of a partial government shutdown by traveling west to see relatives. But we knew if a shutdown was announced at any point, we'd have to turn around immediately and hurry back to our regular job.

But by midday today, there was no settlement. So we drove to Harrah's Casino in North Kansas City, where the midday "Fat Stack" poker tournament costs $60 - a bargain, compared to our home area. Would the successful risks continue?

BLINDS: 600/1,200

IN THE POCKET: 6-6

We made good early gains, advancing from a starting 12,000 chips to about 20,500 at one point. We reached the first break at 16,400. Now we're at level 7, still above "sea level" at about 14,500 chips. Sitting one off the button at a table of seven, we limp in with a medium-small pocket pair. A couple of people call.

ON THE FLOP: K-K-6

WOW! We hit it big, with the underside of a full house. The opponents check to us. But we'll wait on them to jump offsides, and check as well.

ON THE TURN: 6

DOUBLE WOW!! Now we have quads! But a man to our right bets 1,200. For a moment, we realize he could be slow-playing pocket Kings. That would be an awfully bad beat. But we see absolutely no reason to fold.

"I can do 12," we say matter-of-factly with a nod. We soft-sell a call, putting us heads-up.

ON THE RIVER: 4

A worthless card for a moment like this. It all depends now on what our opponent does. Will he bet bigger, perhaps to attempt to scare us away?

No.... he simply checks. So now it depends on us. How much can be bet to encourage a call and maximize our gains?

"How about..... 2,300?" we ask as we bet.

If our opponent really had pocket Kings, he'd bet them now. Instead, he thinks things over for about a minute. Then he softly folds.

"Very good decision," we tell him - and show the quads we had. It's actually the second quads hand at the table today, and others are impressed.

"You could do 12," a man to our right says in an imitation of our line.

"I really could," we say with a big nod. It's still a good and much-needed win, getting to 18,400.

But then came level 8 - and when a man across the table pushed, we saw A-K and took him on. His pocket 5's won the race, and threw us onto the ropes. A couple of all-in wins on our part brought a recovery to 10,000 at the second break.

With added antes and higher blinds in Hour 3, we dropped to 2,600. "Final table" was called as we looked at Big Blind cards of A-10. We decided they were too good to wait. We pushed into two callers. But the board didn't pair for us, and a man with K-9 hit a King on the river. We finished tenth out of 24 players, but missed the final table because we never played a hand there.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The pre-game talk turned to the partial government shutdown, which today reached Day 19.

"The problem is that both sides think they're God," one man said.

"That's why I'm praying to God," we replied, "that He'll show both sides the right end to this."

There's been a lot of debate about the main issue in the shutdown. But we haven't heard anyone call for the country to appeal to God about it through prayer. Perhaps that's because many people want "their side" to prevail. Yet shouldn't we do this?

This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." -Matthew 6:9-10

We've heard some preachers combine verse 10 into one phrase - asking for God's Kingdom to come to Earth. That's a proper thing to seek in prayer. But the NIV puts a comma after "come", making the part about God's will a separate thought.

Maybe that's what scares some people. They don't really want God's will in their lives, because it might require making some major changes. Yet Jesus took the concept all the way to the end of His life...

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 repeated that prayer twice, in the moments before His arrest (verses 42-44). Yet God the Father did not intervene. It was His will that Jesus endure mocking, torture and crucifixion.

This leads us to ask a hard question. Are you willing to accept God's will for your life - even if that will is not what you want? If, perhaps, He doesn't want you to play poker anymore? Dare to pray it, then trust God for whatever answer He provides.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 213 final tables in 565 games (37.7%) - 45 cashes.

The Wrong Crowd?

If you've read this blog for a while, you might find it puzzling. Why is someone making Christian and Biblical points about poker - and even playing poker in casinos?

We heard a sermon this weekend which helps explain our perspective. It came from the President of a church association, who's also a minister and a long-time member of a Rotary club. The club includes Jews and Muslims, as well as Christians.

The message was tied to a Biblical proverb:

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. - Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

For the sharpening process to work, he said, one item must be stronger and sharper than the other. He went on to explain good leaders should go beyond relations with friends who make them feel comfortable. Instead, you should pick people who are likely to resist your point of view.

