Poker Day 440: Two for the Money?

We could have rested on last Sunday's big win.  But the only way to make more money is to invest some of those winnings.  So we went back to Arrowhead Poker today, hoping to go two-for-two in 2015....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 6-10 offsuit

It's the very first hand of the day -- and after Saturday's big state poker tournament, only seven players have shown up.  That potentially is better for us.  So sitting in the Small Blind, we call with little at stake.  No one raises.

ON THE FLOP: 2-4-6

Well, what do you know -- top pair!  We're first to act, so we offer 700 in hopes of claiming the pot inexpensively.  A few players fold; as best we recall, three stay in.

ON THE TURN: 7

Now we don't have top pair, and we wonder what other players have.  So we check.  So do the others.

ON THE RIVER: 10

A second pair looks very good to us!  So we raise our bet accordingly, to 1,500.  One player folds -- but a man across from us raises to 3,000.  We think that's a one pair "I dare you" bet.  So we're not really concerned, and we call.  What could go wrong?

"Straight," the opponent says.

Ohhhh.  That could go wrong - as he turns over 8-9.  He had an open-ended straight draw and made it.  We lose a bunch, and wonder why that didn't cross our minds.

Looking back, we really wouldn't change how we handled that hand.  It's hard to bet the turn when top pair is gone - unless you're making a bluff bet to scare other people away.  What would you have done?

We fought back form that setback to win several hands -- including two big ones in the row in the second hour, when J-10 turned into a straight which allowed us to double-up.  Our high chip count was 96,000, from a starting 40,000.  But then we lost a lot when we challenged an all-in bet with A-Q, and ran into A-K.

With blinds getting very high, we felt forced to go all-in with 40,000 chips and A-4.  Opponents called with Q-Q (as best we recall) and A-K.  The board didn't help us at all, and the man with a pair scored a double-takeout.  We finished tied for fifth, out of ten total players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: After that double-up straight, we said, "Thank you, Lord."

"Thank you, Lord," another man repeated -- perhaps a bit surprised.

Yes, we said it.  And we meant it.  We believe in being thankful to God for every blessing which comes our way.  Why?

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. - Colossians 2:6-7

Believers in Jesus should "overflow" with thankfulness.  That may remind you of a classic Bible passage:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. - Psalm 23:5

Some Bible commentaries indicate the "cup" overflowing here refers to the "table" God prepares for us.  God can bless believers, even as skeptics and "enemies" watch.  In fact, that can be a sign of Who ultimately is in charge of things.

But let's go back to Colossians for a moment.  That "overflowing" is the final step in a process that starts with receiving Jesus as Lord.  If you haven't done that, why wait?

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.... - John 1:12

You may think you're a "child of God" now, but the Bible indicates it depends on receiving and believing in Jesus.  If you need help with that, leave a comment - we'll be glad to assist you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 158 final tables in 440 games (35.9%) - 26 cashes. .Yes, it was another one-table game. But if people want to deny us final tables, they need to show up to stop us.