BLINDS: 25/50
IN THE POCKET: Queen-7 of diamonds
As best we remember, we haven't won a pot yet -- but we haven't bet much, either. From a starting 13,000 chips (3,000 extra for soda, 5,000 for arriving on time), this is a safe inexpensive hand to play. We call, and no one at the table of six raises.
ON THE FLOP: 10x-Kd-6x
A third diamond offers hope of a flush. We're helped by the fact that the table checks.
ON THE TURN: J (not a diamond)
There goes the flush -- and our interest in this hand. We're ready to fold to anything. But the table checks again.
ON THE RIVER: A
As they say in hockey, now the gloves come off. A woman who calls herself a "newby" player bets 3,000. A man across from her raises to 10,000.
"I'd better get ready to fold this," we say -- but then with our cards above the table, we suddenly see it. Hey, there are four cards for a straight on the board! And we have the Queen for a "Broadway" straight!
The cards come back, and we're glad we didn't simply say "fold." We call the bet of 10,000. The new player next to us struggles to figure out her chips, but she calls as well.
"I've got a Queen," we say as we show. And it turns out the other two big bettors did, too. It's a three-way split of the pot, and only a modest gain for us.
The lesson for us here: keep watching a hand carefully until you're completely out of it. Surprising "runner" cards came to give us a straight -- and we almost missed it, by assuming the worst.
We won a couple of pots outright in the first hour, including an 8-9 which turned into two pair on the flop and took out an opponent. Then a longtime Tournament Director quit the game with a huge stack of chips, and we gained about 5,000 more in a six-way split. Our high was 23,500 -- but then good cards quit coming.
An attempt to make something happen with a pair of Jacks fell victim to a flush we didn't have. Finally at the start of the third hour with only 10,000 chips left and the blinds at 5,000/10,000, we folded 7-10 -- only to watch cards come which would have given us a winning straight.
The next hand was a forced Big Blind with J-6. The river brought a 6 -- but a man across from us had A-6, and his kicker topped us. We again fell barely short of the final table, finishing 10th.
MINISTRY MOMENT: "I read a passage from the Bible every day," the new female player told us before the game began. That led to a short discussion around the table about sin.
"Everyone sins," a man across from us said. "There are little sins and big sins."
Big and little to us, maybe. But in the eyes of God, we're still.... well, "all sin."
For whoever keeps the whole law and stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. - James 2:10The discussion reminded us of a Bible passage we'd read earlier in the day....
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. - I John 1:8
Are you claiming that? If so, take another look at the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5. Have you gone throughout your life without ever telling a lie -- even once? Have you never longed to own something one of your friends has? That can be coveting. Yet here's the good news....
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - I John 1:9After you seek God's forgiveness of your sins, ask for His help in coming out of sin. His Holy Spirit can help you resist and win, if you let Him live within you.
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 136 final tables in 395 nights (34.4%) - 20 cashes.
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 283 point wins in 1,388 games (20.4%), 92 final tables, 10 cashes, 12 wins. No-River Hold 'em - 28 point wins in 108 games (25.9%), 23 final tables, 2 cashes, 1 win.
It appears we were wrong about NLOP ending the monthly Senior Championships. Qualifying is underway for the March event -- but we'll have to miss it, due to another commitment.
POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $85,649, down $747.
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