If you think about it, that's how Jesus Christ related to other people. Take this example....

Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink.".... The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.... - John 4:7, 9 (NLT)

This verse reveals Jesus was Jewish, but that's not our point here. The Lord was willing to talk with a Samaritan, even though Judea and Samaria had a history of national tensions (II Kings 17:24, for example). He spread His message to anyone who might listen to it - even Pharisees who wanted nothing of it:

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and the Pharisees. Hypocrites!... - Matthew 23:14-15, 23, 25, 27, 29 (NLT)

When we enter a poker room, we have no idea what sort of people we'll meet at the table. Some may believe in Jesus; others have ignored Him for decades. So we try to share matters of faith when the moment calls for it. At the very least, we're a witness for God. And there have been several times when players sent us back to the Bible to reprove something.

Jesus didn't live His life on Earth in a bubble. Neither should we. As the Lord prayed for His disciples....

I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. - John 17:15 (NLT)

Be sure you go into a poker room strongly - including spiritual strength. You might play a role in making a "wrong crowd" right.

An In-Tents Battle

Our last post mentioned a Bible verse that's probably obscure to many people....

From Judah will come the cornerstone, the tent peg, the bow for battle, and all the rulers. - Zechariah 10:4 (NLT)

That last post showed how Jesus Christ should be the "chief cornerstone" for believers in God (Ephesians 2:20). But what about these other things?

Unless you own a modern multi-piece plastic tent with weights to hold poles, you know what a "tent peg" does. It's hammered or pushed into the ground, so ropes and canvas can be secure. A different part of Zechariah helps explain the reference....

The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. - Zechariah 12:7 (KJV)

The Lord will keep Judah's "tents" secure against destruction. That Lord (which we believe refers to Jesus) wants to save Jews, as well as "gentiles" outside the tribe. And that's not the most amazing part….

For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents.... No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God.... It is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. - Romans 2:28-29 (NLT)

Some self-proclaimed Christians who point fingers at Judaism may not realize this. They are supposed to be "Jews" themselves - by letting the Holy Spirit change their hearts to be as loving as God is.

That brings us to "the bow for battle" - and if you've been waiting for a poker reference, thank you for waiting; here it is. With Jesus on your side, you can enter the "battle" of poker tournaments with confidence. You don't have to be afraid of other players, or what they might say.

They will be like mighty warriors in battle, trampling their enemies in the mud under their feet. Since the Lord is with them as they fight, they will overthrow even the enemy's horsemen. - Zechariah 10:5 (NLT)

Does that mean you'll win every pot and clean up at every cash game? No. We're proof of that. This verse is ultimately referring to the second coming of Jesus to conquer the world and set up God's Kingdom (14:4-9). But you can ask God in prayer for a proper attitude in the decisions you make - and then, amazing things could happen.

So the next time you play poker, or face any challenge in your life, seek God's help through His Holy Spirit. Take a firm belief in Him - then wait for the right moment when He might give you victory.

Conventional Wisdom

In some years, we've used a trip to a church convention in the fall to play serious poker. But this year, we used the convention trip to avoid playing poker.

Why? Because the past trips took us to areas with casinos, while our home area had none. These days, we have two poker rooms close by. So we can play on a regular basis, and the convention allowed us to take a break from that routine.

The latter approach probably was better for us, since a break from poker allowed more focus on what the convention is all about. It starts (roughly) with this....

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." - Revelation 11:15

You may be familiar with the "Lord's Prayer" uttered by Jesus. It's a model for believers to follow....

This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." - Matthew 6:9-10

What is this "kingdom"? Jesus often called it the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:15, for example) - and it's coming. Revelation indicates this world will become God's kingdom. It will include a resurrection of believers when Jesus comes back....

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.... - I Thessalonians 4:16-17

But believers won't be in the air forever. They'll reign under Jesus Christ on Earth. After all, He also said….

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. - Matthew 5:5

The great plan of God is to rebuild the earth - not simply with homes and buildings, but an ethical system of real freedom and peace.

He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. - Micah 4:3

Does this sound appealing to you? It may be too late for this year's convention, but you can dig into the details of this plan anytime. This article explains what the "Feast of Tabernacles" is all about.

We don't know for sure if there will be poker in the Kingdom of God. But it certainly will top anything man has developed.

