Ensan Asylum

The biggest names in poker usually don't make the final table at the biggest game of all. The World Series of Poker Main Event has turned unknowns into stars for many years.

Courtesy WSOP.com

In 2019, that star is Hossein Ensan. He won it all this past week in Las Vegas, in only his second major final table. Only true poker junkies might know Ensan won three major tournaments in Europe in recent years, including a WSOP "international circuit" main event in the Czech Republic.

Ensan was born in Iran, but moved to Germany in 1990. We don't know why he moved, but he says he was "a simple painter" at the time. Living in Europe certainly allowed him the freedom to take up poker in the early 2000s, and develop winning skills from there.

But Ensan told WSOP.com during the tournament that he still considers himself a poker amateur. There's a lesson in that statement for all poker players - even if you consider yourself a big-time pro:

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. - Proverbs 11:2

The mere sight of pocket Aces might fill you with pride. Perhaps that's what did us in the other day (check our last post). But humility brings wisdom, because humble people are in more of a mood to learn. They know better than to assume they know it all.

...We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. - I Corinthians 8:1

A person once walked the Earth whom you'd think would have been the most puffed-up man ever. He came from heaven. He was the Son of God. But He didn't come to stump panels and win big awards.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.... being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross. - Philippians 2:4, 8

Why did Jesus do this? To display God's love for all of us - even for you:

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

Jesus came in humility to lovingly pay the penalty for your sin. Will you humbly accept that sacrifice and make Jesus the Lord of your life? You may not develop the wisdom to win WSOP bracelets, but God will help you gain spiritual wisdom that can last for eternity.

Ryan's Hope

The final able draws near at the World Series of Poker Main Event. As we write this on Thursday evening (U.S. time), Australian champion Daniel Hachem has bowed out in 79th place. Iranian native Antonio "the Magician" Esfandiari left in 82nd.

But of course, we want to focus on the man who finished 738th. Ryan Von Bevern is married to one of our nieces, after all - and on his third try at the Main Event, he made the money. The scoreboard (which has misled us at times) shows he won a bit more than $20,200.

This is how Ryan knows where he finished. He was given a card with his ranking. The WSOP staff has to keep things organized, with so many tables going at once and the prize money increasing with every few eliminations.

ESPN even mentioned Ryan's sorta-kinda presidential campaign on its livestream of the tournament. A $20,000 payday won't buy him a big media blitz to promote his candidacy. But he achieved one thing he hoped to accomplish - and in doing that, he experienced this:

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12

Are you hoping for a big poker payday? Perhaps your own WSOP bracelet? It might take a lot of games and a lot of patience. It took us 13 tries before we won our first tournament at a Georgia bar. But we kept the hope going. And even better, we did this....

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. - I Timothy 6:17

We took our hope of success to God, praying for His will to be done. Success in poker has come in small ways over the years. But our main reason for entering poker rooms is to share a better hope....

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13

Galatians 5 shows joy and peace are two "fruit" of God's Holy Spirit. And beyond that....

...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

It's the only real hope we have beyond this life, you know. And we suspect the blessing of eternal life in the Kingdom of God will be far better than any trip to a cashier's window.

More Daily Doubles?

He made bets over and over. Time and time again. Minute by minute. Day after day. And practically all of them succeeded, making him a lot of money. Yet somehow, he's a bit reluctant to play poker.

Courtesy Las Vegas Review-Journal

We're talking about James Holzhauer, whose wins on the TV quiz show Jeopardy! this year have gained far more attention than any poker tournament. He heads to the World Series of Poker Monday, to compete in a (deep breath) No-Limit Hold 'em Super Turbo Bounty tournament.

"Jeopardy James" won more than $2.45 million on TV in recent weeks. Yet Holzhauer told a Las Vegas newspaper he's entering two WSOP events only because World Poker Tour host Mike Sexton offered to sponsor his buy-ins - and they total only $2,500. The former online player explained, "I'm sure I wouldn't be good enough at it to justify forgoing other opportunities". For him, that means betting on sports.

Holzhauer didn't help poker's reputation when he added, "My main goal is to get lucky." Poker advocates have faced an uphill fight convincing courts and governments that the game includes some skill.

