BLINDS: 25/25
IN THE POCKET: Queen-10 offsuit
The cards we've been dealt early were OK, but nothing that won us pots. Our starting stack of 3,500 chips dropped to about 3,000. But we won a modest pot in the Big Blind, with a timely bet o the turn. Now we're in the Small Blind, at a pretty active table. Someone raises to 75, and we hold our nose (well, not literally) and call. About half the table is in.
ON THE FLOP: Q-7-4
We hit top pair, and we're ready to seize on it. Sitting in lead position, we bet 150 to keep potential flush chasers away. Only a man to our right calls.
ON THE TURN: 5
That seems harmless, so we try again. Now we bet 400. But that opponent calls again, and we fear big trouble. Is he sitting on pocket Kings?
ON THE RIVER: 7
This pairs the board - and it's potentially even more trouble. What if our opponent had a 7 in the first place? We slow down and check. We're a bit relieved when our opponent thinks it over, then checks as well.
We show Q-10. He shows - Q-9! The 10 plays, and we complete a nice round of blinds by gaining several hundred chips.
Our stack reached a high of 5,375 at the end of the first blind period. But then good cards started getting beat by better cards, and we slumped again. We survived one all-in Big Blind moment, to stay at 1,900 chips. But when we were moved to another table, we pushed with A-8 and A-5-2 showing. Amazingly, a man with 5-2 called and topped us. We left in 31st place out of 53 players.
MINISTRY MOMENT: We tried to recover our buy-in at a blackjack table. That didn't succeed, either - but we heard a discussion with a table manager about giving.
"It's better to give than to receive," we told him. "I read that in a book once."
"Was that a 'good book'?" the dealer asked.
"A very good book," we agreed. Moments later we continued, "Do you read that good book?" The dealer nodded his head.
"I think everyone should read it," we added.
"I concur," the dealer responded.
Do you recognize that initial quote - and the "good book" where it's found? Regular blog readers probably can guess....
In everything I did, I showed you by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." - Acts 20:35
People call the Bible a "good book" for many reasons. We think it's good in part because it gives helpful advice on living. But it's especially good because of the One who gave this advice - Jesus Christ, who desires to be your Savior.
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me...." - John 10:14
Jesus openly was skeptical when someone called Him "good" (Luke 18:19) - but here He takes that adjective to a different level.
"....Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay down my life for the sheep." - John 10:15
Jesus Christ came to give up His life, to pay the death penalty for all our sins. We don't think any deal is "more good" than that. Will you accept it, and become one of Jesus's "sheep" - following the Shepherd all the way to the Kingdom of God?
UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 175 final tables in 465 games (37.6%) - 33 cashes. In five tournaments at Kansas Star, we've yet to even reach a final table.
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