Poker Night 328: Make Mine 89?

The Red Barn has less-expensive soda.  Uptown Wings is closer to our front door.  With that choice of Monday night poker action, one thing made the difference for us tonight.  We had a "title" to defend.  So we walked back to Uptown Wings, hoping for our third cash win in a row.  Hope is one thing, achievement another....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: 8-9 of spades

We've heard players say mid-range cards are the best to play, because you have more flexibility in dealing with a flop.  We haven't been able to do much with any flop on this night, as weak cards have come our way over and over.  This shows promise, at least -- so it's one of the few hands we've actually played.  We call in the Small Blind; no one raises.

ON THE FLOP: 5-2-J (only the Jack is a spade)

We have dreams of a flush or straight -- but we need a lot of help.  A man across the table from us tests us with a bet of 600.

"I'm probably going to regret it, but I'll call," we say.  Two other players call as well.

ON THE TURN: 2s

There's one "runner," but we need one more.  The man across the table seems to sense that, because now his bet is 2,500.  A woman between us calls, and we're left to ponder.  That's really a card we wanted, but the price is awfully steep for seeing one more.

"I'll fold," we finally decide.

ON THE RIVER: 5s

Ouch!  Of course the flush comes after we fold -- but the hand is still going.  The bettor stares at the woman's stack, computes she has 1,800 chips and bets exactly that amount.

"Get out of my pot," he says as she ponders.  Then he does her a big favor -- and shows her a 5.  She folds. He wins.  And a big question mark is removed from our mind.  Yes, he ran us off a flush with that big bet on the turn -- but in this case, we're thankful he did.

But it was a night when nice cards simply didn't come for us.  Even A-10 in the Big Blind went nowhere, as we missed the flop and that opponent bet big again.  Our stack drained to the point where we were forced all-in with 10-4 in the Small Blind.  The turn brought a 4, but we had nothing more.  Two pair eliminated both blinds at the same time, and we wound up tied for 14th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: With Independence Day approaching, we took a small U.S. flag lapel pin for a card protector.  And we asked a couple of players a question our Pastor has mentioned in passing in recent weeks: what does it mean to be an American?

"My fathers were slaves," one man next to us said.  "What the f*** do you think it means to me?"

This African-American man proceeded to share his feelings about race relations and civil rights, past and present.  He believes there's still plenty of inequality and prejudice based on skin color, and he indicated he deals with it on a daily basis.  (We live in a city which officially has no "racial majority" at this time.)

"If you see a man down on his luck, sitting outside an IHOP," he said for an example, "that person's more likely to be offered a handout and get help if he's white."

We didn't tell the man this, but we personally don't offer anyone a handout unless they ask for it.  But when the request comes, we try to fill a beggar's need (the need itself, not simply a request for money) without concern for their skin color.  The Bible instructs us to do that....

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? - James 2:15-16

(If you're wondering who qualifies as a "brother or sister," check the results of a Bible study we did into that topic several years ago.)


"If we could get rid of the bigotry," the man went on to say, "we'd be the greatest country in the world."

"The only way you're going to get rid of bigotry," we told him, "is for Jesus Christ to come back."

The man agreed with that view.  And we pray Jesus returns soon -- not only to bring reality to the Declaration of Independence's phrase "all men are created equal," but to heal the hurt of racial prejudice that the man next to us clearly feels.

....For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:27-28

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 117 final tables in 328 nights (35.7%) - 19 cashes.  We missed the final table in our "early-week" tournament for the first time since Memorial Day.