Poker Night 582: Escape Acts

The evening seemed to start perfectly. The drive to Lawrenceburg, Indiana had almost no slowdowns - a change from last Wednesday, when a wreck made the trip 70 minutes long. We found lots of big boxes to collect outside a drug store. And thanks to a birthday special, Hollywood Casino let us eat the Epic Buffet dinner for free (well, OK, we tipped the server).

The only thing missing was a night of triumph in the poker room. Could it happen....?

BLINDS: 1,500/3,000 (as best we remember)

IN THE POCKET: K-K

It's the third hour of play, and we've had another night of drama. After early losses, A-10 brought a 10 on the flop which won a big pot. We reached the first break at 13,775 chips (starting from 12,000). Big bets with pocket Aces and A-8 in Hour 2 led us to 20,400. But misses then set us back to 11,700 - enough to reach the final table at Break 2.

Now six players remain. Since 20 entered, only two will win money. The blinds are steep. We have a big pocket pair, early in the betting order. So we go for broke - going all-in with 18,400 chips left. Who will dare to take us on?

We watch players to our right fold. Then we notice a woman to our left. She called.... and she has pocket Aces! This classic clash happens only 2.4 percent of the time.

"I probably won't win this," she says. Oh really? She's an 81-percent favorite to knock us out.

ON THE FLOP: 2-3-5

No third King, and even more trouble. Now Ms. Aces has a straight draw.

ON THE TURN: 4

Oh well. "There's the straight," we say. "and that's the ball...."

ON THE RIVER: 6

"Wait!" other players say. Amazingly, there's a straight on the table! We stay alive, and gain about 1,000 chips on the split because of the blinds.

We offer our opponent a long-distance fist bump. "I'm not sure her fist would have been friendly," a player to our right jokes.

"More like a Five-Finger Death Punch," we joke in agreement.

We had other big moments like that, including A-Q which matched another player and resulted in a chop. The field dwindled to five players, then four. We reached Break 3 with 15,000 chips. Then a miscalculation by a player left us in the top three!

We hinted at the "C-word" (chop) and "BB-words" (bubble boy), but our opponents ignored it. Finally with the Big Blind at 6,000, we were forced to push with a lowly 4-10. This time the board didn't bail us out, and a woman to our right hit it big with her own pocket Kings. A long night with some close calls ended with no money, but a thrilling third place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man who started the tournament to our immediate left said he was feeling good.

"I try to be good," we told him - and he seemed to understand. Then we paraphrased a Bible passage about that effort....

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do.... no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing. - Romans 7:15, 19

The apostle Paul explains in this complex-sounding section that he's not inherently good (verse 18). In fact, we all have a sinful nature - so deep down, none of us are good. We continued the paraphrase:

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! - Romans 7:24-25

A distraction then happened, which prevented us from asking the man what he thought of this. So we'll ask you. Have you come to realize you do a lot of evil things - sometimes because you have no choice? Those evil things leave you doomed to death. But like that poker hand, there's an escape hatch here as well:

For the wages of sin is death., but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice - taking the penalty for sin that we're supposed to face, so that we might gain eternal life in God's Kingdom. Be thankful for that sacrifice, and ask God in prayer to have it applied to you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 224 final tables in 582 games (38.5%) - 48 cashes. Oh, about those boxes.... we'll explain why we collected them very soon.

Poker Day 578: Hit and Miss

A change in our work situation allows to play in daytime poker tournaments for the time being. That led us today to Hollywood Casino Indiana, where we had a tough act to follow - since the husband of one of our nieces made the money at the World Series of Poker Main Event the night before. Could we match or top that?

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: 9-3 offsuit

So far today, we haven't matched anything.An aggressive play with A-Q suited lost to a man with a 10 who made a pair on the flop. We've dropped from a starting 12,000 chips to about 9,200. This normally would be folding time for us - but we're in the Small Blind and no one's raised at a full table of nine. We dare to call, since it only costs 50 more.

ON THE FLOP: 5-6-7

An interesting "island" flop for us. We can connect to a straight with a 4 or an 8. We check, and a man to our left offers 300. We call, and we recall four players still remaining.

ON THE TURN: 4

There it is - we hit the straight! We're first in order, and slow-check. But the man who bet before now throws out 800. Other players are calling, and now this becomes a cliché: Be careful what you wish for, because you might really get it.

We're pretty sure the bettor has an 8, for the better straight. Why else would be bet? Our "under-straight" now has us underwhelmed. "I'd better not," we say.... and fold.

ON THE RIVER: 8

Wow! We would have hit the straight both ways. And we could have topped the straight on the board, with our 9! No one bets now.

"I'm playing the board," the man who bet first says. No one had a 9, so we could have claimed a big pot. So the final score: two hits - but a big miss. And it all seemed so logical.

We finally won a good pot to reach the first break at 9,925. Hour Two brought a huge round in the blinds, as A-5 won with two pair and 8-J turned into a full house. We reached a high for the day of 18,100, and reached the final table at 15,400.

Our second-break total was 14,100, as we missed eliminating a man at the end thanks to a 7 on the river. Then came a couple of good hands which lost - and with blinds mounting, we finally went for it all with K-J. A man who was hitting big cards and amassing a monster stack of chips called.... with K-Q of spades. Of course, he hit a flush. That left us out in seventh place, out of 19 entries. Only the top two earned money.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man to our right at our starter table claimed at one point that he's gained the nickname "a**hole." We told him that didn't sound very nice.

"At least he's publicity," he said. "Any publicity beats no publicity, right?"

"Satan the devil's had a lot of publicity," we answered. "And I don't think it's going to turn our well for him in the end."

That seemed to go over the heads of everyone - but do you grasp what we're saying? A lot of people talk about the devil. In fact, they may be under the devil's sway without realizing it.....

..But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short. - Revelation 12:12

Satan (which we believe is really an "it," not a male "him) has spiritual control of this world right now:

The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.... - Revelation 12:9

But God sent someone to Earth to turn us away from Satan, and back to Him....

He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning . The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. - I John 3:8

Jesus came as the Son of God, and overcame the devil by living a sinless life. But the work of Satan won't truly be destroyed until Jesus comes again with His angels....

And I saw an angel coming down from heaven.... He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended.... - Revelation 20:1-3

As many preachers have said about the Bible, if you read to the back of the book, believers win. God will win. Jesus will win. The devil's P.R. machine will go bust, like our K-J did today. Is that what you're seeking - even in this life?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 222 final tables in 578 games (38.4%) - 48 cashes.

Jack Cash Game: A World Without Love

Our last live cash game was more than three years ago in Canada. It did not go well. Tonight, we decided to try again at Jack Casino - because of what day of the year it was. We'll explain that in time, but first let's sum up whether this cash game did any better....

BLINDS: $1/$3

IN THE POCKET: A-9 offsuit

It's "Main Event" season for poker tournaments at Jack. Dozens of players are in action there. That actually leaves room at a cash game table for us to walk right in with $200 in chips.

After some modest entries and losses, we now have pretty good cards. A man down the table from us raises to 11. We won't back down; instead we call. Five players at the table of six are in; we gain button position.

