The Wrong Crowd?

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

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

The message was tied to a Biblical proverb:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poker Night 535: Hollywood of the East

"I've never seen that before," a man said as he processed our rewards card tonight. "Because you've played in Kansas City, it showed you as a 'distinguished guest.'"

The title came as we entered a poker tournament at Hollywood Casino - but now we need to specify which one. For years, we played on occasion at the casino next door to Kansas Speedway. But Hollywood is really a chain of casinos - and in our new home, there's one about 20 miles away in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, at the west edge of the metro Cincinnati "tri-state."

For 70 dollars, we entered the Wednesday night turbo tourney. We discovered it's one of the poker room's slowest nights of the week. Making the final table potentially would be a breeze.... or would it?

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: 4-3 of clubs

Wednesday is so slow that there's only one table of players in the tournament as this hand begins. (Another table is almost full, but that's a cash game.) No one is raising. It's early, so why not call with suited connectors? About six players get in.

ON THE FLOP: 4-5-6

We have bottom pair, which isn't much. But we have an open-ended straight draw - and we're betting early, so we decide to see if we can discourage others away. We bet 150. Three players call.

ON THE TURN: 9

That's not a high card, but still a slight concern. Is anyone stubborn enough to play a 9? We bet 200 to see. Only a man to our right calls.

ON THE RIVER: 10

Our opponent checks, and now we face a challenge. Do we bet bigger again, in an attempt to scare the man away and claim the pot? Or should we be more careful, to limit potential losses?

We decide to check, and show our 4. Our opponent has a 9, and claims the pot. Given what he had and the timing of the game, we don't think any bet would have run him off except for something ridiculously massive.

That's the kind of night it was for us - trying to make the most of a lot of weak cards. We never won a pot in the first hour of play, and our starting stack of 12,000 dwindled to 5,975. Then we tried pocket 9's, but folded to a flop with A-Q when another man bet big.... only to see a 9 come on the turn.

Yet on a night with 14 players, enough people bet big and failed that we reached the final table - despite never winning a hand! We made it with 3,800. Then we went for it all with K-Q, in a hand that saw four players push! But a man with A-J was rewarded with a full house. He took out three players, including us; we finished tied for seventh (officially ninth).

MINISTRY MOMENT: Because of our weak hands and other people talking about other things, that moment never happened tonight. We'll take the blame for not following the command of our Lord....

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." - Mark 16:15-16

It's a big world, filled with places where the good news about Jesus Christ can be brought up. We admittedly go to very unusual places to do it, but we do. Yet simply going is not enough....

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? - Romans 10:14

We've heard preachers say over the years than believers in God are told to be "lights, not loudspeakers." Yes, Christians are called "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14) - but lines like that overlook the fact that Christians also are supposed to be something else....

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. - Acts 1:8

A witness gives a testimony in court or to authorities. That could be in writing, but often it means speaking up. At least we can write about our faith-sharing here, and offer it to you. May all believers have the wisdom and courage to know when to talk about God and Jesus with others.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 194 final tables in 535 games (36.3%) - 40 cashes. We're now two-for-two in final tables in our new home area!

Our Real Story: 2016 Review

The "year in review" reports aren't quite over yet. Since we last played live poker, we'll summarize 2016 for us now.

In live tournaments, we made the final table eight times in 33 games in the last year - not far from 25 percent. We earned money in five of those tournaments (more than $650 total), and would have earned cash in a sixth if Yvie's Bar and Grill paid money for second place instead of league points. That sixth would have matched our money-win count for 2015.

But 2016 was a difficult year for poker players in our area, as police moved to shut down all "card rooms" for not operating legally. Due to our work schedule, practically the only place where we can play tournaments now is a casino south of town, and the competition there admittedly is stiff.

Yet we made two final tables (winning money at both) in 17 tournaments at Kansas Star, coming close to a third this past Friday. It was a breakthrough year for us there.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER: One "top-ten percent" finish in 17 tournaments. Grand total: 285 point wins (top 10%) in 1438 games, 93 final tables, 10 wins, 13 cashes.

We were able to get into a regular Thursday night tournament habit with NLOP this past year. So far, it admittedly hasn't gone well. But NLOP has added "ring games", earning tokens in a cash-game format. In three tries there, we've gained 140 tokens; our best night was playing Omaha.

POKER STARS: 420,871 play money chips - up 84,159 at the table

We have to specify "at the table" because Poker Stars became a much more expensive place to play in 2016. Games with 1/2 blinds are gone; the minimum now is 50/100 with a 10,000-chip stack to start. But the site also became very generous in handing out free chips; we received 225,000 due to special promotions and a "free chips" button you can click simply for logging on.

MINISTRY MOMENT: As we write this summary, we're reminded of a question that sometimes comes up when we play. It came up again Friday: Isn't gambling a sin? Something believers in God shouldn't do?

If you look strictly from the accountant's view, you might say 2016 showed we're a gambling loser. The Kansas Star tournaments cost $850 to enter, and we only won $337. Yet what we're trying to do is more than that....

