Poker Day 516: Beginner's Luck?

Newcomers in a poker room tend to give themselves away. They ask questions when their turn comes, or puzzle over how to match someone's bet. That could make them easy marks for veterans. Unless.... well, check what happened today at Kansas Star Casino:

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: A-A

That's a nice sight to see in the early minutes of a tournament. We've only lost 25 of our original 3,500 chips. Sitting early in the order at a table of eight, we limp in and hope for pre-flop raises. As usual for us, there are none. About five players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 10-9-7

Two diamonds are showing, so that's a caution flag for us. Players to our right offer 50. They're nibbling. We want a big bite.

"That's not enough," we say - and we raise to 350. Several players take the hint and fold. But a young man who acts like a "newby" calls. We're heads-up.

ON THE TURN: 10

The board pairs, which makes us a bit more uneasy - especially when our opponent bets 200. We suspect he has a 9 for two pair. But our two pair are better, and we want to make sure he knows that.

"400," we say. He calls our raise. Hmmm.

ON THE RIVER: 10

Gulp - a third 10. We now have the best full house. But the newcomer now bets 500. Did the longshot come through for him? We decide not to risk a raise.

"If he has quads, he's got me," we say (stating the obvious). "But I'll call."

Our opponent then turns over.... Q-J! He missed his straight draw, and tried to bluff us away. Our full house means a gain to 4,975.

"Good play," a woman at the table says.

"Be careful - don't inflate his ego," a man in between us jokes. We smile, and offer the opportunity for players to pat our back. No one does.

The newcomer was the first to go bust at our table, while we almost doubled our chip stack to 6,950 at the first break. But then came some explosive hands where several players bet big and topped our A-J and similar hands. We were happy to make it to the second break with 3,600, with 17 players left.

We made six all-in bets from the second hour on. Only one was called - and that was the problem. We forced our way in with Q-10 of clubs and rising blinds. A man to our left called with A-4, and caught an Ace on the flop. While it was another good tournament day, this time we missed the final table by placing 12th out of 50 players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "For a moment, I thought you had the world's largest orange chip." A man to our right was commenting on one of our new card protectors - a small tape measure we picked up for attending a college soccer match in Oklahoma.

"I brought it to remind me of something," we said as we extended the tape a bit. "Narrow is the way that leads to life, and few people find it. But wide is the way that leads to destruction."

The man knew right away what we meant. We didn't write down his exact response, but it was along the lines of this verse....

Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. - Psalm 118:19 (2011 NIV)

Thanksgiving Day may be over in the U.S., but we're not sure there's ever a wrong time to give thanks to God for His blessings. And the righteousness described there should not be something we create:

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known.... This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference.... - Romans 3:21-22

Our righteousness is worthless (Isaiah 64:6). God's righteousness, through faith in Jesus, is priceless.

But let's back up a second. Did our statement about the tape measure seem familiar? It should....

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. - Matthew 7:13-14

These are words of Jesus Christ. What do you think He meant by them? Offer a comment with your thoughts, and we'll compare notes in an upcoming post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 188 final tables in 516 games (36.4%) - 38 cashes. Experiment cost: up $100.

Poker Day 514: Gladly For A's

"Casino Gambling >> You Personally: >> Times last 12 months." That's one of the questions in a large consumer survey we're completing as time permits. Our answer when we filled out the page Tuesday was 22. Today brought another trip to Kansas Star - and this poker tournament had some amazing moments:

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: A-A

We're in the third hour of play, which means we've survived for a while. One small pot win in the first hour left us with 2,625 chips from a starting 3,500. But gains came in Hour 2, thanks to some big timely bets. We won a large pot at the break (we J-J, as best we remember), to climb to 6,100; the "chip-up" made the total 6,500.

Now we sense a chance for a big score, receiving these big cards early in the order at a table of seven. We limp in, waiting for raisers - but there are none. Yet about four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: K-Q-7

Two high cards look like potential trouble. But ours are higher, so we decide to try for maximum benefits. We go all-in for 5,500. Two men fold, but a man in the blinds dares to call us.

"I've got rockets in my pocket," we declare. Our opponent has K-9, and realizes he's been had.

ON THE TURN: A

"Yes!" we say. Our three Aces mean our opponent is drawing dead. But for the record....

ON THE RIVER: A

"Woah!" we declare. Running Aces give us quads! It's a big gain, to around 14,000.

Patient play paid off, as we made more big hands later. An Ace of Spades turned into a nut flush, which advanced us about 20,000 more. We rolled to the final table at 39,000, then made only one small mistake which dropped us to 33,500 at the three-hour mark.

Seven players were left at that point - and a man to our right then hit a flush which knocked out two opponents. A top-five finish put us in the money! Then a Big Blind call with a lowly 7-4 when an opponent was forced to go all-in for less led to a cruel 4 on the river, giving us a winning two pair.

That cut the table to three players with fairly even chip stacks, and everyone agreed to chop the remaining prize money. We officially placed second out of 52 players, and were rewarded with $360 for a $50 buy-in - our second cash win of 2017, in 14 trips to Kansas Star.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Tomorrow is Thanksgiving," a woman to our right suddenly realized before the tournament began.

"What are you thankful for this year?" we asked her.

"For my family." Relatives live close to her. "What about you?"

"I'm thankful that God has given me peace, as I've dealt with a recent trial," we answered. Then we corrected ourselves; we're officially calling it a "transition" between jobs, not a trial. But either way, that peace is important....