The Game of Life

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and that life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. - I John 5:11-12

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

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

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

Prophets of Profits

We told you a few days ago about Frankie Flowers - the operator of a non-profit organization in New York who did well in the World Series of Poker Main Event. He made the money, which is good. But he's now out of the running, finishing in 424th place.

Courtesy WSOP.com

Flowers earned close to $30,000. Trouble is, he talked about making much more than that. WSOP.com posted he was "prophecizing" at the Main Event about making a million dollars or more at the final table. We'll forgive the writer for not knowing the proper way to write that big word. Flowers actually may have been prophecying. Or, in street slang, he simply may have been "trash talking."

Yet some religious people have the idea that "faith talk" can lead to success - whether it be a lot of money, a spouse or something else. Where do they get that? From Bible verses such as....

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.... - II Corinthians 9:10-11

Claim that as a "faith promise," some people suggest, and the "God from whom all blessings flow" (to borrow from a famous church song) will pour them out on you.

We've admittedly seen God do that in our life - but there's a problem with that suggestion. It doesn't happen every time. The Bible nowhere shows that the first apostles died as tycoons or millionaires. In fact, the apostle who wrote the verses above wound up dying in a prison dungeon:

...This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. - II Timothy 2:8-9

You may win a lot of money playing poker. You may go bust a lot. Yet through good times and bad, the best thing to do is what Paul did. He kept his focus on God:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. - I Timothy 6:6-8

Instead of talking big, the model prayer of Jesus recommended a small request....

Give us this day our daily bread. - Matthew 6:11

Can you be content with that? The Bible indicates you should. Be thankful for whatever blessing God gives, even if it seems small. If you do, something great could come in the long run.

Poker Day 544: Independent Thinking

"Is this a difficult day for you?" we asked a man who sat down to our right today at Jack Casino. The man had a noticeable British accent - and it's the anniversary of when the U.S. declared independence from Britain.

"No," he replied. "That was 17-something."

So he didn't show up with an old grudge. But he undoubtedly wanted to make money at the poker table on a holiday. We tried to do the same, by entering Jack's daily 11:15 a.m. tournament....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: 7 of hearts-6 of clubs

Three full tables of players showed up for this holiday tournament. It's one of the first few hands, and we have plenty of chips to throw. So we try to get in small with connecting cards, and are rewarded when no one raises. About five players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 5c-7d-8c

Our hunch pays off in one way, and potentially more. We have middle pair and an open-ended straight draw, A player down the table bets 250. A 23-year-old "kid" to our right (as another player calls him) raises to 750.

"Wellll," we say as we ponder, "it's a holiday." So in a generous mood, we call. "What could possibly go wrong?" we add with a smile.

"I've said that," responds the young raiser. Famous last words, those. The original bettor folds, and we go heads-up.

ON THE TURN: 2c

Straight shot missed - but now we've picked up a flush draw. Our opponent bets 700.

"He bet the Big One," we say - thinking of a famous Cincinnati radio station at 700 on the dial. Since we still have second pair to the board and a bunch of draws, we dare to call again.

ON THE RIVER: 4h

Bingo! The straight is made. Our opponent now checks. We shake our head no.

"One-thousand," we bet.

"Obnoxious!" the young man responds. He's apparently figured out what we did.

"Potentially obnoxious," we say in a bid to offer him a little hope (and entice a call). But no - he folds. We take a nice pot, and note this incredibly rare use of the word "obnoxious" in a poker room.

The first half-hour was very good for us, as several pots and one tie brought our stack from a starting 15,000 to almost 20,000. But then we lost on some chances, and watched rising turbo-blinds erode our stack to 4,875 after two hours at the first break.

Pocket Kings at the start of the second term helped us make a nice comeback. A push with pocket 10's kept us going as well. But when we reached the semifinal table with rising blinds, we faced a tough decision with pocket 5's. We went for it all, received a call by a man with K-J - but a King on the flop did us in. We finished in 17th place out of 47 entries.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The "kid" had a nice verbal personality. But when one hand didn't go his way, he said, "Good Lord!"

"He's good all the time," we answered.