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." - Mark 16:15-16

In many ways, this is a big world. People have a wide range of interests. Jesus told His disciples to go into that world with a gospel (also known as "good news") message. Even poker players need to be introduced to that message - so we take it there, and talk about it here. We pray God will use what we do to bring people to Himself:

I planted the seed. Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. - I Corinthians  3:6-7

We know what we can afford to do, and we keep a limit on our spending on tournaments at casinos. For instance, you'll notice no live statistics for 2016 cash games - because we didn't play any. We consider the tournament buy-in an "entry fee," much as someone would pay to enter a golf tournament or pie-baking contest. If we win something back, we thank God for it.

By the way, here's one final set of statistics: this blog had more than 700 views in December alone - which computes to perhaps more than 8,000 this past year. People searching for something about poker may be finding more than they expect. We pray it's a spiritual spark in their lives - yet not one person left a comment this past year. You're always welcome to offer some, either positive or negative. If we can bust out early at tournaments, we can take it. Really.

A Little Extra Time

Andres Cantor ranks among this country's best soccer broadcasters.  But as we drove up the highway on a Sunday afternoon, he frustrated us - as he seemingly refused to give the score of the World Cup Finals during the second half.

Our path home from another event took us past a casino, and we had our casino card just in case we had to time to stop for a little play.  Cantor's drama finally proved the deciding factor.  We stopped at the casino to watch the remainder of the match -- and only after walking to a big-screen TV near a bar did we understand what was happening.  Cantor gave no score because there was no score - a 0-0 tie.

The tie remained after 90 minutes, so we walked to an Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em table to (a) see if we could pay for our gas on the trip and (b) watch the overtime periods.  We answered some general soccer questions for a man sitting to our right, who didn't seem to know the game well.  But poker he knew; he had a much bigger stack of chips than we did.

BLINDS: $5 (plus $5 ante)

IN THE POCKET: 8-2 offsuit (as best we recall)

Any two cards can win, they say - but these cards aren't likely to take us anywhere.  But it's free to check, and so we do.

ON THE FLOP: 6-8-6

OK, we'll take that back!  Two pair looks good in this game, so we plunk down a $10 bet (two times the blind).  This commits us for the hand, and there's no further action required on our part.

ON THE TURN/RIVER: K-5

We're feeling confident, although the King makes us wonder.  Then the dealer turns over his cards -- and they're K-5, matching the last two!  After a couple of small early gains, this is a $20 loss.

We stayed at the table until the final whistle sounded, watched Germany's Goetze get the golden goal (your tongue twister for the day) and explained a bit more about pro soccer.  We left with a $30 loss, plus a $5 tip for the dealer.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We left trying to say something about the site of the soccer match. "May everyone follow the One shown in that statue," we said (sort of).  Rio de Janeiro is famous for a 98-foot-tall statue of Jesus Christ.

Was all that a sufficient testimony of our faith?  Some religious groups might say simply befriending the man next to us and answering soccer question was a "witness" enough. But that strikes us as an example, more than a witness.

A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. - Proverbs 12:17

We've heard church pastors say Christians are to be "lights" and not "loudspeakers."  But if a witness says nothing about what he or she has experienced, will anyone get the message?  Based on our years walking a Christian walk, a few people might -- but not many.

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. - I Corinthians 2:13

The apostle Paul believed in speaking what was on his mind -- and the things of Jesus were on his mind often.  If we dare to speak about Christian things, some people around us still may not get the message.  But at least they'll have heard it -- and they'll be without excuse when they stand before Jesus for judgment.

Poker Day 421: Ladies' Day?

"Happy Mother's Day to all you...."  Well, we'd better stop the quote there.  The manager of River City Poker Room was talking to a room full of men.  One young woman showed up later, but otherwise the Mother's Day crowd for Sunday poker was all-male.

Since our mother died years ago and we have no children, we were not neglectful as we went to the table.  But perhaps we should have asked if our parents would have been pleased with our decisions....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: Q-Q

We're in the Small Blind at a table of six, on a two-table day.  We've claimed one small pot already.  The blinds go up next hand.  No one has raised ahead of us.  These are cards worth exploiting - so we raise to 700.  A couple of players call.

ON THE FLOP: J-10-2

We have an "overpair," so a continuation bet clearly is in order.  We bet 1,200, and get one player to fold.  But a man two seats to our right doubles to 2,400.  This gets our internal alarm bells ringing, but we call.

ON THE TURN: A

Now this is the card which concerned us more on the flop.  We choose to "check to the raiser," and he now tosses out 4,000.  The logical voice in our head screams that he has two pair -- maybe with J-10, which is why he raised in the first place.

"I think he's got it," we say -- and fold, with cards face down.

Our opponent wins the pot.  And while he doesn't have to do it, he now turns over his cards.  It wasn't two pair -- but a third 2.  He bet big because he had a big hand.  The dealer wonders if the man who folded on the flop might have hit it big.

ON THE RIVER: 3d

That certainly would not have helped us.

We won a couple of other moderate-sized pots, and held on to make the final table with 12,000 chips.  Once there, we were dealt an Ace to start with the dealer button - maximizing our chances of staying in the game.

Then with seven players left, we went all-in with A-J.  But another man pushed with much more, telling us we were in trouble.  Sure enough -- he had 8-8.  The higher cards didn't come for us, and we bowed out in seventh place; only the top three won money.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We wore a hat with the words "Panama City Beach," and noted to a dealer we'd played at the main poker room in that area a couple of times.  We did not mention how well we did.  But we made an admission.