Hand it to Holzhauer for having humility here. Even though he won more than 30 consecutive games on TV, he's not expecting to whip the world at the WSOP. We think plenty of players could learn from that example. A classic book puts it this way....

Good and upright is the Lord.... He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. - Psalm 25:8-9

Sometimes a humble walk before God can have fringe benefits, even at a poker table:

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. - Proverbs 11:2

"But wait," you may be saying. "Didn't we leave out the part of that psalm that applies to James Holzhauer? After all, he's a sports gambler!" Oh - yes, we did. Let's address that....

...Therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. - Psalm 25:8b

Indeed, many consider sports gambling a sin. (For some reason, we've never heard anyone call the risks of winnings on Jeopardy! a sin.) But we'd ask in return: are you sinning in some other way? Perhaps in a way you don't even see?

...For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. - Romans 3:23

Deep down, we're all not good enough for God. His standard is perfect (Psalm 18:30), and human beings are not. We need to be humble enough to ask for His help. Thankfully, He provided some.

...And are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. - Romans 3:24

You can be redeemed from sin through the sacrifice of the sinless Savior. Jesus Christ came from the throne of God in heaven to do that. But you need to humbly repent of your sin and accept Jesus as your Lord.

In a poker tournament, "daily doubles" can be hidden in any hand - opportunities to go all-in and double your chip count (or even triple it). Perhaps "Jeopardy James" will hit a few of those at the WSOP. We don't know if he believes in God for such things. If you do, maybe it's time you did - before the "final jeopardy" of death comes.
 

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.

Compliments of the Day

"A nice word is always welcome," the female dealer said as she swapped into our poker table.

We picked up on that. "OK. You look very nice today," we told her. "You're being a complimentarian."

Being a what? Admittedly, that's a word we'd never heard until the last couple of weeks, much less used. The Southern Baptists have had an in-house debate for about a year about "complementarianism" - the religious idea that males and females have different roles which complement each other.

But did you notice how we changed the spelling in our first quote? We decided to endorse the practice of complimenting (with an I) other people. This is something both males and females can do - even in the middle of a tense poker game.

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. - Proverbs 12:25

It can be as simple as complimenting an opponent on a well-played hand. Or you can try what we've done recently - complimenting a player wearing an out-of-the-ordinary hat.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. - Proverbs 16:24

But we'd put a small warning on this habit. Don't go over the top from complementarian to flatterer - using words of praise that you really don't mean.

A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin. - Proverbs 26:26

To put it another way: look for the good in others, as you look for good cards to play. It could make your next poker game more of a game, and less of a grind.

Much More Than 50 Cent

You can tell a younger poker player from an older poker player. The younger ones pronounce "50" as "fitty."

But joking aside, there's been a big feud in recent days between rap star 50 Cent and internet poker star Randall Emmett. Mr., uh, Cent claimed Mr. Emmett owed him one million dollars from years gone by, and made violent threats if the debt wasn't paid. Mr. Emmett claimed he had health problems which prevented him from paying the bill in full. But Mr. Cent posted on Twitter Monday morning:

got my money, so I have no problem with Randall Emmett, in fact I’m wishing him and his family a very blessed day.

positive vibes now guys. LOL

So all's apparently well that ends well. But we have thoughts about both sides of this fuss - and both of them could apply to you as well.

To Mr. Emmett: How did this happen? Why would you leave a million-dollar loan unpaid for six years? A famous book warns....

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. - Proverbs 22:7

If you're borrowing money to finance a poker habit, we dare to say you have two problems. You might be addicted to gambling, and you're putting yourself at the mercy of other people - people who may or may not be merciful toward you.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. - Romans 13:8

To Mr. Cent: Why go public with a debt such as this? And make violent threats on social media on top of that? That same famous book warns....

Do not exploit the poor because they are poor.... - Proverbs 22:22

Roommates ran up big debts toward us many years ago. (This was before we started playing poker, and before the internet became common.) We didn't broadcast their names and amounts to the general public. If you're going to pronounce a "blessed day" on someone, maybe you should follow this advice:

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. - Matthew 5:7

So we've found no winners here. There's fault for both sides, if they wish to claim it. Do you agree or disagree?