We're not sure if the young man heard it; he didn't acknowledge it. But we'll ask you - do you consider God good? For believers, this question might sound silly. Yet the world is filled with skeptics, so let's consider the words of a famous king:

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. - Psalm 34:8

The heading to this chapter in our Bible says King David wrote this not after a victory, but a serious trial. He was on the run for his life, and "pretended to be insane" before a different king (I Samuel 21:10-15). David continues....

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. - Psalm 34:10

There's a key point to consider - seeking the Lord. Other poker players probably won't cut you any slack if you're "obnoxious" (see above) at the table. So why should God be any different?

Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured on us, because we have sinned against you. - Daniel 9:12

We've reviewed Daniel's contrite prayer over the last few days, after a minister recommended it. It's not a happy prayer - but it could be something our country needs as we mark Independence Day. One lesson from it is to follow God's example of goodness in our own lives....

Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days.... Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. - Psalm 34:12, 14

Some scoffers might consider you a wimp - but there's really nothing bad about doing good. After all, that's what God does for you - in both large and small ways.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 200 final tables in 544 games (36.8%) - 41 cashes.

Speedy Delivery?

In a recent post, we mentioned how poker players (and all people, for that matter) someday will see Jesus Christ face-to-face. We included some provocative words from the New Testament:

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.... You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. - II Peter 3:10, 12

Really? How can our lives speed the coming of the "day of God"? After all, these words were written to believers more than 1,900 years ago. Yet that day hasn't come yet.

Some versions of the NIV Bible translate "speed its coming" as "wait eagerly." The American Standard Version has "earnestly desiring" God's Kingdom to come. One lexicon compares the Greek word here to an Old Testament verse:

...Then God will establish one of David's descendants as king. He will rule with mercy and truth. He will always do what is just and be eager to do what is right. - Isaiah 16:5 (NLT)

In other words, believers live with anticipation for the second coming of Jesus. In fact, they're supposed to pray for it:

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. - Matthew 6:9-10 (NLT)

This famous prayer is not really supposed to be a Christian mantra (verse 7). It's supposed to be a longing - something that has believers preparing themselves every day for it. Are you one of them?

Poker Day 533: Donut Bites

Our current situation (which we're not really comfortable posting here right now) presented us with a wide-open Sunday afternoon. And the pricey "deep stack" tournament at Kansas Star Casino might be our only opportunity to play all week. So we drove down the turnpike today, to be amazed by how packed the place was - in the poker room and outside.

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: King of hearts-King of diamonds

Even though we arrived 20 minutes before the starting time, we were third on a waiting list to play. We've barely sat down with our 12,000 starting chips, but clearly the stacks and small blinds have the full table in a betting room. So with K-K (which we call "the donuts"), we raise to 400 in late position. Three players call.

ON THE FLOP: 9d-4h-5h

So far, so good. The players check to us, so we bet another 500. As we remember it, two players call.

ON THE TURN: 6h

Now hold on here. Three hearts in a row open the door for all kinds of trouble. A man across the table seems to stir up some, by betting 800. Did he make a straight? A flush? Or both? We suspect the real answer is "none of the above," and he's testing the newcomer. So we call, since we have an overpair and our own flush draw. We're now heads-up.

ON THE RIVER: Ac

No flush, but not much more comfort. We're pleased when our opponent checks. So do we.

"I have Kings," we say. To this moment, we don't know what the opponent had. He folds, so we're left to guess it was a bluff. We win a nice pot of more than 2,000.

We won a couple of other hands, to hit a high of 14,800. Then we took our own chances with small blinds and a big stack, but they didn't work. We were 25 above our starting total at the first break.

Then in the second term, everything went wrong. A-Q missed the flop for us twice, and raising players made us fold. Pocket 8's lost as well. We endured the entire 80-minute period without winning a single hand! Our stack deteriorated to a lowly 900 at the break, leaving us one remaining hand. We tried with Q-5 of hearts, but diamonds showed up and a flush fight knocked us out.

We ended the day around 44th place, out of 79 entries. But at least we followed up on our blackjack success of Thursday night by going to a table and recovering $20 of our $95 entry fee.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "I'm an honest man," a young man said as he turned over his cards to end a hand.

"Not to mention humble," we added. This brought a few chuckles from our end of the table.

Then we remembered a story we'd heard on Christian radio. "A congregation gave a pastor a trophy for being the most humble man in town. He brought it to church the next week.... and they fired him."

