Beyond That Name

Our last post explained the name of this blog. It's called "On the Flop" for several reasons.

But to be honest, there have been times over the years when we wonder if we misnamed it - and should have mentioned the two cards after the flop instead.

The turn card is fourth out of five on the board, in standard Texas Hold 'em. If you're one card away from a flush or straight on the flop, you could make it here. A lot can, well, turn on that card.

In the same way, God wants all of us to "make the turn" in life. That advice began early in history - long before "come to Jesus moments" became a cliché:

The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. - Deuteronomy 30:10 (NLT)

That "Book" was what Jews call the Torah - the first five books of the Old Testament. The "turn" to God should be complete, not holding back anything in our lives. And it means obeying what God says - or in our time, what He has inspired to be written in the Bible.

So a great change can happen "On the Turn." And in poker, the river card comes after that. It comes out last, but many times it's not least. Big pots and tournament titles have been decided by a dramatic river card.

The Bible speaks of rivers as well, often in symbolic terms. Consider this one....

Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living. - Amos 5:24 (NLT)

The prophet (and, by extension, God) was not satisfied with simply "noisy hymns of praise" (verse 23, NLT). Praise music has its place, but living "On the River" in a godly way is even better.

But make no mistake - that "come to Jesus moment" still matters. In fact, Jesus puts it all together:

Now on the last day, the great day of the Feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" - John 7:37-38 (NASB)

The "rivers" here refer to the Holy Spirit of God working in your life (verse 39). It comes when you repent of your sin - admitting you're a "flop" in God's eyes, then "turning" your life over to Him.

All that may sound hard to do - harder than winning any poker tournament.  But we're reminded of what NASCAR pit reporter Winston Kelly said one day during a race: "It takes a pretty brave man to admit he made a mistake." May you have the courage to admit your mistakes and sins to God - then start moving toward the river.

Your Cheatin' Heart

Several recent posts have focused on the electrical plug we sometimes use as a card protector. We know it converts power from a three-pronged device for a two-prong outlet. Another player noted it's a "grounded device."

But when we double-checked the plug online, we found out something else. In fact, something that's a bit embarrassing. It's also called a "cheater plug."

Were we sending a wrong message to people by using this at poker tables? Were we implying we are a cheater?

Maybe we're over-analyzing this. But then again, we'd ask - do you have sneaky ways of cheating at poker?

They're the stuff of Old West legends. But that does not mean you should be doing them:

"Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord...." - Malachi 1:14 (NLT)

This is about cheating in an animal sacrifice. But does God make any distinctions about this?

You can't wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless. You.... cheat the buyer with dishonest scales. - Amos 8:5 (NLT)

This is about cheating poor people, or customers in general. Read on for God's response to this....

Now the Lord has sworn this oath by his own name, the Pride of Israel. I will never forget the wicked things you have done! - Amos 8:7 (NLT)

Those cheating moments could come up at the final judgment, along with "every idle word" (Matthew 12:36). The Bible shows a better approach to take....

….Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? - I Corinthians 6:7 (NLT)

Yes, this goes all the way to the opposite pole - allowing others to cheat you. But it shows better ethics on your part, and might win more respect with other players.

So should we put away the "cheater plug" - leaving it for a wall at home, instead of a poker table? Your comments are welcome. In the meantime, the old cliché still is a good one: winners never cheat, and cheaters (ultimately) never win.

BLOGGER'S NOTE: Speaking of this topic, we became aware this weekend that we may have been violating New International Version copyright rules without realizing it. We are inquiring with the publisher about this, and will make corrections as required.

Poker Night 481: Unsynchronized Betting

"I'm going on only three hours' sleep," we said to the man at our left tonight. "So if I fall asleep during a hand, give me a nudge."

The man could relate - telling of sleeping four hours or so, then driving for eight. Truly for some of us, it was survival of the fittest at Yvie's Bar and Grill. A one-time change in the work schedule had us working a lot for two days, then having a Monday night off for the first time in weeks. Would that mean success - or tiredness?

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: 9-10 of spades

Not many good cards have come so far, and our stack has dipped as a result. Feeler bets have failed, and we have about 7,000 of a starting 10,000. But by and large, our table of seven is playing tight. So with suited connections, we feel our way out again - and are happy when no one calls. About five players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 10h-10c-Qc (suit of first 10 not precise)

Three (of a kind) to get ready! But we're not quite set to go for the jackpot yet. We're late in the betting order - so when the play checks to us, we check along. We'd like someone else to stab at the pot first.

ON THE TURN: 2c

Uh-oh. The appearance of a third club means the waiting game is over, since a couple of flushes already have been made. A man across from us offers 600. Then we do something that puzzles some people at the table.

"Raise - 1,600," we say.