ON THE FLOP: 6d-4h-7d

A pretty drab flop, especially considering how many players are involved. The first man goes all in.... for a "Price Is Right" style bid of one dollar. The dealer rules since he doesn't have the minimum three, other players don't have to bet if they wish. None of us do; we check.

ON THE TURN: Jh

Everyone in front of us checks again, so we decide it's time to reach for the stars.... uh, pot. We bet six. Two players call, while one folds. (And remember, the one-dollar bettor remains all in.)

ON THE RIVER: 3d

This card opens the door for a lot of things - and none of them are good for us. The man who bet 11 to start things off now offers 20. Is he bluffing, with possible straights and flushes out there?

We don't risk it. We fold. So does the other man with chips. The aggressive player turns over.... pocket 5's! His straight landed on the river, and eliminated one player.

Most of the night was like that for us. We won two pots back-to-back without reaching the river, then turned J-10 into a nice full house. But by and large, our speculation was in vain. We finally left after more than an hour with a loss of $119. Going to the blackjack table didn't help; we lost $55 more there.

MINISTRY MOMENT: There was none on this night. None at all. And that was intentional. Regular blog readers may know the reason why. The rest will find out why in our next post. (Hint: it has to do with our title.)

Poker Night 557: Couple's Therapy

It was a dark and rainy night. Then suddenly.... a poker game broke out.

That's as far as we'll go, in comparing Wednesday night's tournament at Hollywood Casino Indiana to Halloween. We made a good decision to avoid the "holiday" by playing poker there. Scarcely anyone there put on costumes. And the only "scares" at the table were the usual ones. You know....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: K-Q offsuit

The one-hour break is approaching, and we need a rally. Despite winning an early pot or two, things have not gone well. Hands like 8-8 have fallen short. Now we have good cards in the leadoff position, with 9,350 chips from a starting 12,000. We limp in, as is our custom. The players on either side of us call, with no raises.

ON THE FLOP: Jh-10c-9c

WOW! The royal couple leads the way to a straight! But what will other players do? A woman in the Big Blind does us a favor, by betting 2,000. But then comes the "scare" - because two clubs are showing, so someone might be chasing a flush. We decide a patient play would be too risky.

"All-in," we announce - for 9,150. The man to our left wants nothing to do with that. But that woman thinks things over for about a minute. We simply smile at her, to "help" with her decision.

"I'll call," she finally says.

"Do you have the straight?" we ask.

"I'm on the way." She shows K-10, with no clubs.

"Because I do have the straight." We show our cards.

"Nice," she admits. But could she escape with a split, by getting the complete straight?

ON THE TURN: 9s

The board pairs. No worries there.

ON THE RIVER: 2s

We go to the first break thanking God! We double-up to 20,200 chips, while the woman is left with only about 800.

After the break, we quickly reached the final table after a round of blinds with 19,600. But attempts to be creative failed from there. We survived to the second break with 8,200. Then with blinds climbing, we tried to force the issue by pushing with K-J. But a different woman made a full house to knock us out. Our money run ends, with an eighth-place finish on a 14-player night.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Only one dealer dressed up in a "costume" of any kind for the tournament, and that man simply put on an orange reflective vest. "Keep it as simple as possible," he explained.

We thanked our opening dealer for the fact that the poker room seemed to be a "Halloween-free zone." And we said a couple of times about the event, "Give the devil his don't" - as opposed to "his due."

If you think Halloween is simply a big money-making project for costume companies and other businesses.... well, that's true. But its roots are in something very ungodly:

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. - II Corinthians 4:4

That "god of this age" isn't the God of creation. It's Satan the devil - promoting darkness instead of light. Or have you noticed how dark, scary things dominate Halloween-related events and traditions? Here are some examples....

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. - Deuteronomy 18:10-11

It may seem like harmless fun in late October. But the Bible shows God views it differently:

Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.... You must be blameless before the Lord your God. - Deuteronomy 18:12-13

As one study Bible explains in its notes: consult with God about the questions of life - maybe even about whether you should play poker. Any other method goes outside God, and will not have his blessing.

Visit this link to learn more on the history of Halloween (and related events such as the "Day of the Dead" and "Guy Fawkes Day").

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 209 final tables in 557 games (37.5%) - 44 cashes.

Poker Night 556: Mercy-Me

What do poker players do when their local football team has a big game on TV? We've been in places where they showed up to play, and tracked the game between hands. In Cincinnati, they don't. The poker room at Jack Casino cleared out tonight, as kickoff approached for the Bengals and Kansas City.

That means our poker trip was well-timed. We put on a Chiefs hat (since we're from that area), entered the evening tournament - and found ourselves in a game with a grand total of 10 players. Our job was to make the money, and avoid being harassed by Bengal supporters....

BLINDS: 150/300

IN THE POCKET: 9-10 of clubs

Good cards have been scarce for us so far, and we've scarcely seen any flops. But because we've played patiently, two starting tables already have been combined into one "final" one at the third level

We're one of seven players right now, with about 12,000 chips out of a starting 15,000. This is a Big Blind hand, and no one raises. So we're happy to get in cheap with suited connectors. About four players take part.

ON THE FLOP: J-8-4 (not sure of suits, but one is a club)

We have an open-ended straight draw, so the clubs aren't really an issue. We check. So does everyone else.

ON THE TURN: Q

Bingo! The straight is ours. The Small Blind checks. We think about betting - but then notice four different suits are on the board. So we slow-play again by checking. A man across the table rewards that, by betting 700. Of course we call; other players fold.

ON THE RIVER: 2

A meaningless card. So should we bet now? We decide against it, checking to the aggressor. He responds by tossing out 1,000. Now it's time.

"I'll raise - 3,000," we say.

Then our opponent surprises us. "I'm all-in." For a lot more. This is a simple call for us.

"Did you hit the straight?" we ask.

"Two pair," he says as he turns the cards over. We never saw what the cards were. They didn't matter.

"I did hit the straight," we reveal. The opponent is surprised - and out of the running. A huge win puts us above 20,000 chips.

We kicked out a second player when we called an all-in bet with A-10. Those cards won a race over K-J, and we reached a high of 25,075 chips. The grind was on from there - reaching the two-hour break at 23,000, with only three players scheduled to earn prize money.

With four players left, we won an all-in bet with 6-6 over a skeptical man who had 6-7. Then we saw 8-8 and pushed again - but a man called us with two pair. He won that race, and we finished one slot away from....

Well, hold on. Then we made a parting humorous comment to the dealer, as we shook the other players' hands. "You'll notice no one offered to pay 'bubble boy' money" (for the player one out of the official money).

"I can do that!" said a man to our right. The other remaining players agreed with him! They reached into their wallets and gave us $20 bills! So from an $80 buy-in, we received an unofficial consolation prize of $60. Our second "bubble boy" finish at Jack Casino this year is as good as a cash win to us. So thanks to God, for three "moneys" in a row!

MINISTRY MOMENT: The man to our immediate right said at the end of one hand, "Lord, have mercy!"

