Winner By a Hair?

Our last poker outing included a comment we hadn't seriously considered before. If the Bible says it's a shame for a man to have long hair (I Corinthians 11:14), how do we explain Samson?

You probably know the legend of Samson. It's the stuff of movies and grand opera. Even a few websites seem to have taken some inspiration from it. But is it Biblical and accurate? Did Samson get his might and strength from his long hair.... or was something else involved?

We went back to the Old Testament, where we learn why Samson had long hair in the first place:

The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, "You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son.... No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines." - Judges 13:3, 5

Samson's long hair from birth certainly made him stand out - but for a purpose. It showed he was "set apart" by God. No one in New Testament times was under such a rule. The story continues....

Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother.... suddenly a young lion came running toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. - Judges 14:5-6

Did the power come from Samson's hair? No - it came from "the Spirit of the Lord!" That phrase is repeated in verse 19, as Samson kills 30 people at a wedding feast.

To be fair, the Holy Spirit is not mentioned when Samson causes agricultural terrorism with 300 foxes (Judges 15:3-5). But later, after he is arrested....

The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands - Judges 15:14

Yet in chapter 16, Samson became too playful with Delilah. A series of lies led to this famous moment....

So he told her everything. "No razor has ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man." - Judges 16:17

Samson's seven braids of hair were shaved off while he slept, "And his strength left him" (verse 19). Yet look through the entire four-chapter story, and you'll never find a single place where Samson acknowledged God's Spirit at work in his life. Only in a dying plea does he ask God for one final feat of strength (verse 28).

We can draw many lessons from Samson's story. But this review was eye-opening for us, because the Bible gives the credit for his strength to the Holy Spirit and not his hairstyle. It's very different from the legend you may have heard!

So what does all this have to do with poker? Consider this: if you're successful at the table on a regular basis, it might not be because of your "lucky card protector" or what you eat before the tournament. Maybe God is trying to send a message to you through your success. Are you humble enough to realize it, acknowledge Him and listen to Him?

Poker Day 552: The Farm Hour

When you think of Catholics and gambling, what game comes to mind? Your first thought may be bingo. But today, we found a place where the Catholics tolerate poker.

While Cincinnati is considered a major league sports city, Dayton, Ohio about 50 miles north is considered "minor league." We headed north on Interstate 75 to see if the poker is "farm team" level as well, and found several tables set up at the Catholic Order of Foresters Hall in suburban Riverside.

On a Sunday afternoon, there was only enough interest for one tournament table. You can't blame the pricing; the $30 buy-in was the cheapest we've seen in years. Five of those dollars goes to a rotating charity; the supervisor couldn't remember if the heart or cancer society was benefiting right now. But one player left when that woman refused to turn a TV on for the opening Sunday of pro football season.

When the price of poker is cheap, the play sometimes can get wild. Take this example.....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: Ace-King of spades

Arriving early and adding $5 for the "charity chips" allowed us to begin at 12,000. But a man named Bud sitting next to us has doubled that in a hurry. He had 2-4, made two pair on the flop and eliminated a big bettor with a strong pocket pair.

So now we're in the Big Blind, a bit wary by what others are doing. When no one at the table of seven raises, we add 500 on top with "big slick." Bud calls, but a man at the left end of the table re-raises to 1,500. We call, as does Bud.

ON THE FLOP: 7s-2d-Qs

We miss the flop, so we check. Bud doesn't. He goes all-in. The man on the far left pushes as well.

Now comes a big decision. We're one card from the nut flush, which could bring a huge payoff. But Bud by his own admission is on a roll; he's made a winning straight as well in the early going. This smells too good to be true, so....

"I'm going to fold," we say. We're not even 15 minutes into the tournament, and want to stick around a while.

Bud now shows.... 2-2! He has three of a kind. The man on his left reluctantly turns over pocket Aces.

"I had one of your Aces," we tell him. But was our hunch right?