"That's unusual," an older woman two seats to our left responds. In a way, that's good. You might call this a separation raise - separating the chasers from the real contenders. (That woman already had folded.) Other players fold, but the original bettor calls. Part of us wonders if he already has it.

ON THE RIVER: 2d

If he did, it's worthless now! Two pair on the board means we have a full house. The man who bet before now checks, and it's time to go for it. We're down to a single yellow chip, worth 5,000.

"Two-thousand," we say as we plunk it down. A nice-sized bet - but too much for our opponent. He folds, and we win a big pot to return to about our starting level.

"You had an Ace, didn't you?" that older woman asks us a moment later.

"Well..... I had something," we answer playing dodgeball.

"I'll bet you had an Ace," she says. Always keep 'em guessing....

Our stack went up and down much of the evening - winning at one point with a well-timed bluff bet that chased away the table, losing at another point when our top two pair fell to the same "triple deuce" hand we saw last time out in North Kansas City.

At the first break, we had 7,000 chips with 12 players left from a starting 18. But with 11 to go, rising blinds forced us to push with K-J. The board brought three Queens. But a man to our left had an Ace, while the man we took on earlier had a 4 which happened to make a full house. We bowed out in 11th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "He was off by about half-an-inch," one man at our table said as he watched the poker room TV. No, card games were not on tonight. People were watching Olympic synchronized diving from Brazil.

Our seat was turned away from the screen, so we settled for the analysis of other players. But as the diving unfolded, we said to a man at our left, "Can two walk together except they be agreed?"

It's a famous quote fitting for the TV competition. In fact, it might sound Biblical to you - and for a change, this one actually is:

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? - Amos 3:3 (KJV)

Those eight simple words can pack a lot of punch. We offended a co-worker at a job years ago when we said them as a question. That woman was going through a divorce. Even though we never mentioned the source of the quote, she apparently knew the source - and she declared us judgmental.

But a TV viewer at our table tonight noted how some synchronized divers actually walked alike, along the edge of the diving pool. To win an Olympic medal, they must act (and probably think) exactly the same way. So how often do you do that?

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you.... - John 17:20-21  (KJV)

Jesus Christ succeeded in living a perfect sinless life because he was "one" with the Father. In fact, the Father was in Jesus and vice versa - something we think the Holy Spirit made possible. And the God-Family wants that in us as well....

I in them, and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. - John 17:23

Christian groups might disagree on all sorts of things - from what foods to eat to what Bible translation to read. But they should be united in their belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

In all our years of poker, we can't recall anyone saying the word ":synchronicity" before tonight (not even the old rock song with that title). But a man said it while watching Olympic diving. So we ask it of you. Are you in synchronicity with God and Jesus? If not, maybe it's time to get in line:

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. - Galatians 5:25

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 178 final tables in 481 games (37.0%) - 34 cashes.

Ham Fighters

So what did you find, when it comes to food in the Bible?  We went carefully through the book of Amos, as the man across the table from us suggested last week.  But in all nine chapters, we found NO mention of pork products.  Here's the closest possible reference we see:

Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and sin yet more.  Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three years.  Burn leavened bread as a thank offering and brag about your freewill offerings -- boast about them, you Israelites, for this is what you love to do, declares the Sovereign Lord.  "I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town, yet have you not returned to me," declares the Lord. - Amos 4:4-5

There's nothing here about eating animals, but the passage mentions a couple of things ancient Israel was instructed to do while it was in the wilderness: give tithes and present offerings.  But those are topics for another post.  During the time of wandering, God also gave these instructions....

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Say to the Israelites: 'Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat.... the pig, tough it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.'" - Leviticus 11:1-2, 7

Animal rights groups might not like it, but God said people could eat animals.  Yet the poker player who didn't want ham in his grilled cheese sandwich was correct in noting the Bible warns against it. (In fact, the warning is repeated in Deuteronomy 14:8.)

On the other hand, some Christians might raise objections to this command -- especially in a city like ours, which loves Southern-style barbecued pork.  They're more likely to turn to a New Testament book, instead of Amos....

One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.  The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. - Romans 14:2-3

We've seen this section of the Bible turned and twisted in several directions.  We think Paul's point is that the foods we eat should not become things which divide believers in God.  And note these additional words....

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.  All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything which causes someone else to stumble. - Romans 14:20

We personally stopped eating pork products many years ago.  We worship with friends who have made the same decision, so we still avoid those products.  But we think the final yardstick for Christians when Jesus comes back will not be their supermarket or restaurant receipts -- it will be whether they've repented of their sins and accepted Jesus as their Savior.

Poker Night 293: Who's Got the Nuts?

The price of poker must be going up everywhere -- because as of tonight, a 12-ounce can of big-name soda cost $2.50 at Lil Kim's Cove instead of two dollars.  The server gave us less change for a 20-dollar bill without any explanation.  But she also gave us 4,000 poker chips as a reward, and this was a night when we needed them.

