Poker Day 516: Beginner's Luck?

Newcomers in a poker room tend to give themselves away. They ask questions when their turn comes, or puzzle over how to match someone's bet. That could make them easy marks for veterans. Unless.... well, check what happened today at Kansas Star Casino:

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: A-A

That's a nice sight to see in the early minutes of a tournament. We've only lost 25 of our original 3,500 chips. Sitting early in the order at a table of eight, we limp in and hope for pre-flop raises. As usual for us, there are none. About five players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 10-9-7

Two diamonds are showing, so that's a caution flag for us. Players to our right offer 50. They're nibbling. We want a big bite.

"That's not enough," we say - and we raise to 350. Several players take the hint and fold. But a young man who acts like a "newby" calls. We're heads-up.

ON THE TURN: 10

The board pairs, which makes us a bit more uneasy - especially when our opponent bets 200. We suspect he has a 9 for two pair. But our two pair are better, and we want to make sure he knows that.

"400," we say. He calls our raise. Hmmm.

ON THE RIVER: 10

Gulp - a third 10. We now have the best full house. But the newcomer now bets 500. Did the longshot come through for him? We decide not to risk a raise.

"If he has quads, he's got me," we say (stating the obvious). "But I'll call."

Our opponent then turns over.... Q-J! He missed his straight draw, and tried to bluff us away. Our full house means a gain to 4,975.

"Good play," a woman at the table says.

"Be careful - don't inflate his ego," a man in between us jokes. We smile, and offer the opportunity for players to pat our back. No one does.

The newcomer was the first to go bust at our table, while we almost doubled our chip stack to 6,950 at the first break. But then came some explosive hands where several players bet big and topped our A-J and similar hands. We were happy to make it to the second break with 3,600, with 17 players left.

We made six all-in bets from the second hour on. Only one was called - and that was the problem. We forced our way in with Q-10 of clubs and rising blinds. A man to our left called with A-4, and caught an Ace on the flop. While it was another good tournament day, this time we missed the final table by placing 12th out of 50 players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "For a moment, I thought you had the world's largest orange chip." A man to our right was commenting on one of our new card protectors - a small tape measure we picked up for attending a college soccer match in Oklahoma.

"I brought it to remind me of something," we said as we extended the tape a bit. "Narrow is the way that leads to life, and few people find it. But wide is the way that leads to destruction."

The man knew right away what we meant. We didn't write down his exact response, but it was along the lines of this verse....

Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. - Psalm 118:19 (2011 NIV)

Thanksgiving Day may be over in the U.S., but we're not sure there's ever a wrong time to give thanks to God for His blessings. And the righteousness described there should not be something we create:

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known.... This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference.... - Romans 3:21-22

Our righteousness is worthless (Isaiah 64:6). God's righteousness, through faith in Jesus, is priceless.

But let's back up a second. Did our statement about the tape measure seem familiar? It should....

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. - Matthew 7:13-14

These are words of Jesus Christ. What do you think He meant by them? Offer a comment with your thoughts, and we'll compare notes in an upcoming post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 188 final tables in 516 games (36.4%) - 38 cashes. Experiment cost: up $100.

Poker Night 515: Dealer's Choice

A "Million Dollar Cash Game" was on tonight at Five-Star Billiards. Not at our poker tables, but on the TV screens. "Fury TV" was showing a contest with some of poker's most famous names. We are certainly not famous - but there was one hand which became very expensive....

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: A-K offsuit

We've won a few pots, including one with pocket Aces we never showed. Two hands before this one, K-3 led to three Kings at the turn and a Big Blind win. Now we've dealt ourselves more nice cards at a table of seven. A couple of people have called, but no one has raised.

"I'll raise to 3,000," we announce. We're hopeful of a big gain before the one-hour break. But there's trouble across the table - the man who is disabled and confined to a wheelchair.

"I'm all-in," he says in his mumbling voice. His re-raise is for more than 11,000. Our decision is obvious.

"You've got me covered," we say after a count. "I have 10,200.... and I have the lead." Our opponent shows A-J of clubs.

"Jack," the man says quietly.