Of course, that called for a reply from us. "I think God has more mercy on us than we know."

And you know.... that's what we received at the end of tonight's tournament. The three remaining players had mercy on us for hanging in there more than three hours. And it's something God is famous for giving....

Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. - Psalm 25:6

Poker can seem like a cut-throat game at times. But we've found many players leave that attitude at the table, as they play hands. They can be very giving at other times - in fact, sometimes putting us to shame. Are you like them? We think Jesus wants you to be:

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.... Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. - Luke 6:35-36

If God truly gave us what we deserved, Earth would be a barren place. That's because we've all sinned (Romans 3:23), and God punishes sin with death (Romans 6:23). The Lord Jesus who said those words was a walking example of God's mercy, because His life paid the penalty of our sins. That's a Lord worth following, and a God worth worshipping.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 208 final tables in 556 games (37.4%) - 44 cashes. We have no control over how many players show up for a tournament, so a one-table game is still a "final table" to us.

Poker Night 554: Jack 360

Have you ever played a poker tournament where someone made the final table twice? We saw it happen tonight at Jack Casino. So few players entered the Sunday night tourney that at least one eliminated man was able to re-buy his way into the final table before the first break. That wasn't the only memorable part of the night for us....

BLINDS: 1,200/2,400

IN THE POCKET: Queen-Jack of clubs

While others kept spending $80 a seat for a second chance in this game, we earned our way to the final table. After winning several pots, we've built a chip stack of about 19,000 after starting with 15,000. Now with eight players left, we have strong suited connectors. No one raises, so we limp in. Two other players are with us.

ON THE FLOP: Ac-Kh-10s (Suits might not be precise)

We hit the jackpot! And we want or straight to pay off right now. So after the first player checks, we go all-in. When a man to our left also goes all-in, we smell a big payday.

But first, there's a man to our right - someone who rebought four times to reach this point. "I've got you all beat right now," he declares. (If he's trying to draw a tell from us, we're trying to avoid it.)  "Unless you've got Queen-Jack...."

"I could have a lot of things," we admit in a non-committal way.

Then the man to our right turns over his cards! They're K-10 offsuit.

"Can he do that?" we ask the dealer.

"I can," says our opponent. "I'm last up, either way." The dealer doesn't confirm that view, so the opponent goes back into the tank. Finally he chooses to fold.

"By the way, I do have the straight," we say as we show our cards.

But what about that man to the left? He flips over.... Q-J! His are in spades. So this hand isn't quite settled yet.

ON THE TURN: 8s

Uh-oh - he's one spade away from a winning flush.

ON THE RIVER: 8h

A sigh of relief from us. A fist-bump for our opponent on the left, and an overall gain from a split pot.

Big cards came in spurts for us throughout the evening. A-K was strong enough to eliminate two players at the final table. Then we went dry, as the remaining players started grinding toward the money. Three players would be paid, out of 24 total entries.

We scored timely wins with A-J and 9-8 in the Big Blind. A man to our left clearly seemed to be gunning for us, but we were cagey and refused to over-commit.

Finally, four players were left. That man refused to accept a "chop" of the prize money. But after several setbacks impacting his huge chip stack, he finally accepted the split at around 10:00 p.m. At last - we really made the money at a tournament in our new area!

The four-way split gave each player $360. And because the Tournament Director filled out the names of winners from the bottom up, being last in line gained us the unofficial position of first place. We don't really think we were the chip leader at the end. But boy, that looks good!

We thank God for finally getting a breakthrough to "the money" after a strong final-table record in the Cincinnati area. (We had a "bubble boy" game in June.) It's our third cash win of 2018, and the biggest since Thanksgiving week of 2017 - just in time for Canadian Thanksgiving on Monday.

MINISTRY MOMENT: At one key final table moment, a man to our right exclaimed, "Jesus Christ!"

"He's my hope of salvation," we said - something that's become a common response for us.

"He's the only hope I've got!" the man surprisingly replied. "He's the only one you've got, too."

This was a talkative man who had downed a few beers. Yet we agreed on that key point. If you think you can save yourself by a long list of good deeds, we point you to the apostle Peter:

After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them.... "No! We believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." - Acts 15:7, 11

The words "just as they are" may bring back memories of an old Christian song. The context here is that "Gentiles" can receive salvation, as well as members of the tribe of Judah (the "they" and "we" of verse 11). How does this happen?

But because Jesus lives forever.... Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. - Hebrews 7:24-25

We all sin in one way or another, violating God's rules (Romans 3:23). But if we repent of our sins, Jesus Christ the Son can intercede at the throne of God the Father to grant us forgiveness.

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. - Hebrews 7:27

To go back to that song, it can start right where you are. It officially did for us on a cold January night years ago. Salvation will become final and complete when Jesus returns and the saints of God are resurrected. But we're trying to walk in that path now. We hope that man at the poker table is as well - and we hope the same for you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 206 final tables in 554 games (37.2%) - 42 cashes.

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.

Poker Night 541: Steal a Pot, Steal a Taco

Did you take advantage of Taco Bell's giveaway Wednesday? It was called, "Steal a win, steal a taco" because Golden State won on the road during the pro basketball finals. We claimed our free taco(s), then drove to Hollywood Casino Indiana hoping to claim something bigger....

BLINDS: 400/800

IN THE POCKET: A-J offsuit

The first hour of play was mostly lower for us, although we turned pocket Jacks into three of a kind which eliminated a player. We reached the final table with 8,900 chips out of a starting 12,000.

Now we're down to 5,000 chips in the Small Blind, with nine players left. We have pretty good cards and no one has raised, but we play conservatively and simply call. We recall four players being in the hand.

ON THE FLOP: 10-4-Q (middle card not precise)

That's why we played cautiously. We miss the flop, although we have a big straight draw. We check, but the Big Blind bets 2,000. Other players bail out, leaving us with a big decision. After pondering a moment, we decide on a power play.

"All of it," we declare - raising to 4,200. As a small stack, we don't have much to lose. If the Big Blind calls, we have about 10 outs. If not, at least we made another final table.

Our opponent spends a good deal of time thinking about this. Did we read a bluff correctly? When we think he's about to fold, he calls.

"Do you have a pair?" we ask with a bit of concern.

"Yeah," he says, "but not much of one." He turns over 2-2! So yes, he bluffed - but we have two very live cards.

ON THE TURN: 4

No, that wasn't it. One chance left.

ON THE RIVER: K

"Yes!" we say and pump our arm in victory. But for a moment, the female dealer doesn't grasp it. We're sitting to her immediate left, and she's hard of hearing in her left ear!

Other players point out the straight we made. We stay alive, and return to more than 10,000 chips.

The final table was relatively tight, and it took a long time to whittle down the field. But we took a player out with K-J, and received a 9 in the Big Blind which turned into quads!

We held on until four players were left. But after more than three hours of play, rising blinds finally were too expensive. We pushed in the Big Blind with Q-2. A woman called with K-6, and won the race when two more Kings hit the board. We finish fourth out of 14 players - the third time in six tournaments there that we've finished fourth! Too bad only the top two earned money.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man sitting to our left won a pot with an A-5 straight, known in poker as the "wheel."

