Poker Day 533: Donut Bites

Our current situation (which we're not really comfortable posting here right now) presented us with a wide-open Sunday afternoon. And the pricey "deep stack" tournament at Kansas Star Casino might be our only opportunity to play all week. So we drove down the turnpike today, to be amazed by how packed the place was - in the poker room and outside.

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: King of hearts-King of diamonds

Even though we arrived 20 minutes before the starting time, we were third on a waiting list to play. We've barely sat down with our 12,000 starting chips, but clearly the stacks and small blinds have the full table in a betting room. So with K-K (which we call "the donuts"), we raise to 400 in late position. Three players call.

ON THE FLOP: 9d-4h-5h

So far, so good. The players check to us, so we bet another 500. As we remember it, two players call.

ON THE TURN: 6h

Now hold on here. Three hearts in a row open the door for all kinds of trouble. A man across the table seems to stir up some, by betting 800. Did he make a straight? A flush? Or both? We suspect the real answer is "none of the above," and he's testing the newcomer. So we call, since we have an overpair and our own flush draw. We're now heads-up.

ON THE RIVER: Ac

No flush, but not much more comfort. We're pleased when our opponent checks. So do we.

"I have Kings," we say. To this moment, we don't know what the opponent had. He folds, so we're left to guess it was a bluff. We win a nice pot of more than 2,000.

We won a couple of other hands, to hit a high of 14,800. Then we took our own chances with small blinds and a big stack, but they didn't work. We were 25 above our starting total at the first break.

Then in the second term, everything went wrong. A-Q missed the flop for us twice, and raising players made us fold. Pocket 8's lost as well. We endured the entire 80-minute period without winning a single hand! Our stack deteriorated to a lowly 900 at the break, leaving us one remaining hand. We tried with Q-5 of hearts, but diamonds showed up and a flush fight knocked us out.

We ended the day around 44th place, out of 79 entries. But at least we followed up on our blackjack success of Thursday night by going to a table and recovering $20 of our $95 entry fee.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "I'm an honest man," a young man said as he turned over his cards to end a hand.

"Not to mention humble," we added. This brought a few chuckles from our end of the table.

Then we remembered a story we'd heard on Christian radio. "A congregation gave a pastor a trophy for being the most humble man in town. He brought it to church the next week.... and they fired him."

That's the funny thing about humility, isn't it? The Bible says we're supposed to have it....

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord's anger. - Zephaniah 2:3

....and yet the seeking of humility can turn into a trap. Jesus told His own story about that:

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: "God, I thank you that I am not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get." - Luke 18:10-12

The Pharisee prayed, thanked God, fasted on a regular basis and tithed to the temple. Those are all good traits. But Jesus continued....

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. - Luke 18:13-14

Translation: the Pharisee prayed with a sense of pride - even arrogance toward the despised other man in the temple. The tax collector humbled himself before God, admitted his sins and pleaded for God's mercy.

It's easy to get a "big head" in a poker room when you win a tournament or make a lot of money. We should thank God for whatever blessings come our way - but be careful to do so in a humble way. Give God the glory from start to finish. The result could be even greater blessings than you expect.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 192 final tables in 533 games (36.0%) - 40 cashes. Experiment update: Down $260.

Flop Friday Funny

As seen on social media....

(We wear glasses, and this has actually been a concern for us at times!)

Blackjacked Up

"There's no tournament tonight!" a poker dealer said when we neared the entrance to the Kansas Star Casino poker room tonight.

"Oh yes, there is," we answered. Poker, no. Blackjack, yes.

We qualified three weeks ago for the casino's blackjack championship semifinals. Tonight was the time to determine the winner. Out of 108 players who advanced (including 18 wild cards), 18 would make the final round and the top six would share $20,000 in prize money.

We drew a table in the middle of three semifinal sessions. After finding a great website for practicing casino "skills" for free, we'd developed a strategy for betting our 500 starting chips over 18 hands. We'd bet small at first, and increase the bets as our stack increased and the number of remaining hands dwindled.

The semifinal sessions started well, as we gained 60 on the first hand with a double-down bet. But then came a string of losses which made us concerned. At the mandatory chip-count after 12 hands, we were down to 375 - yet were surprised to find that was second at the table.