Poker Night 570: Club Crackers

Many poker rooms have cash game "bad beat jackpots", by the hour or based on a particular combination of cards. Players in tournaments usually don't qualify for them. That's too bad - because we were in the middle of one Wednesday night at Hollywood Casino Indiana:

BLINDS: 75/150

IN THE POCKET: Ace of clubs-7 of hearts

The dealers have not been kind to us so far. Few quality cards have come, yet we bluffed two of them into a modest pot at one point. This Ace is worth trying, especially with no one at the table of eight raising. We call, and about four players get in.

ON THE FLOP: 6c-8c-As

There's the top pair, right there! The play checks to us, and we bet 250. Two players call - and as they do, we note those clubs. If more of them, we feel secure with the "nuts" card.

ON THE TURN: 7c

There's a fourth club - and while we don't notice it right away, we have two pair. We check to see if our opponents are trigger-happy. Sure enough - a man to our left bets 550. Then a man to our right raises to 1,500! What's going on here? Does someone have a pocket pair which turned into three of a kind?

We ponder this a moment, then consider we have about 11,000 chips. It's our biggest risk of the night so far, but decide it's worth taking. We call. So does the man who raised first.

ON THE RIVER: Ad

Yes!! Our persistence leads to a full house.We check once more. So does the man to our left. But the player to the right goes all-in, for 4,550! This is the moment we've been waiting for.

"I'll call," we say with no hesitation.

"I'll fold. Your full house is good," says the man to the left.

"I actually have a full house," we say as we show. Surely we've won this big....

"But he has a straight flush," the dealer points out.

WHAT?!?! Sure enough - the man who pushed displays 5-9 of clubs! He won the pot on the turn, and his bet tried to warn us - but we pushed on to our hurt.

That bad beat was a big blow to us, leaving our stack at 4,250. We fought back with some good rounds in the blinds, reaching 7,550 at the one-hour break and surviving to the final table with 5,500. In our first hand after arriving there, we went for the bundle by going all-in with A-J of clubs.

Trouble is, two other players pushed as well - one with A-J, the other with A-K. Another King on the turn secured that other player a huge pot and a double take-out. We finished the evening tied for ninth out of 17 players (officially tenth).

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Welcome to Hollywood, the place where dreams come true. What's your dream?"

Our first dealer said this several times. We thought it was from a commercial for the casino. He eventually explained it's a line from the movie Pretty Woman. But when he asked us that question, we were thrown for a moment.

"My dream is that this is a nice flop," we answered first. (It was the pre-flop bidding.)

After the flop (which, we should note, was not that nice for us), we had a better answer. "I have other dreams, though. I dream of Jesus Christ coming back to set up the Kingdom of God on this earth."

That should be the ultimate dream of a believer in Jesus. Yet this is a "dream" in our modern-day thinking about them. The Old Testament of that Bible talks about many dreams, which were actually messages from God. But there's also this moment....

When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.... - Psalm 126:1-2

Some Bible commentaries indicate this was written to celebrate Israel's return to Jerusalem in the era of Ezra and Nehemiah. We'd call it a "dream come true" for that people.

There are many dreams that only God can bring to pass. Only God can bring back Jesus Christ, although we can pray deeply for it (Revelation 22:20). But sometimes, your dream depends a lot on you....

It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them. - Proverbs 13:19 (NLT)

Could God be blocking a dream in your life, because of your evil ways - or, in old-fashioned language, your sins? This verse certainly indicates that. So do some others....

...You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. - James 4:2-3

Bottom line: Pray for God to fulfill your dreams - but check your own life first. Is your motive for the dream proper? Or would it take you down a funnel into deeper sin and more trouble? This is a good time of year for "self-examination" (II Corinthians 13:5) of all our lives.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 217 final tables in 570 games (38.1%) - 46 cashes. Since passing the 500-game mark, we've made 34 final tables out of 70 games. That's one game short of 50 percent!

Coming Out of Darkness

Some professional poker players don't stop their gambling at the poker table. They make bets on other things - sometimes quite outlandish things.

One strange recent case involved Rich Alati, who was offered $100,000 if he stayed in a bathroom for 30 days. A bathroom with no lights - the only "extras" being a bed, an unlit refrigerator and five cameras watching him.

