The cloud cover and breeze were a bit deceiving, as the temperature actually was in the mid-50's F. at game time. But since poker sometimes is a game of deceit, that would be OK - as in this hand.
BLINDS: 500/1,000
IN THE POCKET: A of clubs - 8 of spades
We made an early flush to move ahead in chips. Now we're one off the Big Blind at this one-table eight-player tournament, and these cards seem worth the trouble. We call. No one raises. Three players are in.
ON THE FLOP: 3c-5c-7c
We're one card away from something very nice. But we don't have it yet, so we check. As we recall, everyone checks.
ON THE TURN: Qc
The very nice "nut flush" is ours! But we decide to be
"Two-thousand?!?" we ask with a bit of uncertainty in our voice. We shake our head a bit, then seem to reluctantly say, "I'll call."
ON THE RIVER: 10d (as best we remember)
This card doesn't matter. We keep playing our part and check again. The man to our left checks. But the man across from us bets 10,000 - exactly as we hoped.
"Double," we now say with no trepidation; "20,000."
This causes a hubbub for some at the table, who clearly didn't see this coming.
"He really slow-played that Ace," the man to our left says as he folds. Our poker face is on, and we're not commenting.
"I have to call," the man across from us says. He matches the 20,000, and shows why. He has the King of clubs.
"You thought I slow-played that," we say to the man at our left. "You're absolutely right." We show the Ace and score a big chip gain of more than 24,000.
This was a classic case of what poker players call "letting others bet into you." We let our opponents do all the work, until we sprang the trap with a check-raise at the river.
Those big hands gave us the chip lead for awhile, with a high of 104,000. That helped us through a period of dry cards and habitual folds.
But then with six players left, we over-reached. In the Small Blind with 8-8, we doubled our opponent who turned out to have Q-10. When 7-9-10 came on the flop, he went all-in for 60,000 and we instant-called. Our open-ended straight draw missed (we had ten outs, if two remaining 8's are counted), and we dropped to a lowly 5,000. A desperation push with A-2 failed, and we ended the day tied for fifth (officially sixth).
MINISTRY MOMENT: "Before we begin, I have some sad news," a regular player who manages another poker room said at the top of the tournament. "One of our everyday players, Bobby, died."
The newspaper obituary for Bobby Kallail was posted on the poker room bulletin board. There we learned things he'd never revealed at poker games - about how he operated a once-popular downtown-area nightclub, and was a part of high school and college wrestling teams.The man who announced Bobby's passing thinks he might have been heading for the poker room when he died in a car crash. Several players were comforted to know that at least he'd played poker the day before, and was doing what he wanted to do.
"I have hope of seeing Bobby again someday, beyond this life," we said. Only one other player at the table seemed to acknowledge that - and that one barely did. We would ask: do you have such a hope?
If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. - Job 14:14
The ancient Job expressed hope of a resurrection. And the New Testament indicates it will happen for everyone.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:12
Were not sure if Bobby ever expressed faith in Jesus as his Savior. All we know for sure is that his funeral will take place at an Orthodox Christian Church. But the Bible shows a time of resurrection and judgment is coming - for him and for you. Are you prepared for that moment? Have you prepared, by giving your life to Christ?
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 171 final tables in 457 games (37.4%) - 29 cashes.
We have cashed in four out of 19 in-person tournaments this year. Our next event (probably not until mid-December) will determine whether our percentage hits 20 or 25 percent.
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