Only the table winner would advance to the finals. So some of the five players around us went for broke, and lost. But we gained a big double-down win of 250 on #16 (might we be allowed to make it sound like golf?), putting us at 635.

We failed in the last two hands, betting 200 each time. Yet amazingly, we wound up "heads up" at the table - and the only other man in the running had only 150 chips! Our 235 (a 53-percent loss) won the table, and put us in the finals!

"You have a one-in-three chance of winning money," a bystander told us as we shared what happened. We knew that - 18 reaching the finals; six getting paid. And we knew we had been blessed, because one semifinal table had two players finish above 5,000.

Our final table included a few early triumphs. We advanced near the 700 mark early, then had small setbacks. At the 12-hand count, we stood at 580; players on either side of us were above 1,000.

We were still at 580 when we doubled-down 125 at #15. Our 20 lost to the dealer's 21, and that hurt. A loss of 110 at #16 left only 220 chips and two hands to play. But we won back 110 at #17 - then went for it all on the last hand, and watched the dealer bust!

Final score: 660 chips. We would not win the $10,000 top prize; the two players around us finished above 1,000. But could we make the money?

A casino manager took the public address mike to announce the top six. Sorry, we didn't make it. A man named Lloyd (pictured) won the championship. Our 660 put us in tenth place out of 18.

At a casino poker tournament, tenth out of 108 would have made some money. Thinking back over three weeks of qualifying, there was a maximum of 972 entries - and the top 98 in poker or golf surely would have made us some money. But in this format.... no.

That's OK, though. We drove home thankful to God for the excitement of competing - and for the ability to say we finished in the top ten of a blackjack competition, out of nearly 1,000!

MINISTRY MOMENT: While we watched the first semifinal session to get a feel for the action, we talked to a man about what we and some former co-workers had faced in recent months.

"It's an unfriendly world," he said.

"That's why I'm thankful that Jesus is my best friend," we told him. Then we asked the "Jesus question." That man considers Jesus his friend as well.

"He's kept me vertical," he explained. "My health is fair." Then came a surprising addition. "Jesus.... redeemed me."

We praised the Lord for that short testimony. But do you understand what he means by Jesus redeeming someone?

The Lord redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. - Psalm 34:22

The concept of redemption goes back to long before Jesus Christ appeared on Earth. David wrote these words during a time of persecution, appealing to God to protect righteous people like himself from evildoers (verse 21). Later on....

...For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. - Romans 3:23-24

Earlier in the day, we heard a pastor on radio talk about old-time S&H green stamp "redemption centers." People used to collect stamps while shopping, then turn them in at the centers for gifts and prizes. You may have a credit card that offers "rewards points" in a similar way.

Jesus redeemed us from our sins, by giving up His sinless life on our behalf:

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. - Colossians 1:13-14

Jesus never sinned. We have. We do. More often that we'd like to admit. But Jesus redeemed us through His blood, shed for us. If we ask God to apply Jesus's blood to our sins, we can be part of God's glorious coming kingdom. That can be more exciting than any night of blackjack.

Will you take advantage of God's amazing offer? Leave a comment if you'd like to know more about how it works.

Poker Day 532: The Slippety-Slope

Thanks to freezing rain and sleet on Tuesday, the parking lot at Kansas Star Casino had a good bit of ice when we arrived today. Thanks to careful driving and walking, we reached the poker room in time for the 12:00 noon tournament. But the careful walk needed to continue, even after the cards were dealt....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: A-Q of spades

We won the first hand of the day, to gain about 150 chips from our starting 3,500. Now we're in the Small Blind at a table of nine, with no one raising. We sense an opportunity.

"I'm raising.... 225."

Three players in a row across from us call.

ON THE FLOP: Ah-5s-2s

Opportunity really seems to be knocking now. We have top pair, a very good kicker and a draw for the nut flush. Since we're first in line, we offer a continuation bet of 250. A man who arrived a bit late intrigues us by raising to 500; the other two fold. We optimistically call, thinking our opponent has a lesser kicker.