"I couldn't tell many people about it, because I was at a church convention."

Most people attending that convention probably would consider us wrong to play in a poker room -- especially during that annual event.  But, we'd point out in response, we do not spend specially set-aside "festival tithe" money in those rooms; we make sure we spend our own.  And we were reminded in Bible study the other day of Jesus's example....

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" - Luke 5:29-30

Some ministers say when you convert to Jesus and Christianity, you have to drop all your old friends because they'll be a "bad influence" and drag you back into worldly sins.  Yet Jesus let His disciples (apparently not yet filled with the Holy Spirit) hang around "sinners."  Why?

Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." - Luke 5:31-32

Jesus's mission was to spread the gospel to sinful people, in order that they might repent and accept Him as Savior.  That means going to where the sinful people are.  (And by the way, the Pharisees were every bit as sinful; they were more self-righteous - and may not have even entered the banquet room.)

In more than 400 trips to poker games, we have not been tempted to indulge in drunkenness or carnal lusting.  Why not?  We give God the credit for it, and recall these words about the Holy Spirit:

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. - I John 4:4

We must add a disclaimer: everyone's tolerance level is different.  What is easy for us to resist might be difficult or impossible for another.  So pray about what God would have you do, before taking steps which might be daring or "tempting God."

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 149 final tables in 421 games (35.4%) - 25 cashes.

Man Vs. Machine

It's probably not good for a casino when its ATMs aren't working properly -- especially on your busiest night of the week.

That's what we encountered over the weekend when a family road trip led us to stop at the Hollywood Casino.  It's not located in Hollywood, but next to a Kansas City racetrack -- and it has a Hollywood movie "theme" to it, somewhat like a theme amusement park.

We didn't want to risk all our cash at a table game, so we tried using our ATM card.  And tried.  And tried.  All the machines turned us down, and apparently turned down other players as well (although not all).

We could have taken it as a sign from God, watched some Saturday night college basketball on a big screen and gone on our way.  But then we saw it -- a "Texas Hold 'em Heads Up" electronic machine, somewhat like a slot machine.  You play poker one-on-one against the machine's computer.

Suddenly we were back in college, when a crude computer version of this was set up at one of our workplaces.  The computer wasn't random at all, so we figured out a pattern to beat it with ease.  How much more difficult would the 2014 model be?

We inserted $20 into the slot to find out -- and quickly won a few hands.  We reached $49, then dropped to around $33.  Then came this hand:

BLINDS: $2/$4 (it's set up technically as a limit game)

IN THE POCKET: Q-8 offsuit

The machine tends to raise pre-flop more often that not.  We play along, and call with $4 invested.

ON THE FLOP: A-Q-Q

Ooo - this looks like fun!  We didn't write down every detail -- but as we recall, we checked here.  The machine bet, and we called.

ON THE TURN: 4

No harm done.  Now as best we remember, we bet the standard $4.  The machine was "thinking" for a moment -- then raised to $8.  We called, of course.

ON THE RIVER: 8

Our house is full, and we think our wallet will be as well.  We check here, to lure a bet.  It does.  We raise to $8. (The machine is smart enough to check-raise from time to time as well.)  It calls.

The computer has.... A-10!  Our boat beats its two pair, and we claim a massive pot.  Our $20 investment is now at a high for the night of $69.

And at that point, we press the white "cash out" button.  We tripled our investment in less than 15 minutes.  How easy could that be?

Of course, we had to find out how easy.  So on the way out of town this morning, we stopped by the casino again (a casino with lots of open space at 8:45 a.m. on a Sunday morning) and went to that very same machine.  This time the tables turned on our $20 bill.  We won one all-in hand to get above par, and reached a high of $33 -- but the computer made a couple of big hands to top us.

We cashed out in less than 10 minutes for a $2 consolation prize, and drove home realizing we still had a $31 gain for the weekend.  That's still a profit of better than 150 percent.

But even as we drove to our weekend lodging Saturday night, we realized something was missing from our poker experience.  That something was people -- and these days, that's a main reason why we play poker at all.

A poker ministry (and for that matter, most ministries) requires interaction with people.  You can't ask a machine if Jesus is its Savior.  In fact, you couldn't even type a text message to this machine at all.  Yet Jesus said....

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. - Matthew 28:19-20

You can program a machine to play poker.  But can you really program it to obey the words of God?  You might fix it to shut down for the Sabbath, or not "lie" (as in bluff") during a hand.  But machines can't do this....

Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you. - Deuteronomy 5:16

If you want a quick poker experience, and perhaps some fast cash for other tables, the Heads-Up machine is worth a try.  But table games are far better for sharing things with other people  -- especially the deep things of God.

A Casino Christmas?

We mentioned Tuesday night's poker outing at our workplace, and one person admitted it sounded strange.  Why would someone visit a casino on Christmas Eve -- especially someone who claims to believe in Christ?

The answer is simple, yet may offend some people.  We don't believe Jesus Christ was born on December 25 -- and we find no command in the Bible to keep that day as a holiday, or even say "Merry Christmas."

We were surprised this year at how many radio ministries accepted the first part of that answer.  Yet they held "Christmas services," anyway -- noting that day was traditionally set aside by the early church.  But what did Jesus say about traditions?