ON THE FLOP: Q-J-7

Aaargh! We gave him exactly what he wanted! An Ace doesn't help us now.

"A 10 would be good," we say as we keep dealing....

ON THE TURN: 9

Close, but not quite a straight. Now a King or a 10 will save the day.

ON THE RIVER: 8

Ouch! We got all-in with the best hand, but the cards were against us - even though we dealt them. It's a lowly finish of about 23rd place. But if we're going to lose like that, it's better to do it on Monday night when the game is practically free.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We went to the bar after we went bust, and found Chris Ferguson was leading in "profit/loss" at the Million Dollar Cash Game.

"Jesus first," we said to a man next to us. We explained that's the nickname Ferguson has gained over the years, based on his appearance.

"I try to put Jesus first all the time - and I don't mean Ferguson," we added.

Before we could say more, a hand developed on TV where two players had pocket Aces. That changed the discussion. But we would ask you - is Jesus first in your life?

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." - Matthew 22:37-38

Some people say Jesus was talking strictly about His Father God at this point. We agree with that - but think a moment. Jesus is "God" as well....

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.... - John 1:1, 14

Jesus Christ was that "Word." Thus He was, and is, God. And thus we should love Him, as we love the Father.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. - Revelation 22:13

If you have a "red-letter Bible," this should be in red - because the resurrected Jesus said it. He declared Himself "First." So we see no harm in putting Him first in our lives - certainly far above us. Where does He rank with you?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 188 final tables in 515 games (36.5%) - 38 cashes.

A Place of Your Own

We introduced you in a recent post to a poker player who called himself a "generic Christian." He doesn't go by a list of beliefs from denominations. Instead, he says he does what the Bible says.

Yet that same man admitted he had only attended a church occasionally in recent weeks. There's a big problem with that - as the Bible indicates you should:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25

Believers in Christ are expected to meet. They do that weekly, and sometimes more often, in groups large and small. It could happen in big buildings or in small homes. But the meetings are supposed to be for encouragement toward "love and good deeds."

If you attend a church group, does it do that? And if you don't attend one, how can you find a place that does?

We think it starts with determining which group really loves God and Jesus Christ. Many say they do, of course. But how many live up to the Bible standard?

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. - John 14:21

Jesus emphasized keeping his "commands." We recommend searching the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) to learn what He commanded when He walked the earth. Among other things, you'll find this....

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. - John 13:34-35

Love indeed matters - toward God in obedience, then toward other people. If you need help in finding a church group truly doing that, leave a comment and we'll help you as we can.

Poker Day 514: Gladly For A's

"Casino Gambling >> You Personally: >> Times last 12 months." That's one of the questions in a large consumer survey we're completing as time permits. Our answer when we filled out the page Tuesday was 22. Today brought another trip to Kansas Star - and this poker tournament had some amazing moments:

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: A-A

We're in the third hour of play, which means we've survived for a while. One small pot win in the first hour left us with 2,625 chips from a starting 3,500. But gains came in Hour 2, thanks to some big timely bets. We won a large pot at the break (we J-J, as best we remember), to climb to 6,100; the "chip-up" made the total 6,500.

Now we sense a chance for a big score, receiving these big cards early in the order at a table of seven. We limp in, waiting for raisers - but there are none. Yet about four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: K-Q-7

Two high cards look like potential trouble. But ours are higher, so we decide to try for maximum benefits. We go all-in for 5,500. Two men fold, but a man in the blinds dares to call us.

"I've got rockets in my pocket," we declare. Our opponent has K-9, and realizes he's been had.

ON THE TURN: A

"Yes!" we say. Our three Aces mean our opponent is drawing dead. But for the record....

ON THE RIVER: A

"Woah!" we declare. Running Aces give us quads! It's a big gain, to around 14,000.

Patient play paid off, as we made more big hands later. An Ace of Spades turned into a nut flush, which advanced us about 20,000 more. We rolled to the final table at 39,000, then made only one small mistake which dropped us to 33,500 at the three-hour mark.

Seven players were left at that point - and a man to our right then hit a flush which knocked out two opponents. A top-five finish put us in the money! Then a Big Blind call with a lowly 7-4 when an opponent was forced to go all-in for less led to a cruel 4 on the river, giving us a winning two pair.