"There's an old song about that," we told him. "Ezekiel saw the wheel.... in the middle of the air."

The man seemed intrigued for a moment, but then became distracted by other players and hands. But are you familiar with that song? It's a "spiritual" that we sang in our youth, and it has its basis in the Bible....

As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with his four faces. This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. - Ezekiel 1:15-16

What's going on here? The prophet Ezekiel is having "visions of God" (verse 1) - and he sees "what looked like four living creatures" (verse 5). Another section of his account helps explain....

The Lord said to the man clothed in linen, "Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city." And as I watched, he went in. - Ezekiel 10:2

So Ezekiel is watching "cherubim" in action - what our old hardbound dictionary calls "the second order of angels." It's quite different from the traditional pictures of cute angels. And one thing more about those wheels....

Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. - Ezekiel 1:18

Who needs "dash-cams" inside your car when you have eyeballs on wheels? And more to our point, what could all this possibly mean for us? Offer a comment if you'd like, and we'll get back to this section (and that song) in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: Tonight we mark 11 years of playing live tournaments - and we stand at 198 final tables in 541 games (36.6%), with 40 cashes. Since moving to our new area, the final table count is six out of eight!

Poker Night 540: Restless Hearts

The Stanley Cup finals. The Women's College World Series finals. The major league baseball draft. Amidst all that, we played poker tonight at Jack Casino. Could we, like Las Vegas hockey fans, have a golden night?

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: Ace of hearts-Queen of hearts

A couple of early efforts have not worked, and we come to the Small Blind with about 13,500 chips out of a starting 15,000. These big suited cards are worth a raise, and no one else at the full table of nine has done it.

"Three hundred more," we announce. Then the dealer corrects us, because we only put out 300. As Small Blind, we also must add 50 to match the Big Blind. OK, we'll do that. "What's 50 chips among friends?" we joke. But the serious matter is that three players call.

ON THE FLOP: 3h-4s-5c (last two suits may not be precise)

A flop from the wrong end of town, as far as we're concerned. But we're first to act, and realize we should to avoid looking weak. We bet 500. A man across from us calls.

Then a man at the far end of the table raises to 1,200. Huh?!?! What part of that flop led to a raise? Perhaps he has a low pocket pair, and made three of a kind?! We're not sure, but decide not to be bullied. We call. The other man calls, and three are left in the hand.

ON THE TURN: Jh

This is a bit better, because now we have a draw for the nut flush. This time we check - but the man down the table bets 3,000.

A lot of river cards are potentially good for us here: any 2 for a straight, any heart for a flush, and even an Ace or Queen to secure top pair. That adds up to 18 outs, with a 39 percent chance of success. But we think the man is trying to stop people on draws, and bet big to prove it.

"Nice block," we say - and fold. But the other man in the hand calls.

ON THE RIVER: 5s

We missed all the options, and feel better about our decision. The big bettor goes all-in, and the other man folds. Then the winner of the pot is nice enough to show what he had - A-2! He hit a straight on the flop, and defended it well.

That's the sort of night it was for us - a night when potentially big cards simply didn't work. While pocket 9's turned into a full house for a nice win (we never showed it), A-10 lost to a straight. Pocket 6's lost to pocket Jacks, when a man went all-in. Finally we were forced to go for it all in the Big Blind with K-Q - but a man with pocket Aces beat us. No final table tonight; we finished in 24th place out of 36 players.

Courtesy Twitter.com/DwightC87

MINISTRY MOMENT: Breaking sports news occurred during the tournament, with the death of pro football legend Dwight Clark.

"The good news," we told players around us, "is that he'll live again. There will be a resurrection."

Those players said nothing. Perhaps they didn't understand how we could we say that. Perhaps you've presumed Clark went to heaven immediately after he died. But the Bible tells us something else....

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.... - Hebrews 9:27

The sad news about life is that it ends. Our physical bodies will stop functioning, due to an endless number of reasons. But this "judgment" does not occur right away.

...So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. - Hebrews 9:28

Jesus will bring salvation. People don't have it in heaven now - not even believers in God. They're waiting for the second coming, in their graves.

Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. - Revelation 20:6

First?! Yes - the Bible indicates there are multiple resurrections, based on your relationship (or lack of it) with God and Christ. Eventually....

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.... The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:12

That point is when the real judgment takes place. We will not attempt to guess whether Dwight Clark will be in a first or second resurrection; that determination is up to God. But we offer sympathies to his family, and hope you'll consider carefully what the Bible really says about what happens when loved ones die.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 197 final tables in 540 games (36.5%) - 40 cashes.

Poker Day 530: Hidden in Our Hearts

Sometimes the best things in life are right in front of us, and we never stop to recognize them. That's true in poker, too. Watch what happened Friday at Kansas Star Casino....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: A-2 of hearts

Early missteps didn't work for us, but we've recovered to win one modest pot. We have about 3,000 chips from a starting 3,500, and we have these cards in the Big Blind. No one raises, so we check. As we recall, five players are taking part.

ON THE FLOP: 8h-9h-10c (third card suit not precise)

A potential straight for someone. We check. The table checks.

ON THE TURN: Qh

Even more potential. We check again. The table checks again.

ON THE RIVER: Jc

No more potential. A straight is on the table! We check once more. So does everyone else.

"I'm playing the board," we say as we turn over our cards. Others seemed resigned to that. The Small Blind has pocket 4's. Other players have Ace-small, like we do.

"Wait a minute!" a man two seats to our left suddenly exclaims. "There's a flush!"

Hey, what do you know - there is. And we have it! In fact, we have the nut flush! We were so busy looking at the straight develop that we totally ignored our suit. An opponent does us a favor, and we win several hundred chips.

Modest gains developed from there, and we reached the first break at a high for the day of 7,400. But then good cards started losing, nibbling away at our stack. We were down to 2,700 with rising blinds when we were moved to a different table.

But then one of those classic second-hour surges happened. Pushing with A-J brought no takers, and a gain to 3,600. Another all-in bet with A-Q brought a double-in when we beat a pocket pair with a Queen on the flop. Several other wins later, the table was stunned to see our stack at 24,500! Even 7-5 worked in the Big Blind, when we made a straight and knocked a player out.

In the third period, pocket Queens brought a win that helped us reach 37,500. A drought came after that, but we still survived to the final table with 18,500.

We won at least one more big pot with an unrevealed A-J. (We write this for the opponent who was stumped by our cards, and thinks he'll never know what we had.) Our stack built to about 49,000 - and as players fell off, we reached the top six and qualified for the money!

Then with five players to go, a massive hand happened. A man across from us pushed. We saw pocket Aces, and called. A third player did the same! The first pusher had J-J; the third had Q-Q - for three high pocket pairs in a five-handed game! But the man with Queens hit a straight on the river, knocking the first pusher out and leaving us with a mere 12,000.

That happened at break time - and after the break, we pushed again and failed. But a full afternoon of poker ended with us finishing fourth and winning $160! We hurried home to keep God's Sabbath, thankful for His blessing on our effort.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "You came here sad," a man pointed out during that second-hour surge. "And now you're rejoicing."