....As it is written.... "They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men."  You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men. - Mark 7:6-8

If we hold on too tightly to our traditions, we'll wind up dropping God's commands.  Yes, even by celebrating Christmas.

There are certain days of the year when we do not play poker.  We believe God commanded us to do other things on those days.  For example....

There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly.  You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord. - Leviticus 23:3

The state poker championship where we live is coming up in late January -- but it will begin at 10:00 on a Saturday morning.  That's the seventh-day Sabbath.  So we will stay away, and we won't feel hurt by that.  After all, we're the one doing things as God instructs.

Leviticus 23 goes on to list several annual "holy days" which occur during the year.  You won't find Christmas among them.-- but if you keep them with prayers to God for a proper understanding, you can find celebrations of Jesus in them.  (We can help provide that understanding if you're interested; please let us know.)

So we didn't celebrate Christmas -- but instead, we went to a place where people were even less likely to celebrate Christmas, and we talked about the things of Christ with them.  At least one person was thrown off-guard by what we said, and didn't really have a response.  But the day is coming when he'll have to say something....

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:10-11

The Come-Out-of-Your-Shell Game

Poker "can be excruciatingly boring when nothing is happening."  So writes a columnist at ESPN's poker site. And yes, we can understand that.  It's a lot like baseball in that regard.

But the writer also says player with interesting personalities can make the game interesting and entertaining for viewers -- and also are more likely to gain endorsement deals.  We can understand that, too.  It's one of the ways we try to liven up a table, and get people talking about topics of faith.

Jesus offered this advice to those who would follow Him:

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:16

We once had a Pastor who emphasized: "You're a light, not a loudspeaker."  In other words, we were urged to keep quiet about our faith until someone asked about it.  But over the years, we've concluded "being a light" only gets you so far.  You may set a great Christian example for others, but that doesn't necessarily mean others will "get it" and grasp what you're doing.

Besides, Jesus called Himself the light of the world (John 8:12) -- but He didn't simply stop with performing miracles and good deeds.  He spoke a message, also:

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. - Mark 1:14

The challenge is to "proclaim" in a way that attracts people to God, instead of turning them away.  So when we're at poker rooms, we often try to start conversations during quiet moments.  Or we can wait for other people to bring up God (it happens more often than you might think) -- or we take a "one-on-one" approach with a player alongside us.

A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. - Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)

....and that's our goal: to be friendly with the gospel message, more than preachy.

So if you've become a "friend" of this blog by reading it often, we ask: do you believe the good news Jesus brought?  Have you acted on it, to turn your life to Him?  A "clock" is running on you, whether you realize it or not -- the clock of your life.

Where Seldom Is Heard....

"It's nice to be popular," we said jokingly as we shifted from one poker table to another the other night.

A man at our new table specifically asked for "the player behind the dealer," even though someone else offered to go.  We were that "player behind" -- and that man may have seen us as an easy target.

"He'll be out of the game in a minute," the man told the Tournament Director after we sat down.  We simply smiled at that, prompting him to laugh a little.

"Thank you for those words of encouragement," we finally said quietly -- and admittedly a bit sarcastically.

You do hear such words from time to time at poker tables.  It's especially true when someone makes a huge hand, or newcomers take their first large pot.  But to be fair, some people are better with encouraging words than others.  That's true with believers in Christ as well....

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.  If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.... if it is encouraging, let him encourage.... - Romans 12:6, 8

We've faced our own personal trials away from the poker table over the last few years.  So we use this post in part to thank the fellow believers who have offered us encouraging words, when problems have arisen and things looked tough.  And if you don't have the gift of saying those words, set a living example instead:

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. - Hebrews 3:12-13

Our title for this post comes from a line in the state song of our home state: "Home on the range.... where seldom is heard a discouraging word...."  May your words and life encourage others - especially to bring them nearer to God.

The Unmentionables?

There are two topics you should never bring up in public, a woman said at our poker table the other night: "Politics and religion."

Yes, those subjects can be divisive.  Yes, they can be controversial.  But whether people like it or not, both subjects are a part of many people's lives.

There's a lot of talk across the U.S. right now about this year's Presidential election.  So why should we be afraid to talk about that other subject -- matters of religion and faith?  The early disciples were given marching orders from Jesus to talk about them....

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. - Acts 1:8 (NASB)

Some people didn't want religious topics brought up 2,000 years ago, either -- such as a ruling council:

And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.  But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard." - Acts  4:18-20 (NASB)

The first apostles felt compelled by God to talk about the things of Jesus.  Why should we be any different?  Especially when the things of Jesus should have an impact on every aspect of your life?

Poker Night 294: Life's Great at Super 8

The Little Havana section of Miami will hold its annual Calle Ocho Festival next weekend.  Without our planning it, we had an early celebration of our own tonight at Lil Kim's Cove....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: J-8 of hearts

We've won a couple of early pots, helped by pocket Aces coming in the small blind.  But a couple of chases fell short after that, so now we're in the big blind with about 7,400 chips.  No one at the full table raises ahead of us, so we're happy to check and see a flop.

ON THE FLOP: 8-9-8

And we're quite happy to see this flop!  But we don't wait to bet too much and run players away, so we offer a $400 "tempter."  A woman across from us calls, and then a man to her left raises 1,500.  We think this was a raise borrowing from Foghorn Leghorn in the cartoons -- "Go away, son, you bother me."  We shake our head  in a semi-acting response and call.  The woman calls as well.