It sounds like something out of solitary confinement at a prison or a concentration camp. Yet Alati endured it so well that the man who offered the bet settled for about $62,000 after 20 of the 30 days. (How they negotiated this while Alati was in the bathroom is unclear.)

We find this fascinating because, whether you realize it or not, we're all doing this to some extent. We're living in a dark place....

But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over. - Proverbs 4:19 (NLT)

This may seem like an enlightened age, with technology which was only a dream 200 years ago. But the Bible says wickedness and sin have darkened this world....

And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them.... God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. - Jude 6 (NLT)

That "darkness" is not some mythic underground world. Sadly, it's here on Earth - where we are (Revelation 12:9).

But the good news is that we don't have to stay in darkness, like Rich Alati did. God provided a big "out" for us....

And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world.... John 3:19 (NLT)

It's more than sunshine by day, or the moon by night....

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." - John 8:12 (NLT)

Following Jesus is a walk out of wicked darkness, into light. And the payoff is far better than $100,000 - it's eternal life.

Alati hasn't made many final tables in his career, but has healthy winnings from tournaments. Now he also has a place in poker trivia, which could lead to more stardom. But we challenge you to do the opposite of what Alati did. Come out of this world's darkness - and stay there.

For more on this topic, listen to a short message we presented in 2017.

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.

Back to School

An old cliché says you can't teach old dogs new tricks. But perhaps that depends on the dog.

Not that we're calling Daniel Negreanu a "dog" - but "Kid Poker" made a surprising move in the last year or so. He underwent three months of lessons on "game theory," after feeling he was "a step behind" young German players. Negreanu says he learned "new concepts" about poker. And we'd say they've worked; his winnings in the last 12 months are above $4 million.

We're not sure exactly what new concepts he learned. But can you learn something from what Negreanu did?

First of all, Negreanu humbled himself. We've long said that poker is a game that can keep you humble. But in this case, a six-time WSOP bracelet winner realized he needed to improve. Instead of trash talking the rising stars, he seemed to follow this advice....

The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble. - Proverbs 3:34 (NLT)

Some poker players have become legendary for their insults and put-downs at the table. Negreanu's approach was to step back and analyze his own play. And so should we - even beyond poker:

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves.... - II Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)

Read the rest of that Bible verse, to see an important question about your faith - not in yourself, but in Someone bigger.

But back to Negreanu: he then was willing to learn. At age 43, he sought advice in learning how to be a better poker player. All of us could use that sort of attitude...,

Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen, - II Peter 3:18 (NLT)

You say you know poker? Become a student of the game, watching others carefully for new twists and approaches. And do you say you know God and Jesus? Don't be too sure of that, either. All of us need to grow in our knowledge of the ultimate family. That can come from watching others, too....

Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise. - Proverbs 13:10 (NLT)

Negreanu apparently took that advice - and his bank account is better for it. Might that work for you? In poker, and in life?

What the World Needs Now....

Some people will recognize those words from an old popular song. The next few words are: "....is love, sweet love."

We begin writing this moments after authorities in southern California confirmed a deadly mass shooting at a bar. It seems no place is safe from violence anymore - not a synagogue, not a school, and undoubtedly not even a poker room. Stories of the Old West are filled with poker table tension.

Our last post mentioned that one way to act for God is to "walk in love." It should be obvious that walking into a poker night with a weapon, ready to take action if you don't win, is not a loving walk. So what is?

Thankfully, the Bible devotes an entire chapter to that. And it's quite detailed. For starters...

Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. - I Corinthians 13:4

Each of these is a blog post in itself. And it makes a great practical checklist for examining yourself, to see how loving you really are.

Let's take the first point, for instance. Patience with the cards you're dealt is more likely to keep you in a tournament. You may have a series of 2-7 and 3-8 starter cards, but the odds are that good cards eventually will come.

Now consider this transition....

A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. - Proverbs 19:11

This is patience that goes beyond a round of blinds. It means being patient with other people around you - whether it's the dealer who loves to talk about his road trips, another player who goes "into the tank" at key moments, or the server who's delayed in bringing your drink.