That cut the table to three players with fairly even chip stacks, and everyone agreed to chop the remaining prize money. We officially placed second out of 52 players, and were rewarded with $360 for a $50 buy-in - our second cash win of 2017, in 14 trips to Kansas Star.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Tomorrow is Thanksgiving," a woman to our right suddenly realized before the tournament began.

"What are you thankful for this year?" we asked her.

"For my family." Relatives live close to her. "What about you?"

"I'm thankful that God has given me peace, as I've dealt with a recent trial," we answered. Then we corrected ourselves; we're officially calling it a "transition" between jobs, not a trial. But either way, that peace is important....

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. - Psalm 29:11

This psalm was written by King David, who faced all kinds of trials during his life. He went toe-to-toe with a giant named Goliath. Then King Saul tried to kill him, so he wouldn't take the throne of Israel. He even lost a child, due to his own sinful scheming. Yet David could write about the blessing of peace. A future "King" mentioned it as well....

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27

This Jesus, the "prince of peace," did not talk about it around Christmas. This statement came in the early spring, on the evening before He was executed. How can you have that peace? Here's one Biblical suggestion....

There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. - Romans 2:9-10

We've actually heard some church members scoff at "do-gooders". Yet doing good has rewards. You may not get all of them now, but believers will when Jesus returns to set up the Kingdom of God on Earth.

In this Thanksgiving season, we're thankful for God's blessings - financial today, and spiritual in the future. What about you?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 188 final tables in 514 games (36.6%) - 38 cashes. (We've been forgetting to count our big day in June in the "cashes" column.) Experiment cost: Up $150!

The Producers

We blog about poker. Other people "vlog" about it.

One of the newest players to post vlogs (video blogs) is someone we know well. Nicolas Wahl, who goes by "Nicname" on YouTube, worked with us at a TV station. We both produced newscasts. He left several months ago to pursue a poker career, and now grinds at cash game tables on a regular basis.

Wahl still is "producing", but in a different way. Not only is he making videos about his poker life, but he's making hundreds of dollars a day at the table. In fact, we ran into him at Kansas Star Casino once. But we went to the other side of the poker room, sticking to tournaments. Cash games are not our strong suit - and we don't to deprive Wahl of a living (especially at our expense).

Wahl has read our blog, so he knows what this is about. Yet what Wahl is doing is an example of why many preachers oppose gambling. We heard a radio message on this recently - with the minister pointing out gamblers who win take money from losers. He turned to this verse....

He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. - Proverbs 12:11

Another verse in Proverbs is similar, but note the different ending:

He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty. - Proverbs 28:19

The radio preacher talked primarily about Powerball and similar lottery games. But we can see how this can apply to a cash game. Not everyone who sits down at the table leaves with a profit; the format simply doesn't work that way.

(We've made a distinction here from the beginning between tournament poker and cash games. Tournaments have a set entry fee, like golf or tennis. Our current experiment is reminding us even that can be a losing venture.)

If you know what you're doing and you're making money playing poker, good for you. Be thankful to God for whatever blessings He gives. But if you're losing money - often - it may be time to end that habit and start a new one. It starts by asking God to cleanse you of your sins (perhaps including covetousness for money). The minister went on to quote this:

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. - John 8:36

....maybe even to play "free" poker.

Poker Day 513: From a Jack to a King?

Our title borrows from an old country music song. But it relates to a key hand we faced Wednesday at Kansas Star Casino - a decision that could have led to an early exit:

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: A-J of spades

We won an early pot with J-9. Now our Jack has a powerful partner, and we're first to play at a full table. We follow our usual approach and limp early, waiting for raisers. None come. As best we recall, four players get in.

ON THE FLOP: A-7-2

The spades are not an issue here. But we have top pair and a pretty good kicker - yet someone else bets 150 before our turn comes. That's OK; we'll call.

ON THE TURN: 8

Every extra card increases the chances of someone hitting a second pair. So when the player ahead of us bets 150 again, we try to close the deal with a raise to 300. A man across the table calls; the others fold.