ON THE TURN: Q

"Check to the raiser," we say playing first.  We probably moved a bit too cautiously doing that -- because the opponent we thought had nothing might have hit "bigger trips" with that card.  But the two other players in the hand check.  That makes us feel better....

ON THE RIVER: 8

....and now we feel very, very good.  We know we have the winner, so we try to lure our opponents into calling by betting 1,000.  It doesn't work.  They fold, and the raiser quickly turns over the cards before we can say:

"I have quads."  Turning over our 8, no one denies us our quad bonus of 5,000 chips -- not to mention a pot in the 6,000-chip range.  A "big blind special" doesn't come much better than that!

We won a couple more pots after that, including a daring all-in bet in the second hour with A-6 when an Ace came on the flop.  Our pair was best, and knocked a woman out.

Then with the final table in sight after the two-hour break, we went all-in again with pocket Queens.  But a flop of K-J-9 gave a man with K-9 two pair.  No Queen or 10 came for a straight, and that man knocked two players out including us.  We missed the final table by one hand, finishing tied for tenth place (11th in points).

MINISTRY MOMENT: We showed a man a card protector depicting the Biblical "last supper" tonight and asked, "What do you think of Jesus?  Is Jesus your Savior?"

The man clearly didn't expect that sort of question, and didn't want to answer it.  "C'mon, man, we're playing poker.  Church is on Sunday; poker is on Thursday."

We were ready to let it go at that, based on a Bible discussion we joined earlier in the week.  A minister leading the study said believers should NOT go around preaching to people all day and all night.  But we couldn't really let this man off the hook that easily.

"But if this was the weekend, and not Thursday....?"

"If frogs had wings, they wouldn't...."  We didn't catch all of the man's response -- but we know it included one expletive, and didn't really answer the main question.

In other words, this man didn't want to bring up matters of faith at the poker table.  But a time is coming when, to borrow from another game, God will demand a final answer.

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!  For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.... The Lord will road from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble.  But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. - Joel 3:14, 16

Where will you find a "valley of decision"?  Another Old Testament prophecy indicates it will be a literal place, created by a returning Jesus Christ:

Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as he fights in the day of battle.  On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. - Zechariah 14:3-4

The decision many will have to make at that time is whether or not to accept the returning Jesus as King of Kings.  But why wait for that dramatic moment?  You can decide to accept Jesus as your Lord now, and have that ultimate refuge and stronghold Joel mentions.  If you'd like to know more about that, leave a comment; we'll be happy to help you in the process.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 106 final tables in 294 nights (36.1%) - 17 cashes.  We've finished 11th or better in three of our last five nights.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 191 point wins in 828 games (23.1%), 66 final tables, 7 cashes.  Next week will be a big week for us at NLOP, with two monthly championships at stake.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $72,893, down $1.305.

Poker Night 285: Isn't That Special?

"You going to blog that?" a man across from us asked several times tonight at Lil Kim's Cove.  At one point, he revealed we've mentioned him -- so we thank him for being a reader.  And he already should know how this hand at a table of big spenders turned out....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: A-10 of diamonds

We were part of a three-way split of a pot earlier in the game with a straight.  So we have 6,000 chips to work with, and we try to get in small.  But as we say, it's a table of big spenders -- so a man to our left raises 1,000.  We join several players in calling.

ON THE FLOP: A-Q-3

Top pair looks nice, and being first to act works to our advantage.  We bet 1,000 to send a statement to the table.  Three players are undaunted and call.  At this point, we will quote the regular blog reader who wanted to make a statement in our recorder -- that we were lucky:

"I had trip threes on the flop.  I flopped the trips, and he only had a raggedy-a** Ace...."

ON THE TURN: Ac

"He turned an Ace...."

"And what was my bet on the turn?" we ask.

"His bet on the turn was all in, and I was still winning." [He had a full house, you see.]  But he left out one fun detail -- what we said when we pushed.

"3,800 - 38 special."

"I know he's got an Ace," the pre-flop raiser to the left correctly guesses --then folds.

"Could he be more transparent than that?" a man out of the hand adds.  We say nothing, but recall one or two players calling.

ON THE RIVER: Q

Our regular reader comments: "And then he rivered another Queen."  Two pair on the table gives us a superior full house.  Perhaps we escaped, but we certainly jumped to more than 15,000 chips.

We took a couple more fairly nice pots after that -- then benefited at the semifinal table from a man with a huge stack who bet two players out of the game at once.  That gained us a seat at the final table for the third week in a row!

Once there, we won a pot with 10-10 which combined with a pair on the board.  But with blinds rising, we were forced to go all-in with K-Q and 15,000 left in the big blind.  The regular reader showed A-6, but he paired that 6 to knock us out.  A fifth-place finish felt good, considering all the action around us.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "You brought a battery today?" a man across from us asked as play began.  Yes -- our little nine-volt.

"I brought this to remind me that I receive power from the Holy Spirit," we noted.  "Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?"

"I sure do," the man answered.

"What's the Holy Spirit been doing for you?"