This is a loving patience - expressed as much by what we don't say as what we do. You might have to tell yourself to do it over and over, to get into a habit of doing it. But the result will be an approach that's in line with God. After all, God is more patient with us than you might think....

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.... - Lamentations 3:22

Think about each of the "points of love" in I Corinthians 13 carefully (the list extends for several verses). Think about how you can apply them to your next poker night. Then make a plan to do them - asking God in prayer to help you do it.

The Art of the Deal

Our last post mentioned what should have been a big disappointment for us - falling one spot short of the money at a poker tournament. But instead, we wound up with a "bubble boy" consolation prize from the other players. It was three-fourths of our $80 buy-in.

How did we do that? Well, we've never read the Donald Trump book that inspired our title. But here are some things that we think helped our cause - and they could help you in poker someday as well:

1. Be friendly. Some players show up at the table like poker is something between a workday at the office and a prelude to World War III. But we're reminded of a verse our long-time pastor in Georgia quoted often....

A man that has friends must show himself friendly.... - Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)

If Mr. Grumpy Grinder had finished fourth on Sunday night, then stormed away from the table, there's no way the other players would have offered to help him. But we tried to be friendly all evening, and it paid off.

2. Be a good sport. Related to #1, be willing to encourage other players when the moment is appropriate. Consider these words to a church group long ago....

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - I Thessalonians 5:11

Keep the trash talking to a minimum. We also make sure we shake hands with the player who knocks us out of a tournament. Many of them are stunned when we do that.

3. Develop a sense of humor. Long-time readers of this blog know we wrote a mostly-comedy blog first, and had a subscription comedy service before that. So we've developed a good sense of how to keep things light during a tournament. And believe it or not, the Bible supports laughing....

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.... a time to weep and a time to laugh.... - Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

There had been talk of splitting the prize money late in the final table. But after we were eliminated, we said tongue-in-cheek to the dealer, "You'll notice no one talked about 'Bubble Boy' money here." That little one-liner inspired the donations!

One of the final three on Sunday night said it was a "very entertaining" tournament. That's part of our goal, but only a part. To borrow from a church bulletin we saw years ago: to get them listening (as in comments about God and Jesus), get them laughing.

If you have other ideas, feel free to leave a comment. And may your poker days be not only profitable, but even a little fun.

The Patience Is In

Poker references can come up when you least expect them. We caught one last week, while watching the Emmy Awards.

"If you wait long enough, the chips come to you," a winner said during his acceptance speech.

Regular poker players might take issue with that. Hours of grinding at a cash game still can end with losses. Tournaments filled with weak cards and rising blinds can lead to early exits.

But we think the point of that quote is being patient. We've found patient play has helped us reach many final tables. And it's a good Biblical concept....

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. - Psalm 40:1 (NLT)

If patience is a problem for you at the table, here are some ideas that could help. First, resist the urge to go "on tilt" - playing any two cards you see, because you felt wronged or robbed moments before.

Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. - Proverbs 29:11 (NLT)

There could be more time to make a comeback than you first think.


Our second idea relates to that. Tell yourself quietly (or in your brain) to "wait for the moment." The late rock singer Tom Petty declared, "The waiting is the hardest part." But it's good to wait with anticipation....

As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. - Micah 7:7 (NLT)

We sometimes say this more bluntly: "Don't do anything stupid."


Which leads to a third idea: determine in advance when "the moment" will occur. If football and basketball teams can devise a strategy before the game, so can you. Which cards are "must play" for you? Which are “must avoid”, depending on the situation?

Believe it or not, God is a planner. And He’s patiently working out a massive one right now on Earth - one which affects you:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” - Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

Give your plans to God. Plans for the day, the poker tournament.... everything. If they don’t match His plans, trust God that His plan is better. It may not seem like in the heat of a poker moment, but they really are.

Remember As You Play....

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. - Proverbs 16:33

We've read a lot lately about lots. Not the property where you live or some chain of discount stores - but "lots" used in the Bible.

That's because Wednesday was "Yom Kippur" or the Day of Atonement for many Jews and some Christians. In ancient times, lots were used on that day to make a choice between animals....