ON THE TURN: Ac

Not a spade, but a third club makes us even more hopeful. We check to the raiser - and our opponent sets out 500 more. We conclude he has the missing Ace, and we're fighting for the best kicker. But no question; we call.

ON THE RIVER: 9c

We miss the flush, but three of a kind with a nice kicker still looks great. We check to our opponent again - but this time, he bets 1,100.

Now we're puzzled. Maybe he doesn't have that Ace. Maybe he also was on a flush draw, and is trying to bluff us away. Well, that's not going to work - but we're baffled about what he has.

"I may regret this," we say slowly as we think. "But I'll call. I have an Ace."

"I have a full house," our opponent says. He turns over A-2!

"Wow," we say as we show. That man got in for little, and won a lot.

That hand was a crippling blow, sliding us down to 1,300. After a couple of small misses, we had 7-7 with a flop of 6-5-3. We went all-in for 800, saw pocket Aces against us.... but caught a 7 on the turn to stay alive!

We reached the first break at 2,625, then hung around in the second hour by winning all-in pots with pocket 10's (beating A-Q) and pocket Aces (beating A-K). Our chip stack hit a high of 5,300. But losses followed, leaving us with 2,100 at the second break.

The first hand of hour 3 found us with A-9. With blinds at 500/1,000, we dared to go all in again - but the man next to us called with 9-9. No Aces came, so we had to leave in 14th place out of 48 players. At least the parking lot was drier when we returned to our car.

MINISTRY MOMENT: There were several today - including our mention of the big news of the day.

"It was sad to hear Billy Graham died this morning."

Several people around us had heard the news. "Some people considered him a quack, too," one older man said.

Was that "too" a reference toward us? Maybe so. But to be honest, many people who have preached about Jesus Christ have faced skepticism. The Bible actually predicted that....

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. - II Peter 3:3-4

The apostle Paul wrote with anticipation, seemingly expecting Jesus to return very soon. But the apostle Peter seemed to take a longer view; some say this letter was written about 35 years after Jesus's death and resurrection.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. - II Peter 3:8

Some religious groups have interpreted this verse to mean God has a 7,000-year plan - and the return of Jesus will usher in the seventh thousand years, or "the millennium" of the Kingdom of God. Whether or not that's true....

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. - II Peter 3:9

While we personally didn't agree with every doctrinal point Billy Graham preached, we share the same faith he had - that we someday will see Jesus face-to-face.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.... You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. - II Peter 3:10, 12

Keep in mind: Peter witnessed a resurrected Jesus. He knew Christ existed. That's how he could be filled with faith of a second coming.

But hold on.... did Peter write we can "speed its coming"? Yes, he did. What do you think he meant by that? Leave a comment if you'd like, and we'll compare notes in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 192 final tables in 532 games (36.1%) - 40 cashes. Experiment update: Down $165.

Time Marches On

The man sitting next to the dealer had a big decision to make with his cards. But he barely had time to go into the cliché "tank" to think about it.

"Clock!" a woman two seats away said the other day at Kansas Star Casino.

"Floor!" the dealer said in response. The Tournament Director was called over, and the situation was explained.

Two things struck the other players about this moment. First, the man with the decision had been mulling things over for no longer than one minute. Second, the woman who called for a clock already had folded her cards.

"Anyone can call for a clock," the dealer told us - even if you're out of the hand.

Clocks can be a funny thing in poker. Sometimes we wish the blinds would slow down, to prevent  more of our chip stack from being put at risk. But there are times when we wish the clock would move faster, so we can get to a break and regroup.

Life around poker can be like that as well. We had to hurry through a morning schedule filled with hold-ups simply to get to the poker room that day. Yet if you're in a multi-day tournament, the wait for play to resume can seem like days instead of hours.

But consider the bigger picture. On one hand, our lives can seem long and filled with possibilities....

The length of our days is 70 years - or 80, if we have the strength.... - Psalm 90:10

For the teenager and young adult, that's a marathon. But many players who gather for midday poker tournaments already have experienced most of that. So the verse continues:

...Yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. - Psalm 90:10b

And from the perspective of an eternal God, those years truly are short:

For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. - Psalm 90:4

That's why it's a good idea to make the most of every day, whether it means playing poker or not:

Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. - Ephesians 5:15-16

The King James Version says "redeeming the time" - and our longtime Pastor in Georgia often noted "evil" can mean in Greek "hurtful in its effect upon you."