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. - Psalm 29:11

This psalm was written by King David, who faced all kinds of trials during his life. He went toe-to-toe with a giant named Goliath. Then King Saul tried to kill him, so he wouldn't take the throne of Israel. He even lost a child, due to his own sinful scheming. Yet David could write about the blessing of peace. A future "King" mentioned it as well....

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27

This Jesus, the "prince of peace," did not talk about it around Christmas. This statement came in the early spring, on the evening before He was executed. How can you have that peace? Here's one Biblical suggestion....

There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. - Romans 2:9-10

We've actually heard some church members scoff at "do-gooders". Yet doing good has rewards. You may not get all of them now, but believers will when Jesus returns to set up the Kingdom of God on Earth.

In this Thanksgiving season, we're thankful for God's blessings - financial today, and spiritual in the future. What about you?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 188 final tables in 514 games (36.6%) - 38 cashes. (We've been forgetting to count our big day in June in the "cashes" column.) Experiment cost: Up $150!

Finding Your Table

If you have the right connections, you can play poker these days almost anywhere. You can play in bed, on a laptop computer. You can play hands while walking down the street or in a subway car, thanks to smartphone apps. You can even play a game in the middle of an important meeting. (Remember John McCain?)

But when it comes to playing poker in person, things are old-fashioned and traditional. You take a seat at a table - and hope you'll eventually reach the final table.

This crossed our mind because today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. Our question is simple: what table will be your focus today?

Will it be a poker table? Some casinos apparently don't expect that, because they're calling off regular Thursday tournaments for the holiday.

Will it be a restaurant table? Some casinos are offering Thanksgiving Day buffet specials - probably at a marked-up price, and with no children allowed.

Will it be a family table? Now that's more along the lines of a traditional Thanksgiving, and it's usually good to share a holiday with close relatives.

But have you thought about spending some quality time today at a very different table - the "table of the Lord?" We think there's no better table to visit, and here's why....

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. - I Corinthians 10:21

The Bible often puts things in cold hard terms. While a poker table could have ten players with different agendas, the spiritual life has only two sides - the Lord's side and the devil's side. God's preference for you should be obvious:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.... - Psalm 23:5

This classic psalm ends as a prayer to God. He can give you spiritual nourishment and comfort during challenging moments - whether in poker or some other place.

Perhaps your holiday schedule includes all the tables we've mentioned. Whatever you're doing, we hope you'll take some time at the "Lord's table" thinking about God on this Thanksgiving Day - and even thank God, because that's what the day really is all about.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. - Psalm 100:4

 In terms of poker, we're thankful for four tournament cash wins this year - especially two at Kansas Star Casino, where the competition can be stiff. So please comment and tell us: what are you thankful for this year? In poker or otherwise?

The Drought of 2016

We live in a state that's had a weather-related drought in recent years - but certainly not this year. More than seven inches of rain have fallen on our city already in July.

But 2016 is turning into a drought year, in terms of poker opportunities. We chronicled the police shutdown of local poker rooms early in the year. Then we mentioned a tribal casino giving up poker. And now we've learned a state-sanctioned casino has stopped its poker tournaments as well - in Dodge City, of all places.

An operator at Boot Hill Casino told us Wednesday night a "Three-Card Poker" tournament (a very different game) is planned there in August. But otherwise, the poker room with its five tables apparently is only for cash games now. If that's your preference, that's fine. But we tend to do better in tournaments - and they're drying up.

On top of that, our searching found a different tribal casino in northeast Kansas has closed its poker room. So to our knowledge, there are now only three places in our state offering legitimate poker tournaments: Yvie's once a week for free, along with casinos in the Kansas City and Wichita areas.

Could it be that the "poker craze" is waning? Casino tournaments we visit still tend to be full. But some of the neighborhood poker rooms we visited before they closed could be empty places at times.

Could you cope with a lack of in-person poker? We probably could - by playing online when time permits, or even applying this principle:

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water.... It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. - Jeremiah 17:7-8

We existed well for more than 45 years, hardly playing any poker at all. And if all the doors close for playing it again, we still could thank God for the years of opportunity and occasional success.

...The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. - Job 1:21b

It's easy to thank God when your poker games are going well - although ironically, some ministers say that's when we're least likely to be thankful. But when doors are sliding shut and opportunities are few, we should be thankful nonetheless for what God provides.

The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise. - Isaiah 43:20-21

So if the neighborhood poker games are in a drought, or if your personal game is in a dry spell, thank God anyway. After all, showers of blessing may come when you least expect them.

Remember As You Play....

...Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - I Thessalonians 5:18

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. It's a custom not many other countries have. But it's something we all should do - even if there's no national holiday or big dinner associated with it.

The casino closest to our door is offering a special ten-hour Thanksgiving buffet. But no, we plan to eat elsewhere.  And really now - when was the last time you heard someone openly give thanks for a casino?

This year, we're actually thankful to God for the opportunity to play casino poker - especially after our amazing two-day back-to-back final table combination in August. We've won some money, and had several opportunities to share our faith.

And what if we hadn't won a dime? We still would be thankful for the freedom to speak up about the things of God, and how good He desires to be.

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

You may have the tallest stack of chips known to man. You may have simply "a chip and a chair."  Whatever your situation, at the table or outside it, be thankful to God for any blessing you have - because ultimately He's the one who provides it to you.

...Because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! - II Corinthians 9:14-15