He is to cast lots for the two goats - one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat.... the goat chosen by lot for the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat. - Leviticus 16:8, 10

The NIV Study Bible says in commenting on Proverbs that ancient lots may have been pebbles "drawn out or shaken to the ground." It sounds a bit like throwing dice. But can you see how it could relate to poker - with cards shuffled and dealt blindly by a dealer?

When it comes to people choosing a goat for a sacrifice, a lot is no big deal. (Well, except maybe to the goats.) But when it comes to other things, lots can be big. Some poker cards are potentially good ones, while others are worth only a quick fold.

Yet don't overlook the last part of that verse in Proverbs: "Every decision is from the Lord." As our study Bible puts it, "God, not chance, is in control."

This admittedly is a very hard thing for many people to believe, especially in the heat of a hand. We figure the odds of making a straight or flush, and those odds are mathematically accurate. But can we believe God controls how things work out?

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. - Proverbs 16:9

Believe it or not, the sooner we believe that, the more comforting our poker games might become. You do all that you can to succeed. But trust God with the outcome - and accept it, even if it hurts.

This is not a case of appealing to "the poker gods." There's only one true God:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. - Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Go all-in to love the real God - and He might take control of some poker hands. But more importantly, He'll take control of big events in your life....

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28

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?

Poker Night 550: The Ace Looks Familiar

"Aces only win 30 percent of the time," a man told us Wednesday night at Hollywood Casino Indiana. We learned that the hard way on our last poker night there. So imagine what might happen if history repeated itself....

BLINDS: 75/150

IN THE POCKET: A-A

We won an early pot with K-5 when two 5's came on the flop. Now we've been moved to a newly-formed table on this two-table tournament night - and look at what we've found on the very first hand! In mid-position at a table of six, we modestly raise to 300. A man across the table calls, but the rest aren't interested.

ON THE FLOP: A-2-Q

An auto club flop for us - as we have A-A-A. But the other man is first to act. He checks. We make a modest continuation bet of 500, and he calls. If this is like our last tournament and he has pocket Queens, the tables truly will turn.

ON THE TURN: 7

We can't imagine that helped our opponent at all. But he pulls a surprise, by betting 2,500. There's no straight or flush threat here - yet we pause for a moment simply because we're baffled. Why is he betting so much, especially considering what we have? We conclude there's nothing to fear, so we call.

ON THE RIVER: 9

"I'm all-in," our opponent says. Now we're convinced he was trying to bluff us away. That won't work, though; we take less than five seconds to call.

The opponent shows.... A-4. (We believe they were suited spades.)

"You've got an Ace. That's good," we say. "But I've got two Aces."

The opponent groans. He overbet, and his night is finished. Our chip count jumps to more than 24,000 in only one hand. Talk about a "turbo" tournament.

We tried to play carefully from there, and reached the first break at 24,750. Pocket Aces came twice more (once unshown), and we used them to knock out a second player. Despite some second-hour efforts which didn't pay off, we cruised to the final table at 22,300.

But then the cards started drying up for us. At the second break, we still had 18,100. But rising blinds were our undoing; we finally were forced to go all-in with Q-J, and a caller with pocket 10's won the race when the board didn't pair for us. At least we improved to sixth place out of 13 players, after the last early bust.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Let the Big Blind Special shine its light on me...." a large man sang when his turn in the Big Blind came.

"I think that was originally a gospel song," we said to him. We checked later, and must admit that's not true - although there is a gospel version of the Midnight Special tune (which some of you may know best from an old Friday night concert series on TV).

But our comment sparked a discussion about Christianity, and we found the man knew a number of Bible verses. At one point, he quoted this....

Death and life are in the power of the tongue... - Proverbs 18:21 (KJV)

"I'm 'speaking life' over my chips," the man added.

At that point, he turned from sounding like a believer to sounding irreverent and far-fetched. Some Christian preachers admittedly say if you pray hard enough or faithfully enough for something to grow, the growth will happen. And in fact, the man's chip stack improved from about 2,300 to the 10,000 range after we joined his table.

We'll save what happened from there for another post - but let's get back to that Bible verse. The man only quoted part of it....

