Barely enough players showed up to start a tournament, and they couldn't agree for awhile on what game to play. Some expected the Sunday freeroll of recent weeks; we had checked the website in advance, and prepared for a $30 "crazy pineapple" tournament. Eventually everyone settled on a $30 Texas Hold 'em game -- and for us, it was a challenge:
BLINDS: 1,000/2,000
IN THE POCKET: K-J offsuit
Very few cards have thrilled us today. One hand offered hope for a flush, but we missed. Now we're in the Big Blind, with about 27,000 chips left from a starting 47,000. About eight players are left from what wound up being a field of 11. But no one raises in front of us, so we check hoping this is the time.
ON THE FLOP: Q-10-6
This gives us a very attractive open-ended straight draw. We check, and a man across from us bets 5,000. We dare to call; if other players were still in the hand (maybe one or two), they get out. We're heads-up.
ON THE TURN: Q
That's a miss. So we check again - and our opponent bets 5,000 again. We gulp a little, and call.
ON THE RIVER: 10
We miss again, as now two pair are on the board. We check again -- and are a bit relieved when our opponent does as well.
"I missed the straight," we admit, "but I have a King."
The opponent looks for a moment.... in frustration! Then he shows 9-7. He also was on a straight draw, a much tougher one (needing an 8), but he also missed. The King is big enough to give us a well-needed boost to 48,000.
"If I had gone all-in, would you have folded?" he asks minutes later.
"I don't know," we admit. At that point in the game, we might have simply called in resignation.
We escaped with another all-in bet minutes later, and survived to the last five players. But a blind battle where we had (as best we recall) King high turned out to be our undoing, as the Small Blind made a straight on the river.
We recalled our modest goal for our first poker tournament in June 2007: avoid being the first person eliminated at our table. That was somewhat our goal again today, and we succeeded - staying a long time, finishing fifth out of 11, but missing the money for the top three players.
MINISTRY MOMENT: Someone noticed our "Lord's Supper" card protector during a break, and that led to one of the best Bible discussions we've had in a poker room in a long time. We won't get into all of it here, but one man commented about how God is sure to judge the U.S. "We've wandered a long way from God," he said.
We can't help but agree. Eight years ago, same-sex marriages and transgender mainstream magazine covers seemed as unlikely as royal flushes. We hear much more about them now, of course -- yet the Bible warns:
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. - Ecclesiastes 12:14
But before we point fingers at "those sinners" outside our group, we need to be careful. This verse means God also will judge the "hidden things" of seemingly righteous people. In fact, it means God will judge our every deed -- and the believers actually are first in line:
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? - I Peter 4:17
God's "family" refers to His children, who have accepted Jesus as their Savior. They're being judged right now....
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.... - Hebrews 9:27
Whether you consider yourself one of God's children or not, ask yourself: am I living in a way that will pass God's judgment? The Bible indicates we all will face it, so it's good to prepare for it now.
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 163 final tables in 448 games (36.4%) - 26 cashes.
No comments:
Post a Comment