ON THE RIVER: 2

We now have two pair and a pretty good kicker. We think another bet will clinch it, so we bet 300 again. But now, our opponent raises to 1,000.

This forces us to pause for a moment. We can't imagine the other man stuck around with a pair of 2's to make three of a kind on the river. On the other hand, our Jack isn't strong enough to top A-K or A-Q.

Finally we decide to take the big risk. We call.... and the opponent shows A-10! Our Jack indeed was better, and we take a big pot of more than 3,000 chips.

The first hour had a couple of setbacks, and we reached the first break with 2,675 from a starting 3,500 chips. But hour two brought some big gains. An all-in bet with Q-10 led to a winning Queen, and a jump to 4,200. Then A-J brought a jump to 8,000. Another A-J increased our stack to 9,500. Thanks to a couple more good wins, we wound up at the second break with 8,500.

But as the final table approached, our streak ran out. We went all-in with A-9, but lost to a King when a King came on the flop. On a day with 64 players, sixth place would have earned money - but this time, we slipped to 12th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: When the second hour started, we were in the Big Blind for 200. Mr. Small Blind arrived a little late, so the dealer asked us to put out his 100. When Mr. Small Blind saw, he pretended to cause a fuss.

"I just did what the dealer told me to do," we confessed.

"You're not trying to start a fight...." a man to our left joked.

"I come in peace," we replied. "'Blessed are the peacemakers.' I read that in a book once."

We're not sure if that man knew which book we meant. But if you're a regular reader, you probably do....

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. - Matthew 5:9

Jesus put peacemaking on His famous list of Biblical "beatitudes" - a list of nine traits which are blessed by God. It isn't always easy to make peace; the news headlines are filled with people and groups in conflict (if not outright war) with each other. But here's one way to do it....

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath.... - Romans 12:17-19

In the poker room, "revenge" can happen naturally with the turn of cards. You might get a straight this hand, while we hit a full house in the next hand. But peacemaking can be done in other areas, both large and small. We think the primary way is with the mouth - not "raising" when someone taunts or teases you. Even better....

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. - Romans 12:14

But we need to learn to respond that way not simply because we have to do it - but because we want to do it:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. - Romans 12:9

As we said, this isn't easy. It starts with repenting before God of moments when you've chosen the side of conflict, instead of peace. Then ask for His Holy Spirit to help clean up your life - starting with the heart and mouth, then far beyond.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 187 final tables in 513 games (36.5%) - 36 cashes. Experiment cost: Down $160.

Poker Night 512: Brave Hearts

Some poker hands are considered better than others before the flop. But any two cards have a chance of succeeding, once the flop comes. If only some hands ended there. You'll see what we mean, in this review of tonight's freeroll tournament at Five Star Billiards.

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 6-3 of hearts

It's the very first hand of the night, at a table of six players. We're in the Small Blind, and no one has raised. Of course we'll play suited cards. About four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 2h-Jh-8h

A perfect flop for us! But then the humility moment strikes. Our hearts to make the flush are small. Someone might be sitting on bigger ones. So in lead position, we bet 500 to take the temperature of the table. Several players fold, but the dealer does not. He calls.

ON THE TURN: Kh

A fourth heart makes our cards suddenly look a whole lot smaller. Is this what the dealer was waiting for? We check to see.

"I'll bet 1,000," he says. Yup, that's what we feared.

"I liked these cards for awhile," we respond - but we fold, expecting the worst. Sure enough, the dealer shows us the Ace of hearts. He had a draw for the "nut flush," and received it.

That loss was relatively small, but we won a few pots which were modestly big. From a starting 10,000, we reached 11,200 at the first break. We won a few more in the second hour, helped at one point by pocket Aces. Despite a  big loss with A-J at the end, we reached the final table at the two-hour break with 12,000.

A couple of wins and splits there lifted us to a high of 25,000 - but at that point, the blinds had reached 5,000/10,000. A desperation push with A-9 led to a 9 on the board, but a man to our left had Q-Q to eliminate us. We wound up matching Friday's tournament in Tulsa, with a sixth-place finish out of about 25 players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "I'm a generic Christian," a man across the table told us before the night began. No, we didn't bring up religion; a talkative older man next to him did.