….and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. - Proverbs 18:21b (KJV)

What does that mean? Doctors know if you swallow your physical tongue, you're at risk of dying. But we think a good Biblical explanation is found one verse earlier:

From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest of his lips he is satisfied. - Proverbs 18:20

The words we say (or write on social media) can cause a big impact. They can bring insight to other people. They also can incite them to anger, and even violence. And at the end of the day (or better put, our days), God is keeping track of it all.

But I tell you that man 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

Our final table turned for a while into a comedy hour, with several people sharing jokes and stories. Sadly, most of them would be rated R or worse at the movies. So what are you saying when you play poker? And more importantly, how would Jesus judge it?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 203 final tables in 550 games (36.9%) - 41 cashes. Since hitting the 500-game milestone in April 2017, we've made 20 final tables out of 50 (40%).

Mo' Money, Mo' Money?

After some recent disastrous nights, we decided to hit the "pause" button on poker tournaments this past week. The timing was ironic, because of a book we've been studying lately. It's a book that talks about acquiring money and wealth (among other things). Consider these words from a wise man:

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. - Ecclesiastes 5:10

Ecclesiastes is a Biblical book which comes right after Proverbs - and King Solomon is commonly considered to be the main writer of both. That king of Israel could write knowledgably about wealth because he had plenty of it:

The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents, not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the land. - I Kings 10:14-15

Our NIV Study Bible says "666 talents" came to about 23 metric tons of gold. That's 23,000 kilograms, or more than 50,000 pounds. With the price of gold this weekend at about $1,184 per ounce, that computes in modern terms to more than $900 million per year! This makes the WSOP Main Event almost look like chump change.

Yet King Solomon came to realize all that wealth eventually comes to an end....

I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool?.... - Ecclesiastes 2:17-18

We've never seen a safe buried alongside a wealthy person. It wouldn't be "safe," anyway, because people would be tempted to steal it.

Our point is that if you're playing poker simply to run up a bankroll, that can be fleeting. Even if you keep setting earnings records, you'll lose it all when you die (Proverbs 27:20). That's why it's better to make something else your top pursuit....

But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. - Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

The Bible promises God's Kingdom will last forever. That's where our "treasure" focus needs to be (verses 19-21). Is that where yours is - in the poker room, and outside it?

Poker Night 547: Hit the Road, Jacks

"You're a very good writer," the man two seats to our left at Jack Casino said tonight. That man did something we don't recall anyone ever doing before - looking up this blog during a tournament on his smart-phone.

"You might learn all my secrets," we warned him. After all, we hadn't told any other players in our new area about this blog. This hand won't be a secret to him, either. It was all on display, and symbolic of our night....

BLINDS: 150/300

IN THE POCKET: A-Q offsuit

Things have been quiet for us so far, with few strong cards to play. But this hand potentially is different. Sitting two seats off the Big Blind, we limp in and wait for raisers. But even though this table is on the aggressive side, no one raises. About six players are in, at a table of eight.

ON THE FLOP: Jx-10x-7d (Don't recall suits of first two cards)

No pair for us, but a lot of hope - two overcards, with a draw for the top straight. The Small Blind checks, but the Big Blind offers 400. That's not too much; we'll call. Five players remain.

ON THE TURN: Qd

Now we have top pair, and a chance to make a move. Both blinds check, so we bet 1,000 - silently hoping that will run off other players who might be chasing flushes or straights. But only one man folds; three other players stick around.

ON THE RIVER: 9d

That's the last card we wanted to see! Our main concern is the three diamonds showing for a potential flush - but anyone hiding an 8 has made a straight. The Big Blind checks, and we decide we have to be firm instead of cautious.

"Thousand again," we say as we set out an orange chip. A man to our left folds. Good. A man across the table folds. Better! But Mr. Big Blind calls.

"Queens with an Ace," we say and show. The Big Blind turns over.... Jack-10! He made two pair on the flop, and refused to take our hints to run away. His firmness won him a big pot.

That's the kind of night it was for us. We won only one pot, never got above our starting stack of 15,000, and watched marginal hands we folded make it big on the flop.