That's the funny thing about humility, isn't it? The Bible says we're supposed to have it....

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord's anger. - Zephaniah 2:3

....and yet the seeking of humility can turn into a trap. Jesus told His own story about that:

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: "God, I thank you that I am not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get." - Luke 18:10-12

The Pharisee prayed, thanked God, fasted on a regular basis and tithed to the temple. Those are all good traits. But Jesus continued....

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. - Luke 18:13-14

Translation: the Pharisee prayed with a sense of pride - even arrogance toward the despised other man in the temple. The tax collector humbled himself before God, admitted his sins and pleaded for God's mercy.

It's easy to get a "big head" in a poker room when you win a tournament or make a lot of money. We should thank God for whatever blessings come our way - but be careful to do so in a humble way. Give God the glory from start to finish. The result could be even greater blessings than you expect.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 192 final tables in 533 games (36.0%) - 40 cashes. Experiment update: Down $260.

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.

Poker Day 521: A-Plus?

Our current point in life requires us to report wages every week to a state agency. We count money made in poker as wages - and in tournaments like the one today at Kansas Star Casino, the rate per-hour can be impressive. The problem is that dozens of other people were trying to earn "wages" as well....

BLINDS: 75/150

IN THE POCKET: King-Queen of clubs

We won a big pot in the middle of the first hour with a King, which led to two pair. Then we lost a good bit to a man with three 9's. We start this hand a bit below the 3,500-chip starting point. These cards are good - and when someone raises to 300, we naturally call. As we remember it, three players are in.

ON THE FLOP: A-A-K

A high-powered flop in any game - and an uneasy one for us. We have two pair, but anyone who holds an Ace is in the lead. An older woman across the table bets 250. Call us stubborn, but we call. We're now heads-up.

ON THE TURN: 8

We doubt that helped anyone. Our opponent didn't jump on it, because she checked. So do we.

ON THE RIVER: A

Now we have the best possible full house - but still some uneasiness. The woman brings out another 250. If she has the missing Ace for quads, she isn't saying it very loudly - but maybe she's trying to test us.

We decide to test her back, with a raise to 500. If she has quads, now is the moment to scream. But instead, she calls.

"I hope you don't have quads," we say as we show. She turns over.... J-J! We're relieved that our full house is better, and our chip count grows to 5,000.

We reached the first break at 4,850. Then we hit a couple of big hands in Hour 2, including a big decision to call a 2,000 bet on the turn with Ad-4d and a flush draw. The river brought a diamond. The bettor went all-in, and we put him out of the game with the nuts. Our stack at the second break stood at 17,000.

Rising blinds caused some tense moments - but we reached the final table with 15,500 chips. Then while we folded with weak cards, other players dared to push with much more. One by one they were picked off, until we made the money for the top seven out of 68! Then more players conked out, until we were in the final four at the third break!

The other three players were in no mood to split the remaining prize money, so we pressed on. But an all-in bet with Kc-Qc proved to be our demise. A man called with A-J, and he won the race when the board paired with something lower.

We left satisfied, with our third cash in a tournament this year. And if breaks are not included, $170 comes to about $57.33 per hour.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "I wanted a spade there," a woman two seats to our left said to the dealer after losing a hand.

"You didn't ask for one," the dealer properly noted.

"You have not because you ask not," we responded.

"You ask and receive not, because you ask amiss," added a man sitting between that woman and us.

That man has become a friend of ours, because we can talk about faith matters with him. And in this case, he knew exactly what we meant:

You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. - James 4:2-3 (KJV)

Poker tables can seem like war zones at times. TV commentators talk about players "firing a third barrel" to win a hand. We've played long enough to know games can have tense moments. Yet how many players ask for God's help in doing well when they play? We do....

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6

You can request anything - but you should not assume God will always give you everything you want. After all, He turned down His own Son at one point:

"Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." - Mark 14:36

That should be our attitude as well, whether or not we're in a poker room. God the Father allowed Jesus Christ to endure an arrest, humiliating abuse and a death on the cross - all so our sins could be covered in His blood. His battle was to avoid sinning, and He succeeded. Whether or not you win in a tournament, trust God that His will for you ultimately is best.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 189 final tables in 521 games (36.3%) - 39 cashes. Experiment cost: Up $170 - a new high! Our schedule may allow for only one more tournament before 2017 concludes.

