Poker Night 535: Hollywood of the East

"I've never seen that before," a man said as he processed our rewards card tonight. "Because you've played in Kansas City, it showed you as a 'distinguished guest.'"

The title came as we entered a poker tournament at Hollywood Casino - but now we need to specify which one. For years, we played on occasion at the casino next door to Kansas Speedway. But Hollywood is really a chain of casinos - and in our new home, there's one about 20 miles away in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, at the west edge of the metro Cincinnati "tri-state."

For 70 dollars, we entered the Wednesday night turbo tourney. We discovered it's one of the poker room's slowest nights of the week. Making the final table potentially would be a breeze.... or would it?

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: 4-3 of clubs

Wednesday is so slow that there's only one table of players in the tournament as this hand begins. (Another table is almost full, but that's a cash game.) No one is raising. It's early, so why not call with suited connectors? About six players get in.

ON THE FLOP: 4-5-6

We have bottom pair, which isn't much. But we have an open-ended straight draw - and we're betting early, so we decide to see if we can discourage others away. We bet 150. Three players call.

ON THE TURN: 9

That's not a high card, but still a slight concern. Is anyone stubborn enough to play a 9? We bet 200 to see. Only a man to our right calls.

ON THE RIVER: 10

Our opponent checks, and now we face a challenge. Do we bet bigger again, in an attempt to scare the man away and claim the pot? Or should we be more careful, to limit potential losses?

We decide to check, and show our 4. Our opponent has a 9, and claims the pot. Given what he had and the timing of the game, we don't think any bet would have run him off except for something ridiculously massive.

That's the kind of night it was for us - trying to make the most of a lot of weak cards. We never won a pot in the first hour of play, and our starting stack of 12,000 dwindled to 5,975. Then we tried pocket 9's, but folded to a flop with A-Q when another man bet big.... only to see a 9 come on the turn.

Yet on a night with 14 players, enough people bet big and failed that we reached the final table - despite never winning a hand! We made it with 3,800. Then we went for it all with K-Q, in a hand that saw four players push! But a man with A-J was rewarded with a full house. He took out three players, including us; we finished tied for seventh (officially ninth).

MINISTRY MOMENT: Because of our weak hands and other people talking about other things, that moment never happened tonight. We'll take the blame for not following the command of our Lord....

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." - Mark 16:15-16

It's a big world, filled with places where the good news about Jesus Christ can be brought up. We admittedly go to very unusual places to do it, but we do. Yet simply going is not enough....

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? - Romans 10:14

We've heard preachers say over the years than believers in God are told to be "lights, not loudspeakers." Yes, Christians are called "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14) - but lines like that overlook the fact that Christians also are supposed to be something else....

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. - Acts 1:8

A witness gives a testimony in court or to authorities. That could be in writing, but often it means speaking up. At least we can write about our faith-sharing here, and offer it to you. May all believers have the wisdom and courage to know when to talk about God and Jesus with others.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 194 final tables in 535 games (36.3%) - 40 cashes. We're now two-for-two in final tables in our new home area!