We finally were forced to go all-in for 2,500 with 9-8 of diamonds. That Big Blind man from before had A-J for a big lead - but the flop was 7-8-9! The turn was a Queen, leaving us one card from a comeback. But, of course, the river was a Jack. His two pair were better, and we walked out in 19th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Inspired by a weekend sermon, we brought a small connected packet of salt and pepper for our card protector.

"I brought this to remind me," we told a man to our left, "that Jesus said I'm supposed to be the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13).

The man liked that idea - and when we asked, he told us Jesus was his Savior. "I'm a Catholic," he noted.

"What's Jesus done for you lately?" we asked.

"Nothing right now," he answered. But then he entered a hand we folded, and won a big pot.

"Things went right for you there," we pointed out.

He didn't answer that. But come to think of it, maybe it's not all about God doing the right thing for you - even though He can....

Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. - Proverbs 10:6

To borrow from U.S. President John Kennedy and a Spike Lee movie, maybe it's really more about you doing the right thing for God. But we have to be careful in how we do that....

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. - Proverbs 16:25

....Such as some of the hands we tried to play tonight. But if you know what you're doing is the right thing (for instance, if the Bible verifies it), you should go forward with it.

And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. - II Thessalonians 3:13

Perhaps you're stumped by exactly what it means to "do right." We posted an article several years ago with our thoughts about that, based on Bible study and our own church experience. Perhaps what we discovered can help you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 201 final tables in 547 games (36.7%) - 41 cashes.

Eyes Upon You

Want to be a TV star? All you have to do is sit down in some casino poker rooms. Security cameras are placed above tables, to record every hand and ensure every player and dealer is ethical.

But in a recent post, we mentioned a watch that's even higher in the sky than that. The Biblical book of Ezekiel includes a vision indicating "living creatures" have wheels "full of eyes all around" (Ezekiel 1:16-18).

This admittedly sounds weird - like something from a horror movie. What could those eyes be looking for? Another Old Testament book hints at the answer:

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.... - II Chronicles 16:9

In the classic words of Bugs Bunny: Did you ever get the funny feeling you're being watched? Well, the Bible indicates you are. God is watching - and living cherubim are helping Him do it.

The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. - Proverbs 15:3

God is doing this to build a case for a day of judgment, which will come after we die. It could be a case for you.... or against you.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it....And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.... each person was judged according to what he had done. - Revelation 20:11-13

What can you do to prepare for this judgment? The answer is back in that verse from II Chronicles. Be "fully committed" to God the Father and Jesus Christ.

So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. - I Peter 4:19

You might get mocked at a poker table for trying to do God's will. We faced that this past week, at a final table. But commit to doing good deeds for God, and He promises to notice. He's watching, keeping score - and if you last to the end, a nice reward is coming.

Hello, Friends

This year's World Series of Poker is underway in Las Vegas - and as usual, it's far more than one tournament. This year, the "Main Event" is only "Event #65" out of 78 on the schedule.

Courtesy WSOP.com

One of the big early winners is Roberly Felicio of Brazil. He won one million dollars in the "Colossus", defeating more than 13,000 other contestants. Felicio admitted he arrived in Las Vegas "with only one friend" - but as he advanced, other Brazilian residents started rooting loudly for him from the rail.

The skeptic in us wants to ask: Are those supporters really Felicio's friends now?

National pride can create spur-of-the-moment friendships, of course. So can the hope of sharing in someone's big jackpot or success. But a true friendship should go deeper than that....

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. - Proverbs 17:17

Will that person be with you if you don't make the money - or when the money runs out? If so, that's a sign of a real friend. Someone once walked the earth who was willing to be that kind of friend....

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, "Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and 'sinners.'" But wisdom is proved right by her actions. - Matthew 11:19

Jesus Christ said this in response to Pharisee critics. They couldn't believe a man doing miracles and claiming a relationship with God would associated with such people (Matthew 9:11). But He did, for a reason:

...For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. - Matthew 9:13

Some believers in Jesus are quick to call Him the "sinners' friend." That's true. But Jesus put very strict requirements on friendship with Him:

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. - John 15:13-14

Some people stayed close to Jesus because He did miracles providing them free food. He realized that, and told them off for it (John 6:26-27). But are you studying the Bible to see what Jesus commands you to do? It's a relationship that should go much deeper, and far beyond the emotions of a poker tournament.