There's no guarantee how much time we have left on this earth. But Jesus made a sobering promise about what happens when that time is up....

But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. - Matthew 12:36-37

If you haven't cleaned up your words, we don't think you need to wait for "spring cleaning" to do it. Start it now - than expand that concept to cleaning up dirty, sinful areas of your life. After all, someone may find a way (perhaps without even realizing it) to have God call "clock" on you.

Two Things Not to Do

It was a quiet day in the poker room for us - at least in terms of speaking. We mentioned in our last post that we didn't bring up issues of faith and God at all.

Why? Because of two events on the Wednesday calendar that the church association we attend opposes.

1. Valentine's Day. It has its roots in a Roman pagan festival. Therefore, even though it's presumably named after a saint, it is considered "detestable" in the eyes of God:

You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshipping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates.... See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it. - Deuteronomy 12:31-32

The day currently promotes love and romance. But one church writer has said it's wrong on February 14, "because the expression of that kind of 'love' is still rooted in a former pagan holiday." We concluded from that statement that we should not love God and Jesus on that day, either...

If you love me, you will obey what I command. - John 14:15

Thus God is love (I John 4:8, 16) - but on one day a year, our group says love is wrong.

2. Ash Wednesday. We even heard someone in a buffet line at the casino mention the day. Some believers began the season of Lent and self-denial, even attending special services to mark the occasion.  But the day and season are nowhere found in the Bible.

It's another case where the dating is wrong, but the concept is a good idea....

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." - Matthew 16:24

This sort of denial can start at any time of year. We think it's better to deny sinful behavior, more than chocolate or social media. And even better, it should last for more than 40 days.

...But he who stands firm to the end will be saved. - Matthew 24:13

Jesus wants people to be life-long followers. That may sound cultish, but it's what the early disciples did after Jesus was resurrected.

So that's why we played poker Wednesday, but didn't say much - even trying to avoid complimenting players on a good hand. (Wouldn't that be a small expression of love?) We didn't thank God for our success until we prayed this morning - after our "double-down day" was over. Your comments on this (and other topics here) are welcome.

Poker Day 531: 2 Works For You

Before a modern-day version of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre occurred in south Florida today, we were in the poker room trying to repeat last week's success. A big moment came early at Kansas Star Casino....

BLINDS: 25/25

IN THE POCKET: 2-2

The cards are small. But the blinds are small, and it's a late-arriving crowd. It's only about the third hand of the day. Of course we'll call with these, in mid-position. About four players get in for the minimum.

ON THE FLOP: 2-6-7

Our title borrows from the slogan of an Oklahoma TV station - and it's now live and in color! Two players check to our well-disguised three of a kind. We invite people in with a 50-chip nibbler. But a man to our left raises to 200. Too bad - that chases the others away. But not us; we call.

ON THE TURN: J

Obviously we didn't bet enough before for our remaining opponent. So now we drop down 200.

"Are you trying to take all my chips?" the man groans. (Actually, that is the object of the game.) Despite some obvious reservations, he calls.

ON THE RIVER: K

We'd determined this bet even before the card came out. We quickly toss out 500.

"Jiminy Christmas," the man whines. Then he enters the tank, thinking for the better part of a minute. We simply stare at him, but we think about calling for a clock.

"I'll call," he finally decides. "I have two pair." He shows a 6-7. But we show our 2's, and he acknowledges a good hand. We're rolling with a pot of about 1,900 chips.

A couple more winning hands came early, allowing us to reach a first-hour high of 5,900. We fell off by the break to 4,200. Then after a woman hurt us with pocket Kings against our Ace high, we made a huge leap and eliminated a player with A-10. Pocket Aces which we pushed also brought a nice win. After two hours of play, we stood at 8,500!

But then the cards went dry for us, as the field dwindled and we were cut to a six-player table. Finally we went all-in with A-J when a man next to us bet big. He had pocket Kings, and they held up. We came close to the final table, but fell short in 12th place on a 47-player day.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We did not have one today. On purpose. We'll explain the two reasons why in our next post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 192 final tables in 531 games (36.2%) - 40 cashes. Experiment update: Down $115.