Can We Tempt You?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poker Day 511: The Best Defense....

When a poker player takes a seat at the table, he or she can take on a wide range of personalities. When someone from outside the area takes a seat, the options can leave even more people guessing. That's what happened when we traveled to Tulsa Friday for a morning game at River Spirit Casino, as we started a special church weekend....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: A-K of hearts

The morning game costs $50, plus $10 "dealer appreciation" to double our chip stack from 4,000 to 8,000. That stack has eroded a little since the start, so it would be nice to win a hand. Holding the button with no one raising, we decide to go on the offensive. We raise to 350.

"I just won these chips," a man across the table who won the last hand says. "Be gentle with these."

"Get them nice and shiny," we answer - borrowing a line we've heard contending pro wrestlers say about title belts. As best we recall, three players out of ten are in.

ON THE FLOP: Q-7-8

No hearts come, but we remember two spades being here. The other players check, so we decide the heat must be turned up. Our continuation bet is 400. The man who joked about his chips calls, and we're now heads-up.

ON THE TURN: 3 (not a spade)

We wanted something higher than that, because any stray card could increase our opponent's chances of hitting a pair. He checks again, and we kick it up a notch to 500.

"That card didn't help me," he admits. "I'm one card away." (Hmmm - 6-9?! Something suited?!)

Then he folds. Exactly what we wanted. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Lord. We make a nice gain, without showing why we were being so aggressive.

A first hour of ups and downs left us 9,250 chips. We slowly gained in the second hour, reaching 10,100. Then a couple of all-in bets paid off in a big way, allowing us to reach the final table with 25,000. At one point, we knocked out an opponent with Q-10 after a Queen came on the flop.

We stood at 17,000 after three hours of play, with four players making money on a 39-player day. But weak cards and rising blinds did us in. We finally dared to roll the dice in the Small Blind with 4-3 of clubs for our last 4,000. But a Big Blind with higher cards won the race.

We played for a long time, but missed the money. Yet we finished sixth out of 39, for our second final table in three tournaments at River Spirit.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "If it wasn't for veterans, we probably wouldn't be here playing poker," a man at our table said. It was the Friday leading to Veterans Day - and you may have heard a form of that phrase over the weekend as well.

But after thinking about it a moment, we offered a response which might have surprised him. "I think a lot of those veterans had some help. They looked to God to guide them to success."

At least one person at the table seemed to agree with that statement. We hope you do as well - because while military veterans have fought a lot of battles over the years, the victory ultimately is not theirs.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with them. - II Chronicles 32:7

These are the words of King Hezekiah of Judah (29:1), when his territory was under siege (32:1). That "greater power" was not the United States or any allies....

"With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. - II Chronicles 32:8

But as they say at times in the poker room, talk is cheap. The king didn't stop simply with a motivational speech:

King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and the officers in the camp of the Assyrian king.... - II Chronicles 32:20-21

They humbly sought God's help - and God delivered. We can only guess how many U.S. and Allied veterans did the same thing during modern combat. But if God gave the victory, we think God should get at least some of the credit:

Who is this king of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. - Psalm 24:8

It's noteworthy to us that Veterans Day in the U.S. falls within about two weeks of Thanksgiving Day. We recommend taking time to thank God for the battles he's helped you win, or at least endure - whether at a poker table or a real battlefield.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 186 final tables in 511 games (36.4%) - 36 cashes. Experiment cost: Down $110 (we failed to mention last time that Five Star Billiards is a freeroll).

The Worst of Times

"I had trip Kings," the man told us about a recent poker night. "He made an inside straight on the flop." And thus the man lost a hand he thought sure he'd win.

If you've played poker for any length of time, you probably have a story like that. Bad beats happen. And when they happen to us, they sting - perhaps for a long time. They might even be enough to drive you away from ever playing poker again.

Yet we heard a minister say on radio the other night that if you fail once, that does not mean you're an absolute failure. A lot depends on how you respond to that failed moment - and that moment of setback could be a springboard to future success. Take this historic moment....