We had to agree. "As a minister in Atlanta once said," we told him as we restacked our chips, "'I preached myself happy.'"

Then a song came to mind, which we doubt anyone around us knew. "He has made me glad.... I will rejoice, for He has made me glad."

How much gladness do you see at a poker table? Probably not that much. Even when players win big hands, they tend to "stay in character" and not make too much of it. But if God make you glad, we think it's OK to show it....

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. - Psalm 9:1-2

David praised God here because He provided victory over the king's enemies (verses 3-6). But you don't need a massive triumph like that to be glad for God's blessings....

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. - Psalm 126:3

Those things could be as "simple" as a recovery from illness, or providing a helper when you have a need. But we think the greatest gladness is yet to come....

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad! - Psalm 14:7

"Restoring the fortunes" can go far beyond a double-up in a tournament. The ultimate salvation will occur when Jesus Christ returns to Earth:

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. - Revelation 19:7

Are you ready for Jesus to come again? If not, examine yourself carefully to make yourself ready - and be glad in the meantime for the great things God provides along the way.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 192 final tables in 530 games (36.2%) - 40 cashes. Experiment update: Down $65. Since our experiment started last November, we've made four final tables in 14 tournaments and won close to $700!

Poker Night 526: When Stars Stop Shining

"You've brave and courageous having poker tonight," we told the Tournament Director after stepping inside Five-Star Billiards. "Considering Wichita isn't having school tomorrow."

Only a thin layer of ice/snow covered the parking lot, so we were being humorous (even though school indeed is canceled). But minutes later, the Director had some sad news. Tonight was the final night of business for the billiard hall. Not many people apparently stopped by to play pool. So the drinks were half-price, but the poker blinds were the same as usual....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 9-K of hearts

It's the very first hand of the night - and the table is small. We're one of five players; cold weather may have combined with the closing news and the national holiday to kept people away. We're in the Big Blind, and the man with the deal raises to 400. Since these cards are suited, we'll take him on. The Small Blind calls as well.

ON THE FLOP: Qc-Jc-10d

Not our suit, but still quite handsome! We have both ends of a straight, but we politely check to the raiser. Sure enough, the Dealer bets 400. The Small Blind calls, but that's not enough for us.

"Raise - 1,000," we announce. Our two opponents call. Are they chasing what we have?

ON THE TURN: Qs

The board pairs - but if someone has a Queen, we're still in front. The Small Blind checks, and we bet 1,000 again. Both men call again, and we feel good.

ON THE RIVER: 5c

Now things aren't so good. Three clubs are showing, which opens the door for a flush. The Small Blind checks. We cautiously check. But the Dealer checks as well, giving us hope.

"I have a straight," we reveal.

"I have a boat."

What?!?!? The Small Blind turns over Q-5! Yes, he had three Queens - but the river brought him a full house. (The Dealer had A-J, and missed a higher straight.)

We lost the second hand we entered as well, and it looked like our night would be brief. But then we won a couple of pots, and tripled our stack to 19,900 when A-J led to three Aces. We reached the first break at 17,900.

We won another small pot in the second term, then lost two hands in a row to a man who first fooled us by bluffing a big hand, then actually made one. Yet we reached the final table with 6,000 chips.

At that point, we went all-in with K-J of spades. A woman called with A-5, but received an Ace on the flop. She took us out in eighth place - but at least we can say we reached the last two final tables at Five-Star.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The holiday marked today was Martin Luther King Day, and we referred to it a few times. "How about equality, with an extra 1,000 chips for all?" we joked - referring to the bonus WPT League VIP members receive at every tournament.

"Be known not by the color of your chips...." a man to our right offered.

"But the content of your character," we said when he couldn't remember the end of the sentence. "Character matters," we added.

It's been intriguing in recent days to hear U.S. right-wing conservatives turn that line from the "I Have a Dream" speech against Democrats. But we're not here to play politics. Instead, we wish more people emphasized what Dr. King mentioned. How is your character?

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. - Romans 5:3-4

Our hardbound dictionary has more than 15 definitions of "character." They include, "The combined moral or ethical structure of a person or group" and "Moral or ethical strength; integrity; fortitude." We think that's what these Bible verses have in mind.

God wants to build strong moral character in you. If you think you don't need God's help, we think you could be sadly mistaken....

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.... - Isaiah 64:6

That's especially true compared to God. So what can we do? Isaiah goes on to hint at an answer:

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. - Isaiah 64:8

It starts with believing in God, and allowing Him to do His work in you. God can provide His Holy Spirit to help.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those that live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.... the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. - Romans 8:5-6

We've mentioned before that receiving God's Spirit to develop His character begins with repenting of your sins (Acts 2:38). That "turn" is bigger than any poker card you'll ever see - and it can bring great victory, in this life and the next.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 191 final tables in 526 games (36.3%) - 39 cashes. Final score at Five-Star: three final tables in eight tournaments.

Poker Night 524: One Last Chance

We began our poker career in Columbus, Georgia - a city so much along the Georgia-Alabama state line that we could jog from our front door to Alabama in less than 15 minutes. The college football national championship game dominated that area's attention tonight. But we don't live there anymore, so we focused on the return of Monday night poker at Five-Star Billiards - warts and all.

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: A-Q

We won the first hand of the night with pocket 9's. Our chip stack has gone up and down from there. Now as we sit in late position, we decide to change our usual strategy. We call with these big cards, instead of raising.

A man to our immediate left who likes to wear a bowler hat at the table goes all in for 700. Two other players get in, so other players sort out the chips. Mr. Bowler Hat can win 2,800 chips. Another 1,200 is in a sidepot.

ON THE FLOP: A-10-J

We like the looks of this - top pair with almost top kicker. The other men check, so we bet 1,500.

"You don't know how to play, do you?" a man across the table grumbles.

"I don't?!" we ask. The man folds, indicating we should have left well enough alone.

"It's not a dry pot," says a man out of the hand. In poker lingo, that means a sidepot exists for three players to win. We bet more than the sidepot's value, which may explain why the disgruntled player thought it was outlandish. But as they say in late-season sports events, we want it more. And we get the sidepot, when the other player folds.

Now we show our cards, as a little grumbling continues. Mr. Bowler Hat turns over K-J. Middle pair is not enough.

ON THE TURN: 9

"And I didn't get it," Mr. Bowler Hat concedes. But he's overlooking something.

"There's still one more card," we point out to him. In fact, we both have draws for a clinching straight....

ON THE RIVER: Q

...and he makes it! Mr. Bowler Hat stays in the game, winning the main pot of 2,800.

We reached the first break slightly above the starting point, at 10,600 chips. Then the grumbling man seemed intent on getting us out of the tournament - answering our pre-flop raises by going all-in twice with two weak clubs. We "doubled up" on him twice, with A-8 and A-K. (We'll talk more about that tension in a future post.)

That man bowed out early, as did Mr. Bowler Hat. Pocket 10's which led to a third 10 on the turn helped us reach the final table with 17,000 chips - and we advanced to 28,000 by the second short break.

