I Who Have Nothing

The pocket cards were OK, but not great - 5-6 of hearts.  Neither of them paired.  But by the river, three diamonds were on the table.  There were three cards to a straight showing as well.  And the other two players in the hand were not betting.

"Three thousand," we said as we tossed chips forward.  A bit hesitantly, we admit.  But we did it, and put our best grim poker face on.

One man across the table thought it over for a moment -- then said, "I'll try" and called.  The other opponent pondered, and folded.

That man who called had a 7, which paired the board.  We showed our lack of anything, realizing our grand stunt had failed.

"That was a good bet," the man who folded told us.  He apparently gave up a pair of Kings.

"No, it wasn't," we said, "because he called."

The table had a laugh over this -- but the point was brought home.  We attempted a flat-out bluff, attempting to grab a pot and hoping to scare all the other players away.  But it didn't work, because we got caught.

There's a word in poker for what we tried to do: "stealing" the pot.  In some sports and games, that sometimes can be a good thing -- from stealing bases in baseball to a "pick-six" in American football.  But in the regular race of life, the warning is clear:

You shall not steal. - Exodus 20:15

This is one of God's basics, the Ten Commandments - and if you think Jesus did away with all of those, consider this:

...Jesus replied, "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, to not five false testimony, honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" - Matthew 19:18-19

We can't recall ever hearing a preacher condemn base-stealing and football interceptions.  Most ministers probably would call it "part of the game."  We'd like to think that's the case in poker as well - especially in a tournament setting, where everyone has put in the same entry fee and there's nothing more to lose.

But if you play cash games and encounter regular chances to bluff your way to a big payoff, this might be an ethical line worth some reflection.

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands.... - Ephesians 4:28

This verse really seems to be about criminals who refuse to have gainful employment. But what do you think - is there a lesson for poker players here?  Offer a comment, and let's discuss this.  We'll explore this area further in a future post.