So about three thousand men went up, but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about 36 of them.... At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water. - Joshua 7:4-5

This defeat in battle brought the leader of Israel to his knees (verse 6). Then God bluntly told him what was the problem:

Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. - Joshua 7:11

God refused to support Israel anymore until the sin and sinner were removed (verses 12-13). Once that happened, God was back on Israel's side:

Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land." - Joshua 8:1

The rest of the chapter shows Israel gaining victory there. But can it really be that easy for us? Well, at least it's a good place to start....

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. - Psalm 139:23-24

As much as we don't want to admit it, sometimes we're the problem - in the poker room and in life. It takes some courage to ask God to show you where you're wrong. But if you ask Him to do so in a loving way, He can do that - and He can put you back on the road to success, if you'll do what He says.

Plug Here, Unplug There

Some people hope Scott Blumstein's win of the World Series of Poker Main Event will lead to more legal online gambling on poker in the U.S. But in other places, the exact opposite is occurring.

Australia's Senate voted this week for what some news sources call a "ban" on playing "online poker legally." But one article quoted an email from PokerStars in April, that explains what's really going on:

It’s with great sadness that we have to say that if this bill is passed it means we will have to halt real money poker play for you and all other Australian players,” the email read.

We think this is about "real money" poker play - as in online cash games. That's because there are plenty of sites in the U.S. where you can play poker, and even win prizes. But they're free to enter.

Australian officials made it clear their concern is about stopping "problem gambling" - as in addictive behavior. Our dictionary defines "addict" as "to have or give (oneself) habitually or compulsively." Based on that, religious anti-gambling groups can sound like they're encouraging a swap of one "addiction" for another:

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. - Psalm 119:97

All day?!?! Does that mean a believer in God should lock himself in a room and only read the Bible (especially the first five books) from sunrise to sunset? Well....

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing.... - I Thessalonians 5:16-17 (NASB)

So are we supposed to only speak to God all day as well?!

Those seem like very extreme views to us. And the Bible tries to balance out that thinking....

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." - II Thessalonians 3:10

Time by ourselves with God is good. He established a Sabbath day for that (among other reasons). But people who cloister themselves non-stop and don't do anything else might be surprised when "manna from heaven" stops.

People can become addicted to all sorts of things, from poker games to religious cults. We think the key is to have a balanced approach in life - and add God to that balance, if He is missing. That's where we think many people go astray:

"For in him we live and move and have our being." As some of your own poets have said, "We are his offspring." - Acts 17:28

Without God, you wouldn't have life - much less a brain to make decisions at a poker table. Plug Him in to your life agenda, even if it means tossing a few things away.

The Biggest Blind II

In a recent post, we talked the "blinds" of poker - and how there's a bigger blind over a lot of people. Satan has blinded them to the truth about God and His plan for their lives.

Yet as we think about this, Satan the devil may not be the only "one" blinding you. Believe it or not, the Bible says....

He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn - and I would heal them. - John 12:40

This verse is taken largely from Isaiah 6:10 - where the words are attributed to "the voice of the Lord" (Isaiah 6:8). The "He" is not Satan. It's God! Does this sound strange?

Why, O Lord, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you?... - Isaiah 63:17

The prophet claimed God makes people wander away from Him! Yet the Bible also says....

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. - I Timothy 2:3-4

So God wants everyone saved - and yet he puts the "big blind" on the understanding of some?! As weird as it sounds... yes. Why would He do that? Here's one Biblical explanation:

I do not want yo to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved... - Romans 11:25-26

We've been on a waiting list at several poker tournaments lately. We can't play right away, but get into the game when an opening occurs. We think God is working in somewhat the same way. He's only focusing on a certain group of people now. The rest will have their opportunity for salvation later - perhaps not until the main resurrection of the dead, described in Revelation 20.

So if the Biblical things we write about here are baffling to you, that may be OK. But if some of the things of God are starting to make sense, it may not be. We suggest not taking any chances. Ask God in prayer to bring you out of the "big blind," wherever it came from. The ultimate reward is worth it.

The Winner Takes It All

In a recent post, we presented a choice - a choice that can seem very difficult:

Does not wisdom call out?.... "Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold." - Proverbs 8:1, 10

These Bible verses might give the impression that you should never enter big-money poker tournaments. Simply open the Bible and put your nose in it all day - right?