Poker Day 530: Hidden in Our Hearts

Sometimes the best things in life are right in front of us, and we never stop to recognize them. That's true in poker, too. Watch what happened Friday at Kansas Star Casino....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: A-2 of hearts

Early missteps didn't work for us, but we've recovered to win one modest pot. We have about 3,000 chips from a starting 3,500, and we have these cards in the Big Blind. No one raises, so we check. As we recall, five players are taking part.

ON THE FLOP: 8h-9h-10c (third card suit not precise)

A potential straight for someone. We check. The table checks.

ON THE TURN: Qh

Even more potential. We check again. The table checks again.

ON THE RIVER: Jc

No more potential. A straight is on the table! We check once more. So does everyone else.

"I'm playing the board," we say as we turn over our cards. Others seemed resigned to that. The Small Blind has pocket 4's. Other players have Ace-small, like we do.

"Wait a minute!" a man two seats to our left suddenly exclaims. "There's a flush!"

Hey, what do you know - there is. And we have it! In fact, we have the nut flush! We were so busy looking at the straight develop that we totally ignored our suit. An opponent does us a favor, and we win several hundred chips.

Modest gains developed from there, and we reached the first break at a high for the day of 7,400. But then good cards started losing, nibbling away at our stack. We were down to 2,700 with rising blinds when we were moved to a different table.

But then one of those classic second-hour surges happened. Pushing with A-J brought no takers, and a gain to 3,600. Another all-in bet with A-Q brought a double-in when we beat a pocket pair with a Queen on the flop. Several other wins later, the table was stunned to see our stack at 24,500! Even 7-5 worked in the Big Blind, when we made a straight and knocked a player out.

In the third period, pocket Queens brought a win that helped us reach 37,500. A drought came after that, but we still survived to the final table with 18,500.

We won at least one more big pot with an unrevealed A-J. (We write this for the opponent who was stumped by our cards, and thinks he'll never know what we had.) Our stack built to about 49,000 - and as players fell off, we reached the top six and qualified for the money!

Then with five players to go, a massive hand happened. A man across from us pushed. We saw pocket Aces, and called. A third player did the same! The first pusher had J-J; the third had Q-Q - for three high pocket pairs in a five-handed game! But the man with Queens hit a straight on the river, knocking the first pusher out and leaving us with a mere 12,000.

That happened at break time - and after the break, we pushed again and failed. But a full afternoon of poker ended with us finishing fourth and winning $160! We hurried home to keep God's Sabbath, thankful for His blessing on our effort.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "You came here sad," a man pointed out during that second-hour surge. "And now you're rejoicing."

We had to agree. "As a minister in Atlanta once said," we told him as we restacked our chips, "'I preached myself happy.'"

Then a song came to mind, which we doubt anyone around us knew. "He has made me glad.... I will rejoice, for He has made me glad."

How much gladness do you see at a poker table? Probably not that much. Even when players win big hands, they tend to "stay in character" and not make too much of it. But if God make you glad, we think it's OK to show it....

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. - Psalm 9:1-2

David praised God here because He provided victory over the king's enemies (verses 3-6). But you don't need a massive triumph like that to be glad for God's blessings....

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. - Psalm 126:3

Those things could be as "simple" as a recovery from illness, or providing a helper when you have a need. But we think the greatest gladness is yet to come....

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad! - Psalm 14:7

"Restoring the fortunes" can go far beyond a double-up in a tournament. The ultimate salvation will occur when Jesus Christ returns to Earth:

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. - Revelation 19:7

Are you ready for Jesus to come again? If not, examine yourself carefully to make yourself ready - and be glad in the meantime for the great things God provides along the way.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 192 final tables in 530 games (36.2%) - 40 cashes. Experiment update: Down $65. Since our experiment started last November, we've made four final tables in 14 tournaments and won close to $700!

Vocal Accords

In recent posts, we've introduced you to a man at a poker room who admitted he wasn't sure about his ultimate destiny. When we tried to talk with him about that, he gave a surprising response: "My wife is a choir director and a church organist."

