Poker Day 422: And the Rockets, Read....

It's a big day for car racing fans -- with famous events in Monaco, Indianapolis and Charlotte.  Poker is known for "races" as well.  And we knew we'd have to win some to succeed at River City Poker Room.  It always helps to have a good engine....

BLINDS: 2,000/4,000

IN THE POCKET: A-A

It looked like we were doomed to an early exit, as several promising hands fell short.  But then things started to turn around, with K-Q turning into a winning Queens-8's two pair.  Now we've survived to the final table on a two-table day, with eight players remaining.  And believe it or not, we've been dealt pocket Aces for the second hand in a row!

We went all in for 22,000 on the prior hand in middle position, and had no takers (never showing what we had).  Now we have 36,000 in rather early position, so we change the strategy a bit.  We raise only to 14,000.  Most of the table bails out, but two players call.

ON THE FLOP: Q-J-7 (third card may not be precise)

With no flush risk, it's a green-light flop for us.  So we go all in again -- as it happens, for 22,000 once more.  One man folds.  A young man across the table gives it a great deal of thought.

"I'll call," he finally says -- and shows K-Q.

'You can call me Houston, because I've got Rockets," we say as we turn the Aces over.  Our opponent has 6 outs to beat us -- only about a 13% chance.

ON THE TURN: Q

The dealer clearly doesn't watch poker on television, because she doesn't even give us time to say Nooooooo....

ON THE RIVER: 5

Our opponent caught a third Queen on the turn, and our "rockets" crash like North Korean missiles in the sea.  We're eliminated in eighth place -- and as we leave, we hear our opponent saying he thought we might have a King.  It turns out we had better, but not enough to win the race.

MINISTRY MOMENT: The dealer at our table was female. while all the players were male.  At one point for some reason, one of them referred to her as a "heifer."

"I'm insulted," she said.

"There are places where a heifer is a good thing," we pointed out.  "In Israel, a red heifer is a very good thing."

This seemed to stump the table, as we figured it would.  A man at our left asked about it.  "Check it in your Bible," we suggested.

We're not sure if he will.  So let's show it to you....

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: "This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke." - Numbers 19:1-2

Not just any ol' heifer - but a red one.  It was slaughtered and burned (verses 3, 5).  And then....

"A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp.  They shall be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin." - Numbers 19:9

So this heifer's ashes had a special specific use: cleaning ancient Israel's sins.

Some religious people in our day still consider a red heifer a big deal.  We've heard stories of U.S. ministries sending them to Israel -- dropping a hint that it's time to rebuild a temple in Jerusalem and hurry the second coming of Jesus.  So let's ask: what do you think of all this?  Offer a comment, and we'll offer our thoughts in an upcoming post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 150 final tables in 422 games (35.5%) - 25 cashes.  We are a perfect five-for-five in making final tables so far this year!