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: K-K

Our table of six is playing like we're in Zimbabwe, not the U.S.  Hyperinflated raises in the thousands have abounded.  So when we see this sitting third in the betting order, we're ready to move -- but realize others want to move first.  So we limp in, and are a bit surprised when nobody raises pre-flop; most of the table is in.

ON THE FLOP: 2-5-J

The table checks ahead of us -- but with a nice overpair, we reach for chips.

"Your Jack is no good," a man to our immediate left warns.

"OK, then -- 700," we say (not bothering to mention we don't have a Jack).

"That's peanuts to the elephants." that man points out.  Yeah, we know.  But it's also a relatively modest bet for this night, and we'd like some callers.  About three players call.

ON THE TURN: A

Oops.  This is potential trouble.  But the table checks again -- and this time, so do we.

ON THE RIVER: Ac

This complicates matters, by putting three clubs on the board.  But once more the players ahead of us check -- so we feel somewhat confident, and bet 700 again.

"Do you have a Jack?" the man to our left asks.  We stare back at him and say nothing -- so he decides to fold.  Only the player to our immediate right calls.

"Do you have an Ace?" we now ask.  "Because I have Kings."

"Naw -- all I had is a Jack."  Thank you very much!  Our stack jumps from the 5,000 range to more than 9,000.

We took another pot later to improve to 10,075.  But chases fell short after that, and we only took 2,150 to the one-hour break.  A former tournament director graciously gave us 3,000 bonus chips in the second hour (apparently because he had to leave) -- and we went for it all when we saw A-2 of diamonds, with a bigger stack all-in ahead of us.  He had 4-4, and he won the race when the board didn't pair.  We left in 18th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man at our table ordered a grilled cheese sandwich during the one-hour break  -- but was stunned to take a bite, and discover there was ham included with the cheese.

"They're trying to poison me!" the man said amid expletives.  "I don't eat pork!"

"I don't eat pork, either," we replied.  But then we wanted to probe a little further.  "Why don't you eat pork?  For religious reasons?"

"Both," the man curiously answered.  "Health reasons -- and I had a bad reaction to pork once."

We're in a part of the U.S. where pork products are all over the menu, from breakfast biscuits to barbecue restaurants.  So this situation sparked a discussion.

"I read in a book once you shouldn't eat pork," we said.

"What book is that?" a man across the table asked.

"The Bible."

"Yeah, it's in the Bible," agreed the man who ordered the sandwich.

"Yeah -- but you've got to read deeper into the Bible," explained the man across from us.  "You've got to read Amos."

Amos?!?!  That man didn't explain any further -- and we admittedly don't take a Bible to poker nights.

"Now I know what to study when I get home," we said to a man next to us.  And we invite you to study this topic with us.  Where in the Bible are we warned against eating pork?  And where in Amos will you find the other side of the issue?  We'll compare notes in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 106 final tables in 293 nights (36.2%) - 17 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments -- 191 point wins in 824 games (23.2%), 66 final tables, 7 cashes.

We were in the running for a final table earlier in the day, but our McAfee computer security system started a weekly scan which froze our browser for about 15 minutes -- and inactivity gets you disqualified at ten minutes.  Our frustration with McAfee continues.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $74,198, up $2,830.

The Buddy System?

"Are you going to fold?" the man to our right asked quietly at a recent poker night.

"I haven't even looked yet," we answered. We sat in the big blind, with the questioner in the small blind -- and somewhere along the way, we learned it's proper poker etiquette not to look at your cards until it's your turn.

Someone to our left had pushed all-in before the flop with a lot of chips. Mr. Small Blind told us he was going to fold if we called, but he was ready to call if we stayed out of the hand.

On the one hand, this might be considered a compliment -- that the man respected us enough to ask about our plans. (Or perhaps he trusted us to play only quality hands.)

But on the other hand, this struck us as a moment of cheating. Why should we share privileged information with one player, and not the others at the table?

The Old Testament prophet Amos scolded well-to-do Israelites who acted unethically.... "skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales" (Amos 8:5). Before Samuel retired from leadership, he made the people of Israel publicly declare he had not "cheated or oppressed us" (I Samuel 12:3-4). We try to operate the same way -- in day-to-day living, as well as poker.

If a director or dealer in a major tournament had caught that man asking us such a question, the man probably would have been punished on the spot -- perhaps even ordered to leave the table.

So what did we do in this free game? We tried to deflect the question with humor. "You're an adult now," we told Mr. Small Blind in a quiet mother-knows-best tone. "You can make your own decisions."

That man wound up folding -- and when we saw 4-2 in the Big Blind, we did as well. The man was annoyed with us. But when the hand played out, he admitted his cards would have lost the pot.

So by not playing along with a potential cheater, we actually saved him at least 1,000 chips. He didn't really thank us, though. Certainly not in a loud voice.