Minutes later, a woman went all-in for 45,000. We looked at Q-Q and declared, "The book tells us to play this." We also pushed, with only 25,000 left - but then discovered that woman had pocket Aces. The board brought no rescue for us. We finished in seventh place, and perhaps in need of another book.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Because of holidays, WPT League night at Five-Star Billiards had moved to Tuesdays for the last couple of weeks.

"I take part in a Bible discussion on Tuesday nights," we explained to Mr. Bowler Hat.

"What do you talk about?" he asked.

"All kinds of topics," we said. "How to live a godly life; how to be united as a body of Christ."

For some players, poker nights are their idea of a "small group" meeting. Friends and acquaintances  get together to discuss their common interest and lives. While that can have its place, we focus more on a different form of small group....

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25

Weekend worship services in churches are nice. But some church groups are so big that it's hard to make friends and truly fellowship with other believers. That's why many pastors (especially those with megachurches and radio ministries) recommend "small group" meetings during the week. Gatherings at homes or restaurants can allow personal sharing and encouragement.

But encourage one another daily, while it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. - Hebrews 3:13

The writer of this Biblical book clearly wanted the church to stay together, so it could grow together. The internet era has made it easier than ever for people in isolated areas to find togetherness; we heard on radio today about a converted Muslim who can only join in online Bible studies because he faces family persecution.

If you're looking for a Bible-centered "small group" to call home, we invite you to join us on Tuesday evenings. It's a conference call format, that actually has events throughout the week. Click here to learn how to participate.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 190 final tables in 524 games (36.3%) - 39 cashes. Tonight marked our first final table at Five-Star since mid-November.

Going Strait

In a recent post, we asked for your thoughts about a statement of Jesus. If you read it in some Bible translations, it almost sounds like a poker tip....

Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat. But strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it. - Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV)

Right off the bat, let's make it clear: Jesus is not talking about betting to make a "belly-buster" straight draw. Admittedly, those chances can be "narrow" - but no.

We think Jesus was talking about receiving eternal life. It's a step beyond the physical one you have now. This life will end in death (Romans 6:23). So how do you advance to the next level? Jesus provides an answer:

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

If you think there's a "highway to heaven" for lots of people living any way they please, this should make you think again. Jesus is "the way." And He coined the cliche, by saying the way to eternal life is on the "strait and narrow." So it starts by knowing Jesus. Then beyond that....

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. - Romans 2:7-8

To make another thing clear: We do not think poker is evil, of and by itself. These verses lead to a deeper question: why do you play? Purely for "self-seeking" reasons? Or is there some "doing good" involved?

May you consider your actions carefully - and yes, even think narrowly. Eternal life certainly is better than facing an angry God.

Poker Day 509: Jack for the Pot

Today marked the start of a poker experiment for us. We'll explain what we mean in a moment - but first, let's get to the action on our first-ever Wednesday midday tournament at Kansas Star Casino:

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: J-9 of spades

The midweek tournament moves a little faster than the others, with 15-minute blinds. Not many good cards came our way in the first hour - but we won a couple of pots, including a desperation all-in chop at the first break with A-Q. That put us at a high for the day of 4,300 chips.

Now we're in our second hand at a new table, in the Small Blind with 3,300. No one has raised. It seems safe to speculate here, with relatively high suited cards. We call. The Big Blind checks, and about five players are in.

ON THE FLOP: K-Q-J

Ughhh.... this smells like trouble. We have a pair, but it's bottom pair. We have a straight draw, but it's a very risky straight draw. We're first to go, and we check. Much to our surprise, the entire table checks.

ON THE TURN: J

A third Jack for us looks like a jackpot card! It's a potential big winner - but we decide now is the time to strike.

"I'm all in," we say for 3,100. Trouble is, the woman in the Big Blind calls. Everyone else bails out, and we wonder - did she have a straight all along?

She flips over.... A-J! She has three Jacks as well, and her kicker has us topped. Our only real hope is for the river card to be a King or Queen, to chop another pot.

ON THE RIVER: 10

The very risky straight happens instead. Ours is K-9; hers is A-10. Hers is the pot; ours is the door. On a day with 63 players, we wind up 39th - but we don't think we would change our tactics, if we had a second chance at it.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "How are you today?" a man asked as we sat down next to him.

"Recovering," we said. Then, of course, he asked for an explanation.

"I was let go from my job Monday," we admitted. That's why this tournament was the start of an experiment. Can we make money playing poker, while we're between jobs?

A former co-worker happened to be in the poker room, at a cash game table. Based on his chip stack, he seemed to be doing well. But he's a self-described "grinder," ready to spend hours at tables. That's not what we've historically done.

Yet whether we strike it rich at poker or take a more regular job, we're trying to be optimistic. The Bible offers these words....

I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. - Psalm 37:25

Yes, we know - some don't consider playing poker in casinos something "righteous" people would do. But the tournament format allows us to win a good bit of money for a relatively small entry fee. Midweek games will permit us to avoid the pricier Sunday tournaments for a while. And we always tithe on our winnings.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him.... - Psalm 111:4-5

Longtime blog readers will recall we were in a similar job predicament several years ago, in an area with no casinos at all. We could only play free tournaments at bars and online - yet we won money 12 times during a year-long layoff. We thanked God for each small win (and each prize was indeed small).

So we'll see what happens this time - although we admittedly tried to win back some of our entry fee at a blackjack table, and wound up losing a little more. We plan to follow this guideline:

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. - Philippians 4:5 (KJV)

We're not "betting the farm." Maybe a few bushels at a time. We'll see if God allows them to turn into a bumper crop.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 185 final tables in 509 games (36.3%) - 36 cashes. Experiment cost: Down $50.

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.

Poker Day 506: Push to Talk

On a day set aside to "pray for Texas," we went to a casino and played Texas Hold 'em. Yes, we prayed first for the people affected by the hurricane. In fact, we put a little Texas lapel pin on our hat - perhaps too small, because no one mentioned it. But would our Sunday tournament have sunshine or clouds?

BLINDS: 75/150

IN THE POCKET: A-J

We were originally the 14th alternate on the casino list, even though we arrived 25 minutes early. Thankfully, the top ten were placed in a separate table. Then we sat down about 35 minutes into the tournament.

Some nibbles have failed, mainly due to a man with a huge stack at our immediate left who is raising early and often. We now sit two seats off the button with great cards. We smell a chance to gain, so we check to wait for raisers. Sadly, there are none; about four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: K-Q-10

Jackpot! we say to ourselves. It's a "rainbow" flop of three different suits. We hit the top straight, so let's sit back and wait. A man across the table moves first, trying a pre-emptive 675. Fine, we'll call. Then Mr. Big Bettor to our left goes over the top, raising to 4,500. Other players fold.

"He wants me to go all-in," we say - recalling his pushes of minutes before. "So I will." And Mr. Big Bettor insta-calls!

"Did you hit a straight?" we ask him.

"Did you?"

"I'm asking you."

He turns over.... Q-10! That's bottom two pair.

"Because I did hit a straight." We show our cards, and he mutters about his fate. Then he roots for a Queen, to hit a full house.