"He gets me up every morning, starts me on my way...." Those indeed are good blessings, and we should thank God for every day of life we have.  But God provides that power to do much more than that:

But you shall receive power, after that Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. - Acts 1:8

Those words of the resurrected Jesus should be a challenge to anyone who believes in the Holy Spirit.  As the Spirit dwells in you, are you being a witness to others of what God and that Spirit can do?  Don't be afraid, as a saint of old once said, to "preach the gospel - and use words, if necessary."

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 105 final tables in 285 nights (36.8%) - 17 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 184 point wins in 796 games (23.1%), 63 final tables, 7 cashes.  We fell two spots short of the money Wednesday night, finishing sixth in a tournament with 824 players.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $62,644, down $1,135.

Wearing It on Your Sleeve

In the World Series of Poker, the competition is about more than money. Win a tournament, and you receive a prized WSOP bracelet to wear on your wrist.

Wristbands can advertise or promote all sorts of things these days. In a post earlier this week, we mentioned a woman who wore a "Philippians 4:13" wristband in honor of a boy battling cancer.

Some trace the trend back to this -- a "W.W.J.D.?" band developed in the last 15 years or so. It asks the simple question: What would Jesus do?

We've worn this wristband to poker nights for several months, partly to help start a conversation about the things of God. But we were surprised at a recent church convention to hear a top leader of one association call WWJD bands "rather trite and rather meaningless, because they [evangelicals] have this on their arms, and it's certainly not something that we should do" (about 41:00 into the video).

The leader agreed with the principle behins WWJD. But the statement against the bands struck us as strange -- especially since we've attended Messianic conventions where worshipers wear added blue tassels on their clothes, and sometimes suggest you need to do the same....

Make tassels on the four corners of the cloak you wear. -- Deuteronomy 22:12

Jesus made a statement about such things, which can spark debate among believers:

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.... But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.... Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long.... -- Matthew 23:2-5

Supporters of tassel displays claim Jesus condemned the lengthening, not the tassels themselves. Critics say Jesus opposed any display of tassels -- and in this day and age, believers don't need outward reminders of their faith because the Holy Spirit dwells in them (II Corinthians 1:22).

We took off our WWJD wristband at the church convention, after we saw the video complaint about it. (We made sure people sitting on either side of it were witnesses.) But for now, we're still wearing it to poker nights.

Why -- to show we're "goody-goody holy rollers," while others around us are not?  No. We wear it as a witness to the non-Christians around us. The WWJD wristband has brought a comment on one poker night so far -- and we're ready to talk about it, should others bring it up.

Let's be honest here: if some poker players at bars can wear T-shirts and hats promoting cigarettes and beer, why can't a believer in Christ wear something promoting that personal Favorite?

Or are we totally wrong about this?

Poker Night 190: Strangely at Random

A few big timely hands helped us reach the final table tonight, for the fourth live tournament in a row. We ended tied for eighth (ninth in points), when K-Q lost to a woman with J-5 when she hit two pair on the flop. But we're deferring to a hand at Lil Kim's Cove which was borderline ridiculous....

BLINDS: 1,000/2,000

IN THE POCKET: We don't remember - we folded it!

Standard calling is happening, until a man in the small blind to our right asks a woman to our left how many chips she has left. She covers them up protectively, then shows 5,000. The man doesn't seem to grasp this, and raises 10,000. The woman goes into the tank.

"I'm not really sure I want to do this," she admits. Others at the table of six start urging her to call. (We say nothing.) Finally the woman slowly places her 5,000 on the table to call.

She shows A-9. The man confidently shows A-10. Then the dealer deals all five cards for the board face down, and spreads them.

"Show that one first," the man with A-10 says pointing to the middle card. What happens next is a scene from The Price is Right. The man points to cards at random to be turned over, in a ridiculous moment of drama.

As best we recall, the order of the cards came up: 6-4-5-2-3.

"It's a straight!" several of us say in amazement. But hold it.

"She has a straight flush!" Sure enough -- the 2-3-4-5 are spades, and the woman holds the Ace of spades. She wins the pot, and the confident man is left in mourning for several minutes.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Nothing really happened tonight, primarily because we sat around familiar people. We've shown them our Jesus coin and asked them about their Savior before -- which leads to a question we knew eventually would come. How do you keep the conversation going, when you've already used your main "tool" for witnessing?

The apostle Paul may have been in this predicament long ago, at Mars' Hill in Athens. But he looked around and found something to use....

For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. -- Acts 17:23

Paul went on to present a short message about repentance, and a resurrected "man he has appointed" (verse 31). We've used various things at bars over the years, to bring up that man called Jesus -- from the coin protectors we take to music playing on a jukebox. We missed bringing up a fitting song tonight: "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts. Maybe it will inspire you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 81 final tables in 190 nights (42.6%) - 15 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Five-player sit-n-goes - 6-11-6-3-2. Full tournaments - 69 point wins in 390 games (17.7%), 29 final tables, 1 cash.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Full tournaments - 1 point win (unofficial) in 7 games (14.3%). Pretend cash games - $13,479, up $185.

Why Are We Here?

"It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation."

Those are NOT our words. We found them in a Bible study this week. Paul wrote them in Romans 15:20. But that verse describes very well what we do -- taking the things of God and Jesus Christ to a place where people are unlikely to know about Him.

Does that mean going to poker nights in bars and nightclubs? Yes, very often. But Jesus was accused of being a friend of sinners (Luke 7:34) -- when His main goal was to offer a way out of their sins. John 14:6 shows Jesus is that way.