Well, no. That's going to a religious extreme. But then again, maybe spending every waking hour playing online poker and touring the world for the next high-stakes cash game is an extreme as well. We think the key is in finding a balance....

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven....  - Ecclesiastes 3:1

We think wisdom is not really wisdom unless you apply it in daily situations. Otherwise it's simply knowledge.

...But wisdom is proved right by her actions. - Matthew 11:19b

You can know how to play pocket Aces. But doing it properly at the table takes wisdom - and you could be rewarded handsomely for that. That's why we said in the previous post that if you seek wisdom, you could get nice extras.

So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart.... Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for - both riches and honor - so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings." - I Kings  3:11-13

King Solomon asked God for wisdom and discernment (verse 9). God granted him so much that Solomon is credited with writing Ecclesiastes and much of Proverbs. And he had a lot of wealth to boot (I Kings 10:14-29).

So it seems to us the choice is clear. Seek God's wisdom first, as opposed to poker riches. Search for it in the Bible. Pray for God to provide it. And you might actually become wise enough to stump the table and get the riches, too.

The End of an Era

Tomorrow will be a historic day in the U.S., as a new President takes office. We wonder how many poker players will be rooting for him to undo what the outgoing one did.

Poker players with long memories will remember Barack Obama's administration for the "black Friday" crackdown on internet games in 2011. Many regular players lost a lot of money. Several famous names even were affected.

Yet at the end of 2011, the Obama Justice Department ruled states can set up their own Internet poker games. So far, hardly any have.

And did you know President Obama probably is the first U.S. leader to have his own poker website? Thus far, you can't play him there. In fact, you can't play at all. But the site explains his personal history of playing poker, his actions concerning online poker, and the claims that President George W. Bush was even more against online poker.

But it's inevitable in our society that leadership changes. It could be good, or....

Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. - Exodus 1:8

Joseph was a Biblical hero, who was given vast power to help several countries through a time of great famine. He helped the Israelites relocate in Egypt - but a change in pharaohs made things worse for them instead of better.

They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly. - Exodus 1:14

Any leader in any walk of life has the capability to do this to us. It could be a king, a President, a supervisor on your job - and even a different tournament director at your poker room.

So how should poker players respond? Very few probably will follow this advice, but it's hard to top....

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior... - I Timothy  2:1-3

As we mentioned after the U.S. election, we should pray for all leaders. Even the ones you don't necessarily like. After all, God could turn their hearts around and make them leaders you do like.

The Option Play

Is it something we've said? Maybe the wrong anti-perspirant?

Whatever the reason, 2016 is ending with yet another closure at a place where we've played poker. We mentioned last week that Osage Casino near Tulsa has "temporarily closed" its poker room - a place where we made a final table on our only visit during the summer.

This adds to a 2016 dropout list which included three independent poker rooms in Wichita, Prairie Band Casino north of Topeka and Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City (at least for tournament play).

It feels like we're not playing in person as much - but maybe that's misleading. As of this post, we've entered 31 live tournaments this year. That's better than one every couple of weeks. But work and other projects have cut into our poker time - not to mention a rather high buy-in at the main casino which has become our most convenient place to play.

What do you do when you run short of options.... not in terms of poker rooms, but big decisions in life? We can think of one man who faced that sort of challenge:

...A messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off".... another messenger came and said, "The fire of God came from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants".... another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" - Job 1:14-17

Talk about a bad day! And things got worse for Job from there. He lost all his children in the next two verses. Yet God allowed Satan the devil to do all these things to Job (verse 12). It was a test to see how a "blameless and upright... man who fears God" (verse 8) would respond to the loss of valuable things.

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. then he fell to the ground in worship and said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." - Job  1:20-21

You may be in a place on this planet where you can't go out and play poker every week - or even every month. In the internet age, at least you have online options for having some fun and keeping your game sharp. But even if you didn't, could you still be thankful to God for not having anyplace to play poker?

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.... - Ecclesiastes 7:14

God may have removed the poker options to get you focused on other things. Better things. More important things - like straightening out your life and repenting of your sins.

So give God praise for whatever he gives you, whether it's a little or a lot. Then ask Him prayerfully to show where you should go from here - and have faith that He will open the best options of all in your life.