ON THE TURN: J

We actually pair. As if that matters.

ON THE RIVER: 8

We couldn't have dreamed it any better: a big hand, and a big bettor walking right into it. Our push of 8,775 turns into 19,200 chips!

We were quiet from there, taking 19,050 to the first break. But then, attempts to gain ground failed over and over.  We won one pot, only to give back most of it in the very next hand. We staggered to the second break at only 5,700.

A rally started to come in the third term - first when we pushed with A-9 and everyone folded. Another A-9 with diamonds took out a player when we hit a flush. But not enough big cards came - so we finally pushed a third time with A-9. This time, two players had A-K. No one paired the board, so they split our last 5,500 chips. It wasn't a bad day - 21st place out of 84 players. But we left dreaming of what might have been.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Your turn," the man to our left said later when we played a hand he folded pre-flop. Trouble was, our cards missed and we had to fold on the turn. Then he chided us for not pressing on.

"I had hope," we explained to him. Then we quoted part of a Bible verse, whether he realized it or not:

...Hope that is seen is not hope.... - Romans 8:24 (KJV)

We don't think he understood that - but do you understand it?  It's different from that other hand, where we hit the straight on the flop. We don't need to "hope" we hit it. We can see the board and see our cards, and know we did.

Look at the entire verse to understand this better:

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is not seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? - Romans 8:24 (NIV)

Paul is writing here about salvation. Note this version has it in past tense - "we were saved." The King James Version has it in present tense: "we are saved." And the Moffatt paraphrase puts it, "We were saved with this hope ahead." This indicates both a past and a future aspect.

So what are believers hoping for, and has it arrived yet? Read all of Romans 8 if you'd like for a head start, and we'll get back to this in another post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 184 final tables in 506 games (36.4%) - 37 cashes.

Poker Day 495: Straight? No? Chaser?

Maybe the bank ATM downtown was trying to tell us something. We tried to withdraw money from our account to enter Friday's tournament at Kansas Star Casino - but the machine froze and wouldn't process our request. So we hurriedly drove to Mulvane, paid extra to use a casino ATM.... and then:

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: A-K offsuit

A couple of early nibbles have missed flops, so we start this hand with about 3,400 chips. Sitting in leadoff position, we limp in. No one raises, and about five players go to battle.

ON THE FLOP: 5h-Ks-2s

Top pair + top kicker = action from us. After the blinds check, we bet 100.  As best we recall, a couple of players call.

ON THE TURN: 8h

Looks to us like all is still well. So we bet 150 - only to find a player to our left raising to 300. Did he stumble upon two pair? We still feel confident, so we call to go heads-up to the river.

ON THE RIVER: 5s

The board pairs, giving us two pair and top kicker. But three spades are showing (we don't have any). Yet our opponent raised on the turn with no possible flush, so we think he's simply testing us.

We try to show we mean business by beating 225, but he responds with a raise to 600. We remain skeptical, especially of the flush threat, and conclude he also has a King.

"As they say in Colorado," we tell the dealer next to us, "I'm pot-committed." Our new poker joke of the day gets a slight smile. But we mean what we say, and call. Then our opponent flips over.... 8-J of spades! We were right about our read on the turn, but he did hit the flush to give us a big loss.

Perhaps a bigger bet on the turn would have run everyone away. But early in a tournament with cheap blinds, some players will go on long chases. In this case, it worked and he won.

It was far from a winning day for us, as we never won a pot. We finally pushed with A-K again, and received a call from a man with A-J. But the flop brought a Jack and the turn an Ace, to eliminate us in 44th place on a 65-player day.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "I'm patiently waiting to play a hand," a man sitting to our right said at one point. He was a replacement player, who perhaps took a re-buy after losing his chips.

"Patience is a virtue," we told the man quietly.

"Impatience is a...." we didn't quite pick up how he ended that reply. Did he say a "vice"? That's what some would call the opposite of a virtue.

Our old saying has a Biblical basis for it:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience... And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. - Colossians 3:12, 14

This list of virtues appears to be a rerun of something the apostle Paul wrote to another group - only with a different heading:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

"Patience is a fruit," we added in our short discussion with the man. In Galatians, the source of that fruit is noted as the Holy Spirit of God.

Ironically, seconds later we saw Q-Q and went all-in for our last 1,125 chips - a push that failed. Perhaps that was our moment of impatience. But a man had raised ahead of us, and we were down to about five big blinds.

Poker experts on TV say it's good to push when you're at ten big blinds or less. We went by "the book," and it didn't work for us. But as we said elsewhere in the casino, a different book is more reliable - the "good book" known as the Bible, where the Holy Spirit and other things are revealed.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 182 final tables in 495 games (36.8%) - 36 cashes. We will need to make three final tables in the next five outings to get the percentage up to 37 percent at 500 games.

One False Step

The Thursday night National League of Poker online tournament was our best in months. We were hitting big cards, making big hands and winning large pots. At the one-hour break, we had 24,560 chips -  good for tenth place out of 1,170 total entries!

Then came the second hour, and this critical moment....

BLINDS: 400/800/100

IN THE POCKET: 2-6 of clubs

The NLOP format for this tournament has a maximum six players per table. Trouble is, we've been placed to the right of the chip leader. His stack is huge compared to ours - well above 40,000. But we start this hand with about 25,000 chips. With about 30 big blinds, we can be a bit "creative" with these cards. We call, and about three players are in with no one raising.

ON THE FLOP: 10-5-4 (order may not be precise)

An ordinary flop with a hopeful straight draw. We check. As best we recall, the table checks.

ON THE TURN: 7

Our chances of hitting a straight now have doubled, but we sense a chance to win the pot right here. We bet 800. Mr. Big Stack calls, to our disappointment. The third player folds.

ON THE RIVER: 8

Yes! The straight comes through again! With no flush threat, we bid again for the pot. This time we bet 2,800. But our chip-leading opponent isn't scared. He goes all-in!

We have 22,800. Only a couple of combinations could beat ours - but this opponent has shown during the night he can bluff with very little. After several seconds of agonizing thought, we take the dare. We call. "If he has 9-6," we say to ourselves....

Then comes the computerized showdown.... and he has 9-6! He wasn't bluffing, and hit a higher straight on the river!

"Wow. Very good," is all we have time to write as he takes our big stack away. He writes "LOL" and some kind of scoffing insult in response. After a big 90-minute run, we finish in a lowly 165th place.

We offer this as proof that few hands in a poker tournament are "safe" hands. Other players can put you at risk at any moment, so you have to be careful at all times. Out lives work the same way....

They moved the ark of God from Abinadab's house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. - I Chronicles 13:7

What does "a la cart" transport in the Bible have to do with this? Keep reading....

When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God. - I Chronicles 13:9-10

At first reading, this may seem awfully unfair. Touch an ark, and God strikes you dead on the spot?! Well, yes - because there were rules for such things:

After Aaron and his son have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are to come to do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die.... - Numbers 4:15

The ark was considered holy to God. Uzzah touched it. He died. Right then and there.