But what did he mean by generic? "I go by what Jesus did, not by what some religion says." That may sound strange, but it actually follows the Bible's advice....

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. - I Corinthians 11:1

The apostle Paul wrote this to a church group that was showing signs of division:

What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ". - I Corinthians 1:12

The Christian movement has had a lot of splits over the years. Protestants marked a major one a couple of weeks ago, with the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's action sparking the Reformation. Yet what did the apostle say long ago about this?

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? - I Corinthians 1:13

His point in this letter and others was that every believer ultimately should follow Jesus Christ.

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. - Ephesians 5:23

So the man across the table was perceptive. But we had a question for him. "Didn't Jesus say He came to build a church?" Indeed He did....

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. - Matthew 16:18

The man admitted he'd only attended a church service a few times in recent months. Yet as divided as Christianity is, we're expected to attend one as we're able. We'll go deeper into that in an upcoming post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 187 final tables in 512 games (36.5%) - 36 cashes. Since crossing the 500-game mark, we've made four final tables in 12 tries.

Poker Day 511: The Best Defense....

When a poker player takes a seat at the table, he or she can take on a wide range of personalities. When someone from outside the area takes a seat, the options can leave even more people guessing. That's what happened when we traveled to Tulsa Friday for a morning game at River Spirit Casino, as we started a special church weekend....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: A-K of hearts

The morning game costs $50, plus $10 "dealer appreciation" to double our chip stack from 4,000 to 8,000. That stack has eroded a little since the start, so it would be nice to win a hand. Holding the button with no one raising, we decide to go on the offensive. We raise to 350.

"I just won these chips," a man across the table who won the last hand says. "Be gentle with these."

"Get them nice and shiny," we answer - borrowing a line we've heard contending pro wrestlers say about title belts. As best we recall, three players out of ten are in.

ON THE FLOP: Q-7-8

No hearts come, but we remember two spades being here. The other players check, so we decide the heat must be turned up. Our continuation bet is 400. The man who joked about his chips calls, and we're now heads-up.

ON THE TURN: 3 (not a spade)

We wanted something higher than that, because any stray card could increase our opponent's chances of hitting a pair. He checks again, and we kick it up a notch to 500.

"That card didn't help me," he admits. "I'm one card away." (Hmmm - 6-9?! Something suited?!)

Then he folds. Exactly what we wanted. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Lord. We make a nice gain, without showing why we were being so aggressive.

A first hour of ups and downs left us 9,250 chips. We slowly gained in the second hour, reaching 10,100. Then a couple of all-in bets paid off in a big way, allowing us to reach the final table with 25,000. At one point, we knocked out an opponent with Q-10 after a Queen came on the flop.

We stood at 17,000 after three hours of play, with four players making money on a 39-player day. But weak cards and rising blinds did us in. We finally dared to roll the dice in the Small Blind with 4-3 of clubs for our last 4,000. But a Big Blind with higher cards won the race.

We played for a long time, but missed the money. Yet we finished sixth out of 39, for our second final table in three tournaments at River Spirit.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "If it wasn't for veterans, we probably wouldn't be here playing poker," a man at our table said. It was the Friday leading to Veterans Day - and you may have heard a form of that phrase over the weekend as well.

But after thinking about it a moment, we offered a response which might have surprised him. "I think a lot of those veterans had some help. They looked to God to guide them to success."

At least one person at the table seemed to agree with that statement. We hope you do as well - because while military veterans have fought a lot of battles over the years, the victory ultimately is not theirs.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with them. - II Chronicles 32:7

These are the words of King Hezekiah of Judah (29:1), when his territory was under siege (32:1). That "greater power" was not the United States or any allies....

