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.