We don't know exactly what his wife is saying and doing. But if she's trying to persuade him on a path toward conversion, even by her example, she has our support....

For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband.... How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? - I Corinthians 7:14, 16

The studio audiences on some TV game shows love to tell contestants what to do. The only time that seems to happen in poker is when celebrities gather on cable TV. Yet one of our goals is to give poker players some advice they probably aren't expecting.

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the signs that accompanied it. - Mark 16:20

We happen to belong to a church association where "evangelism" is considered a corporate thing more than an individual effort. Yet we believe if the Holy Spirit is involved, the right word at the right time can have a righteous result....

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?... - Romans 10:14-15

We should note we do not resort to "preaching" in poker rooms - not in terms of standing up and giving a testimony or sermonette. Our approach is more subtle, one-to-one or in casual conversation at the table:

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. - Proverbs 15:1

Has someone been trying to tell you it's time to make a major change in your life - that it's time to turn to God and Jesus Christ? If so, maybe this is the supporting word you need. Repent of your sins. Believe in God and His Son, who came to save you. No, it's not easy to do - but it's the best "all in" move you'll ever make.

The R.O.I.

"You usually don't play cash games," a poker dealer said as we passed the poker room entrance Thursday night.

"True," we replied. "But I'm here for something else."

We explained an unusual Thursday night trip to Kansas Star Casino was for a blackjack tournament. It guarantees a $20,000 prize pool with a $10,000 top prize, for a mere $35 buy-in.

Since we've had small gains at times playing blackjack and the buy-in was less than for a casino poker tournament, we decided to try it. Thursday's first night of qualifying had room for 108 players - but apparently not every seat was filled, as the Director invited late entries on the house mic before the third round.

We sat at a table of six in the first round, with a starting stack of $500 in chips. Everyone had 18 hands to build the biggest stack they could, using regular blackjack rules.

When the first count was taken after 12 hands, we had $962.50. That put us second at our table. But with the top 30 players on the evening advancing to the semifinals, would that be good enough?

Not knowing where "the cut" would come (to borrow from golf), we increased our betting in the last six hands. Ups and downs came, but a $250 payoff on the final hand gave us a final count of $912.50. That was second-best at our table, behind a man with $1,275. Two players went for it all on the final hand, and went bust.

We had to wait until 9:30 p.m. for the evening rankings to be revealed - and we were satisfied to place 19th. First place had $3,075, while the 30th-place cut was $640. All 30 of us move on to the semifinals 22 February, but we'll have to do better then. Only the top player at each table will move on to the finals, and only the top six finishers overall will make money.

"This reminds me of Jeopardy," we told a woman next to us at the table - as in how much to wager and when. We started at $25, and increased slowly from there as our stack grew.

But our 82.5% chip gain reminded us of something else. It's a parable of Jesus....

He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'" - Luke 19:12-13

In this familiar Bible story, most of the servants put their "chip stacks" of one mina each to work. Eventually the king returned to check on them:

The first one came and said, "Sir, your mina has earned ten more." "Well done, my good servant," his master replied. "Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities." - Luke 19:16-17

A big reward for the servant who increased his stack by 1,000%! Another servant had a 500% return on investment, and received a five-city payoff (verses 18-19).

Then another servant came and said, "Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man...." - Luke 19:20-21

As someone told us at a poker night in Georgia years ago, "Scared money don't win." It didn't win here....

His master replied: "I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant!... Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?" - Luke 19:22-23

Refusing to bet the $500 at the blackjack tournament would not have made the cut. The king wound up removing the mina from the scared servant (verse 24). A parallel report of the parable offers this lesson from it....

For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. - Matthew 25:29

This parable has meaning far outside the casino walls. Jesus went to heaven to become King of Kings, and He'll come back to earth someday....

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. - Matthew 16:27

Among other things, Jesus will check to see what you've done with the "talents" (to use King James English) that God has given you. It's called the day of judgment:

...The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:12

You may think your "chip stack" in life is small. But God has given each of us the breath of life. What are you doing with that, to provide an "ROI" for what the "royal original Immanuel" has provided you?