Jesus instructed His disciples to be witnesses for Him "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). We're not sure if this is going to the ends of cyberspace -- but we know people from many lands visit this blog. We welcome you. May you learn about the things of poker here -- but may you learn of Someone much more important.

Reward Point

You never know what might come up, when you play online poker. Take this exchange from the other day:

P [other player]: i missed the 25 cash due to door knockers jehova witnesss
Me: Did you agree with their message?
P: nope and they didnt agree with my pipe being lit
Me: Ohhhh.
P: lol
Dealer: flopblog [Me] wins Main Pot ($570) with One pair, jacks
Me: whoa didn't expect that
Pnder57: lucky with them high cards showin
Me: have you ever read their lit?
Pnder57: nh
Me: Thanks
Pnder57: wayyyyyy back
Me: I don't agree with all their points....
Me: but they're right when they talk about Jesus coming back someday.

No one commented further after we brought up the return of Jesus. So we'll ask -- do you believe He's coming again?

Denominations dispute the details of exactly how it will happen. But Jesus said this in Matthew 16:27 - "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done." The Lord already was on earth when He said that, so that means Jesus is coming again.

If it happened right now, what would your reward be? Have you done anything spiritually lasting, to build what Jesus called in Luke 12:33 "a treasure in heaven?" For believers in Christ, that's a bankroll which isn't likely to drain away.

Getting down to business

This weekend at church, our pastor said too many ministers "soft-pedal the gospel" these days. Then last night, we heard a sermon on Christian radio which recalled how Dwight L. Moody tried to witness to someone every day.

So this Sunday when we played in a 10:30 a.m. ET online tournament, we wrote this comment: "So is everyone here like me, and went to church yesterday?"

Only one person responded with a "rofl" (roll on floor laughing)

To which we answered, "No really. Seventh-Day Sabbath, you know."

That person then wrote something like, "I hear ya. I'm just yanking your leg."

No one else at the full table commented at all. Perhaps we started them thinking a bit. But then again, maybe this started you thinking a bit. Good.

"Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other...." - Hebrews 10:25, CEV

Is meeting at a poker table really worship? Especially if you're not making comments along the way?

Who gets the glory?

We made the final table this afternoon at the NBC Sports poker room, for the second day in a row. We finished eighth, not first -- but the bigger story is how we got there, and how we responded to it. Check out the chat, beginning with us going all in with 82 chips left and the blinds around 1,500/3,000:

Me: OK everybody fold
killamatic12: sry i was on the flush draw
Me: Please visit my poker blog ontheflop.blogspot.com
gator103: nh
killamatic12: ty

(We have a 5, and it pairs on the board with Kings.)

Dealer: AZHOCKEYMOM wins Side Pot 1 ($2840) with Two pair, kings and fives
Dealer: flopblog splits Main Pot ($246) with Two pair, kings and fives
Dealer: AZHOCKEYMOM splits Main Pot ($246) with Two pair, kings and fives
Me: whoa still here! Alleluia
killamatic12: still alive LOL
Me: OK fold again
Me: pleeeese.
killamatic12: i got my favorite hand and im the dealer
Me: uh oh

(We're all-in again with 246 chips. A pair and three high cards show up on the board, and it's a chopped pot for everyone still in -- including us.)

Dealer: gator103 splits Side Pot 1 ($1354) with One pair, threes
gator103: told ya i get cut out
Dealer: killamatic12 splits Side Pot 1 ($1354) with One pair, threes
Dealer: flopblog splits Main Pot ($396) with One pair, threes
Me: woo hoo
Dealer: gator103 splits Main Pot ($396) with One pair, threes
Dealer: killamatic12 splits Main Pot ($396) with One pair, threes

(NBC Sports then combines players, to a last ten.)

killamatic12: lol STILL ALIVE
Me: to the final table!!!!!!
killamatic12: dude u made the final table LMFAOOO
Me: Hallelujah!!!

(We then go all-in with Q-J of diamonds -- now up to 396 chips.)

Dealer: gator103 wins Side Pot 1 ($6416) with One pair, queens
Dealer: flopblog wins Main Pot ($2430) with Straight, nine to king
killamatic12: DUDE U R THE MAN
gator103: lol
Me: No I'm not. "He" is. But thanks.
gator103: hey flop still hanging
killamatic12: how does he do it
Me: Give God the praise!

(Next hand -- well, we don't recall it completely. But in another big showdown....)

Dealer: flopblog wins Main Pot ($11060) with Flush, king high
killamatic12: THIS IS F*KIN AMAZING
Me: amazing.
Me: simply amazing.
gator103: wow
Me: LOL LOL LOL
killamatic12: I SWEAR from like 80 chips 2 11k
Me: 82 in fact, four hands ago!
killamatic12: if it was n e other player i would hate them but since its my good luck charm its ok lol
Me: Did I mention I won this game yesterday?
Me: Bless you Killa.
killamatic12: good thing i didnt take u out huh

We won only one or two more hands after that -- but did you notice Who we glorified for a few hands? We give God thanks and praise for whatever success we have. Even if no one responds to it.

Poker Night #65: Mike Said No

"I'll see you at the final table," a man to our left said when we were moved for the second time at Lil Kim's Cove Thursday night. "It happened that way last week."

