Across The Line

It was our turn to act, and we wanted to bet. So we reached for one of our stacks, held it out, dropped a couple of chips on the table - and promptly was scolded for it.

"If you move chips past the line, you have to bet them," a dealer reminded us.

Most casino tables have a "line of commitment" around them. If you put chips beyond that line, it's considered a bet.  If you toss your cards past the line before showdown, you've folded.

The "stack reach-out" correction happened to us at our last casino tournament -- not once, but twice. Normally we don't put chips out that way. But we've seen a lot of other players do it in informal games.

It occurred to us after the game that we've gotten into an unexpected bad habit with our chip-handling - a habit that could prove costly one of these days, and turn a good game into a quick exit.

Do you have any habits like that at the poker table?  Are there "lines" you're crossing that you shouldn't?  These are questions we all should ask from time to time - and not simply when we play poker.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. - Psalm 139:23-24

You might be offending other people - even breaking a rule of the game (poker or life) - and not even know it.  There are several ways to discover if you're doing that:

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed... - James 5:16

Some church groups recommend members have "accountability partners."  We suppose that could mean a spouse, but they often put it in the form of a close friend of the same gender - someone who will ask you tough questions about your life, with you asking back. The goal is to keep each other clean in conduct.

Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. - Proverbs 27:6

The approach mentioned in Psalm 139 is more introspective - praying for God's help in finding your faults. It's a concept we've mentioned here before:

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves... - II Corinthians 13:5

However you do it, it's a good thing to do it. Never assume you're doing everything right. We've found that's simply a path that leads to correction and trouble.  Carefully explore your life, and see which side of the line you're really on.