"But I thought God was love," you might say. "What about grace and mercy?" God indeed has those traits - but he's also a God with rules. In the same way, we made a bad decision Thursday night on the river - and under the rules, our tournament dream died. (The re-buy deadline had passed.)

Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. - Ephesians  5:15-16

One wrong action can be costly in a poker room. And in driving to and from it. Ask God for wisdom to help you make the right moves at all times.

Poker Day 486: Straight-Way

Does a rainy day keep the poker players away? We found out Friday at Kansas Star Casino it did not. In fact, we arrived ten minutes before the scheduled noon time and found ourselves #2 on a waiting list.

It took more than 30 minutes for two players to be knocked out from five full tables. That meant we had to make up for lost time....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: 10-J offsuit

These are the cards that greeted us as soon as we sat down. Sitting in the leadoff position, the fact that they were fairly high and connected persuades us to enter small. No one raises, and about six players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 7-8-9

Talk about a friendly dealer! We hit a straight right off the bat! But when our turn comes, we check to see if someone else will jump. Sure enough - a man down the table goes all-in for 1,125! AND....

"Might as well gamble a little," says the Big Blind as he calls. Of course we also call, trying not to smile.

ON THE TURN: 9

The board pairs, and we don't really mind that. The Big Blind checks, and we remember his words.

"If you want to gamble.... how about 1,000 more?"

Not for that much; he folds. Now the all-in man shows 9-A. He's made three of a kind, and he has a 25-percent chance of topping us.

ON THE RIVER: 3

Thankfully for us, the board doesn't pair. He's out, and we're right in right away with about 6,000 chips.

"Welcome to the table!" a man at the other end says. We give credit to the dealer, of course.

We won a few more pots after that, and approached the 7,000 chip mark. But amazingly, it all started draining away as small probes missed. We still had 5,500 at the first break, but we lost a big pot to a man we thought was bluffing three of a kind (he wasn't). Then when we went all-in for our 1,600 with K-Q, a woman with 9-9 turned it into a 9's-and-Aces full house. What could have been a big day ended for us with a lowly 36th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: One hand which cost us chips found us playing 2-2. Three 7's showed up on the board, yet the betting was small and cautious. We made a full house - but lost to a man with pocket 3's!

"Great minds think alike," we joked. "He thought a little bit bigger." Then we found a reason to go deeper. "But there's Someone whose thoughts are higher than all of our thoughts," we said to no one in particular.

That line got no takers. But as you might guess, it's a line from the Bible:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. - Isaiah 55:8

This can refer to far more than 3's vs. 2's. It can refer to thinking overall - and our thinking tends to focus on physically, earthly things.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. - Isaiah 55:9

God wants us to think bigger. Bigger than the next hand, next round of blinds, or even next tournament. God thinks in an eternal way.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

The real hope and future for us are beyond this life - as Jesus Christ is preparing a Kingdom which He will bring to this Earth. God wants you to be a part of that, receiving the gift of eternal life. Are you turning away from ungodly, sinful thoughts and ways so you can join in?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 180 final tables in 486 games (37.0%) - 35 cashes.

Poker Day 482: Osage, Can You See

"The main reason I'm here is for a birthday burger," we explained to the man who prepared our registration card. He asked why we took a trip of nearly three hours today to the edge of Tulsa, Oklahoma And it was true: a restaurant chain which offers free burgers on your birthday isn't located in our city.  But we decided if we going to make a day trip, we might as well try to win our money back.

So before the burger, we played poker for the first time at Osage Casino. It's a nice, relatively small tribal complex with a poker room that's a nice distance away from the main floor of noisy slot machines. And its daily afternoon tournaments are downright cheap, at a $30 buy-in. Would a Thursday with a small turnout work to our advantage?

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: 7-6 of clubs

Everyone starts with 3,000 chips, and this is the first round of blinds. An early trial balloon failed for us, so we start with about 2,800. A player raises to 150, and we join about three other players in calling.

ON THE FLOP: 5-8-9

If we were a slot machine, a lot of noise would happen right now. We hit the straight jackpot - but we notice two of these three cards are hearts (we forget exactly which ones). So when a player bets 150, we pounce with a raise to 550.

"I'm probably gonna regret this," says a man on the opposite end of the table. He calls; no one else does.

ON THE TURN: 7s

OK, that's not a heart - but that's not necessarily the best card for us. Our chances of a unique straight have gone down. But we sense our opponent is on a flush draw - so when he checks, we bet 550 again.

"I've got to stay for one more," he says as he calls.

ON THE RIVER: 10c

 No flush there - yet four numbered cards in a row actually are more trouble for us. Perhaps our opponent senses that, because now he bets 1,500. That practically would put us all in.

"After all of that...." we say aloud in a bit of frustration. We invested a lot in this hand, but all he needs is a Jack for a superior straight.

"I can't go there," we finally conclude as we fold. We take a big loss, and the winner doesn't show his cards. But there are post-mortems.

"Did you have pocket Jacks?" another player asks the winner.

"Something like that," he vaguely answers.

"Should have gone all-in," we overhear someone else saying - apparently toward us. We don't respond, but we thought we'd bet enough to run the opponent off. As it turned out, we were at a rather loose table where pushing might have been in order - but all the players were new to us.

That loss put us in a tough position for most of the day - but the looseness of the table worked in our favor. Players pushed and failed, while we waited for good moments. Then those moments came: a double-up with A-5, followed minutes later by another double-up with A-10. A measly 1,250 chips were enough to get us to the final table on a two-table 19-player day.

Once we got there, another push with A-5 paid off when an Ace came on the turn. But rising blinds and a couple of small losses kept us short-stacked. Finally with seven players left, we pushed again with 10-10 - but a young man across from us slow-bet pocket Aces and called. The board didn't save us, and we finished tied for sixth due to a double take-out. We left satisfied, knowing things could have turned out much worse.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Is that a dollar?" the man to our right asked when he saw our card protector. It was actually the one with the Lord's Supper on one side and a depiction of Jesus on the other.

"What do you think of Jesus?" we asked the man. "Is He your Savior?"

"Most certainly, yes," he answered. "I'm number two; He's number one."

That's a good answer - and we hope he means it. But is it true with you? Who comes first in your life?

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves.... - II Timothy 3:1-2

This is an issue we've admittedly battled internally for many years: is it wrong to love yourself? Whitney Houston sold a lot of records declaring, "Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all." But Jesus indicated there was a love much greater than that - so great it was commanded:

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this.... 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." - Mark 12:29-31

God indeed should be our #1 love. But notice Jesus did not say we personally are #2. Our neighbors should be. That can include your family, to borrow from a famous sports memoir. But how about including fellow poker players - especially if you play with some people on a regular basis, and come to know them well?

We can love our neighbors in many ways. It can start with polite words at the table, and extend as far as praying for players with serious problems. But let's go back to that internal question, and ask for your comments. Is it wrong to love yourself? We'll dig deeper into that issue in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 179 final tables in 482 games (37.1%) - 34 cashes. Only the top two players won money today. Oh, by the way: the "free birthday burger" was pretty good - even if cheese on top cost us 50 cents.