"With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. - II Chronicles 32:8

But as they say at times in the poker room, talk is cheap. The king didn't stop simply with a motivational speech:

King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and the officers in the camp of the Assyrian king.... - II Chronicles 32:20-21

They humbly sought God's help - and God delivered. We can only guess how many U.S. and Allied veterans did the same thing during modern combat. But if God gave the victory, we think God should get at least some of the credit:

Who is this king of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. - Psalm 24:8

It's noteworthy to us that Veterans Day in the U.S. falls within about two weeks of Thanksgiving Day. We recommend taking time to thank God for the battles he's helped you win, or at least endure - whether at a poker table or a real battlefield.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 186 final tables in 511 games (36.4%) - 36 cashes. Experiment cost: Down $110 (we failed to mention last time that Five Star Billiards is a freeroll).

Poker Night 510: Five-Star Service

Today was National Nachos Day - so, of course, we went looking for the chips.

Not simply in the family-size Walmart bag, but at a poker tournament. Our current situation gives us more time to play locally. So tonight we went to Five Star Billiards - a clean place with plenty of pool tables and $1.50 soda cups. It's replaced Yvie's on the WPT Poker League Monday night schedule, and sits only a few blocks away.

"Don't forget to tip your servers," the Tournament Director reminded four full tables. Then it was on with the show....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: 6-10 offsuit

The WPT League circuit requires everyone to deal their own cards. We've dealt ourselves this ordinary hand. We haven't won a hand yet, and lost about 1,000 chips to a player with a pair of Jacks. So we'll fold this. About four players at the table of seven are in.

ON THE FLOP: 8-7-7

"Toll-free flop," we say. Either no one got the joke or it was really lousy. But those cards bring a bet of 600 from a woman sitting in the Small Blind to our immediate left. A man across the table calls.

ON THE TURN: 7

"Jackpot!" we declare with three 7's side by side. The Small Blind now bets 1,200, and the opponent calls her.

ON THE RIVER: K

Did this make anyone a better full house? The Small Blind now checks. So does her opponent.

"I've got quads," the woman says quietly. She flips over 7-10! That earns her a big pot, and a 5,000- chip bonus for the best hand of the night.

The woman explains she didn't bet on the river because she thought there was a house rule against that.

"You played 7-10?!" another player at the table asks.

"I like playing 7-10," she answers. And since this was the first round of blinds, she could afford to play them.

"You heard what he said about tipping," we say to the big winner to drop a hint. No, she didn't reward us for dealing so well. Nor did she do it when we dealt her two more winning hands.

We won one pot with a semi-bluff, but nothing more than that. (The woman even topped our A-5 straight with a 2-6 straight.) Finally we went all-in for 1,500 with K-J, but a man with 8-8 prevailed when the board didn't pair for us. We were one chair from glory, but wound up first out at our table.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man to our right won a pot with Kings, then proceeded to declare himself the "King Master."

"At least he didn't call himself the King of Kings," we said in response. "There's only One with that title."

The man nodded and seemed to chuckle, as if he got our point. Do you get it?

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. - Revelation 19:16

Our New International Version Bible goes so far as to put those titles in all-caps. But who would have such impressive names?

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.... He is dressed in a robe dripped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. - Revelation 19:11, 13

Yet another impressive title! Who could these verses be describing?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:1, 14

If there's still any doubt about the identity of "the Word," this should settle it....

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. - John 1:17

Now walk those verses back. Jesus brought "grace and truth" because He was full of them. Thus He was "the Word," and Revelation 19 indicates that Word is coming down from heaven again as "King of Kings."

But you don't have for that return to give Him that glorious title. God wants you to honor Jesus now, as disciples did long ago:

Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." - John 1:49

Jesus wants to be not merely a "King Master" - but King and Master. Will you acknowledge Him?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 185 final tables in 510 games (36.3%) - 36 cashes.

The Human Element

We've played a computer in heads-up Texas Hold 'em at a casino a few times. Sometimes we've won. Sometimes we've lost. But imagine having to take on three computers at once.

The Texas Hold 'em table at the family-friendly game site Pogo.com is set up that way. Unless you're a member, you sit down to play for free against "Computer 2", "Computer 3" and "Computer 4." If you fold, the computers take on each other like an old Japanese monster movie - and they're programmed to be aggressive at times, with pre-flop raises and bluffing pushes.