"I'm not so sure tonight," we replied -- because blinds were rising, and we only had about 2,100 chips. Yet that man turned out to be more accurate than we were. We almost reached the final table, being eliminated in 10th place.

(The man to our left was NOT named Mike. We'll get to him.)

We played a bit more aggressively than usual tonight, and took a couple of big chip losses early as a result. After the "color-up" break rounded our stack up to 2,500, the big blind was approaching and we needed a bailout....

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: A-6 of diamonds.

We're the big blind, and that alone cost us 40 percent of our chips up-front. A player ahead of us raises 2,000. "It's time to go," we say going all-in with the last 1,500. A third man is in the action as well.

ON THE FLOP: 2-3-4.

None of them are diamonds, but that's OK. We have hope in a couple of ways.

ON THE TURN: A.

Top pair -- but big trouble. If someone has a 5, our goose is cooked. Unless, that is....

ON THE RIVER: 5.

"Straight to the 6!" we declare. It's over the top of the board, and no one else can top it. The other two players split a small sidepot, while we more than triple up.

We won the next pot, too -- and just like that, our weak 2,500 chip stack was above 11,000. But a few hands later with blinds higher, we took one dare too many. A man across from us went all-in, and we called him with 9-9. We suspected he had two high cards, but nothing more. We were wrong, because he had J-J -- and his higher pair held up.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Mike was sitting to our immediate right, before that man to our left made his prediction. He saw our "Jesus as your Savior" coin and said, "What happens when you call that phone number?"

Amazing -- Mike noticed the toll-free number on the edge of the coin, and not the important stuff in the middle. "I don't know. I've never called it," we responded. We did call after the tournament, and reached the office of the Christian Motorcyclists Association. (A member of the group gave us that coin last year.

"I may have asked you this before," we said to Mike, "but do you agree with the message in the middle?"

Mike thought for a moment. "No."

What would you have done at that moment? Let out an audible gasp? Immediately started preaching to Mike?

This was the first time someone flatly said no to the Jesus message on our coin. But we chose to "slow-play" it. We said nothing, and the table talk moved in other directions. Had we reached the final table side-by-side, I was ready to ask why his answer was no. But that didn't happen.

By having Mike merely read the message, some would say I've done my part. It's up to him to accept or reject the "witness," and he rejected it. Should we play together again, we'll probably advance that discussion further.

By the way, the man wearing the WWJD bracelet was missing from Thursday night's poker tournament. Our apologies for skipping over his story; that's coming soon.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 26 final tables in 65 nights (40%) - 7 cashes. Please note we will NOT play next week, due to religious commitments (more on that coming up).

YAHOO POKER TOTAL: $11,853 -- down $72.

Poker Night #46: The Aces Crack'd

Playing carefully helped me win an early pot at The Roadhouse tonight. But a top pair in the pocket wound up biting me, and I wound up in about 15th place. (We have to say "about" because only two tables were in action, but latecomers kept being added to the game as others were knocked out.)

BLINDS: 50/100.

IN THE POCKET: Aces!

I'm the big blind, and players call around to me. I raise 400, and several people join the party.

ON THE FLOP: K-Q-junk. (I think it was an 8.)

I'm first up, and bet 1,000. The man to my left calls without a flinch. One or two others do the same.

ON THE TURN: More junk -- maybe a 5.

Something tells me trouble is looming here, even though there's nothing to indicate a straight or flush. So I check.

"I'm all in," the man to my left says right away. Uh-huh. "You don't go f***ing me by checking there. Take my chips."

What would you do? He might have an A-K or A-Q and merely have top pair.

"I'll do it. I'll call," I decide -- pushing in 3,300 to match his bet. "I've got rockets."

"Two pair," he says -- showing a K-Q.

"I feared that," I say in response. My hunch turned out to be right. Something WAS wrong here, but I dared to play on anyway. Yet all I have to do is pair the board on the river, and I'll win the pot with a higher two pair....

ON THE RIVER: More junk -- a 6, I think.

We never recovered from that big loss, finally going all-in with K-Q with the blinds at 100/200 and 625 left in our bank. But in that case, another player had pocket Aces -- and they held up to take the pot, and take me out. Didn't we just have a post about giving and taking away?


MINISTRY MOMENT: Before the game begins, a man notices my new card marker. It's a coin mentioning Jesus being your Savior. (More on that coin another time.)

"Feel mine," he says -- a thick, gold-edged old Mexican coin. The man then talks about the devaluation of the peso years ago relative to the dollar, and how Mexico's economy recovered from that much faster than the U.S. is from its housing mess.

"This," I say referring to my coin, "is more about the message than the money."

"Maybe it's platinum," the man says. But after holding it a second and looking at both sides, he concludes it's made "from the top of a Mountain Dew can."

This man must have read the message on the coin. But he didn't want to talk about what it said. Maybe another night he will -- or maybe he needed to think about it.

UPDATED SCOREBOARD: 21 final tables in 46 nights (45.7%) -- 6 cashes. As we mentioned below, this will be our last live tournament for a few weeks due to an upcoming church convention.

YAHOO POKER TOTAL: RECORD HIGH $8422 (Up $652). We've been cooking there lately, gaining more than $1,500 since Labor Day.