It took us four tries to figure out a winning formula against these guys.... uh, machines.... and Saturday night it worked. By ignoring the prodding voice who says, "Let's play some poker!" we were able to knock out #2 and #4 at the same time with an all-in bet - then eliminate #3 on the fifth round of blinds with a full house.

For doing all that, we won.... 60 tokens, which we could use if we had a paid membership. That's not exactly what we're looking for online these days.

For one thing, how can you talk about the things of Christ with a computer? Even God realized this long ago....

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil.... - Hebrews 2:14

Verse 11 makes clear this is talking about Jesus - the God-Being who created humanity:

He is the image of the invisible God.... For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. - Colossians 1:15-16

Jesus created human beings. Then He came to Earth to "share in their humanity." Why would a God-Being lower Himself and do such a thing?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

Jesus the Son lived a perfect, sin-free life to defeat Satan the devil, and open the way for us to have eternal life with Him. You don't have to become a mechanized "bot" to do that, either. It starts with confessing how human you are, repenting of your sins and turning to God's way of living.

Jesus shared Himself and went "all in" for you. Are you willing to respond to that love, and do the same thing toward Him?

Poker Day 509: Jack for the Pot

Today marked the start of a poker experiment for us. We'll explain what we mean in a moment - but first, let's get to the action on our first-ever Wednesday midday tournament at Kansas Star Casino:

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: J-9 of spades

The midweek tournament moves a little faster than the others, with 15-minute blinds. Not many good cards came our way in the first hour - but we won a couple of pots, including a desperation all-in chop at the first break with A-Q. That put us at a high for the day of 4,300 chips.

Now we're in our second hand at a new table, in the Small Blind with 3,300. No one has raised. It seems safe to speculate here, with relatively high suited cards. We call. The Big Blind checks, and about five players are in.

ON THE FLOP: K-Q-J

Ughhh.... this smells like trouble. We have a pair, but it's bottom pair. We have a straight draw, but it's a very risky straight draw. We're first to go, and we check. Much to our surprise, the entire table checks.

ON THE TURN: J

A third Jack for us looks like a jackpot card! It's a potential big winner - but we decide now is the time to strike.

"I'm all in," we say for 3,100. Trouble is, the woman in the Big Blind calls. Everyone else bails out, and we wonder - did she have a straight all along?

She flips over.... A-J! She has three Jacks as well, and her kicker has us topped. Our only real hope is for the river card to be a King or Queen, to chop another pot.

ON THE RIVER: 10

The very risky straight happens instead. Ours is K-9; hers is A-10. Hers is the pot; ours is the door. On a day with 63 players, we wind up 39th - but we don't think we would change our tactics, if we had a second chance at it.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "How are you today?" a man asked as we sat down next to him.

"Recovering," we said. Then, of course, he asked for an explanation.

"I was let go from my job Monday," we admitted. That's why this tournament was the start of an experiment. Can we make money playing poker, while we're between jobs?

A former co-worker happened to be in the poker room, at a cash game table. Based on his chip stack, he seemed to be doing well. But he's a self-described "grinder," ready to spend hours at tables. That's not what we've historically done.

Yet whether we strike it rich at poker or take a more regular job, we're trying to be optimistic. The Bible offers these words....

I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. - Psalm 37:25

Yes, we know - some don't consider playing poker in casinos something "righteous" people would do. But the tournament format allows us to win a good bit of money for a relatively small entry fee. Midweek games will permit us to avoid the pricier Sunday tournaments for a while. And we always tithe on our winnings.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him.... - Psalm 111:4-5

Longtime blog readers will recall we were in a similar job predicament several years ago, in an area with no casinos at all. We could only play free tournaments at bars and online - yet we won money 12 times during a year-long layoff. We thanked God for each small win (and each prize was indeed small).

So we'll see what happens this time - although we admittedly tried to win back some of our entry fee at a blackjack table, and wound up losing a little more. We plan to follow this guideline:

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. - Philippians 4:5 (KJV)

We're not "betting the farm." Maybe a few bushels at a time. We'll see if God allows them to turn into a bumper crop.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 185 final tables in 509 games (36.3%) - 36 cashes. Experiment cost: Down $50.