ON THE TURN: 3h

So far it is....

ON THE RIVER: Kc

Indeed it was! We missed the flush, and our pair of Kings would have been cracked along with those Aces. The man on the left is eliminated, and we pretend to fan Bud because he's so hot.

A couple of big hands came our way as well, in a "turbo" tourney that moved so fast we were down to five players at the 30-minute mark. A-10 led to a winning full house (not shown). Then J-10 led to a flop of K-Q-8 which brought a double-up beyond 20,000.

With the one-hour break approaching, only four players remained (unless re-buys occurred during the break). We saw K-Q suited and raised pre-flop. Wouldn't you know it - Bud called. And when the flop came Q-7-3, he called our all-in bet of 14,000.

"I hit the 3," he said. "But I also have another 3."

YEOW! He did it again! The last two cards didn't save us, and we left in one hour with a fourth-place finish. It's officially a final table, and quite a memorable one at that.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We took our "Lord's Supper" card protector, which wound up fitting in well at a "Catholic" hall. It had the dealer (the supervisor doing double duty) interested.

"I don't think He looked like that," we said when she turned it over to show a depiction of Jesus Christ. "I don't think He had long hair."

If you're new here, we base that view on this section of the Bible:

Isn't it obvious that it's disgraceful for a man to have long hair? - I Corinthians 11:14(NLT)

This prompted some good Biblical thinking from several people at the table. One man remembered the following verse....

And isn't long hair a woman's pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. - I Corinthians 11:15 (NLT)

But one man to our right took issue with that view. "What about Samson? He had long hair, and it was the source of his strength."

That's a good question - and we admittedly didn't have a good immediate answer for that. After checking later, we think the best answer is embedded in the Biblical account of Samson. You'll find it in the Old Testament book of Judges. Please leave a comment with your thoughts - what do you think it is? We'll compare notes in an upcoming post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 203 final tables in 552 games (36.8%) - 36 cashes.

Signs of the Times

Some players at the final table couldn't believe their ears, when we explained a call at a recent tournament. We matched an all-in bet with our pocket 8's, after seeing a lot of 8's at our regular job earlier in the day.

Was it really a "sign from God" that we should play poker? Well, the Bible indicates God has given signs from time to time during history. One of the most famous examples involves a man named Gideon....

Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand - look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." And that is what happened...." - Judges 6:37-38

Gideon went on to ask God for a second sign, before going into battle - and God provided it (verses 39-40).

But many modern-day preachers say that's not how a believer in God should operate now. They'd say we should follow the Bible for guidance in life....

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking correcting and training in righteousness.... - II Timothy 3:16

That's very good advice, of course. But how does it translate to day-to-day decisions, such as entering a poker tournament? Or searching for a job or a mate?

One way to know God's will in a matter is to see if He blocks your plans. It happened to an early apostle:

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. - Acts 16:6-7

The Bible doesn't say exactly what kind of block God threw. Our NIV Study Bible says He could have used "vision, circumstances, good sense...." We lean toward a vision, based on what happened afterward:

During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. - Acts 16:9-10

So God also can send messages through visions, about what you should or shouldn't do. We addressed this in a post about dreams earlier this year.

Whether your big decision involves poker or not, we recommend praying to God about it first.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. - Philippians 4:6

We pray before poker outing we make. Sometimes we hit it big. Sometimes we don't. But seeking God's guidance in a matter.... in any matter.... certainly can't hurt. In fact, we believe it often helps.

Poker Day 434: Clash of the Titans

The manager of Arrowhead Poker admits Sunday action starts slowly.  But there still can be plenty of action, even in a one-table tournament.  We faced some big hands today, but we're deferring to one where we simply watched:

BLINDS: 2,000/4,000

IN THE POCKET:  Q-10 offsuit

To be honest, we don't absolutely remember what we had in this hand.  But we know we still had 9,000 chips in the fifth round of blinds, after winning several pots.  And we folded pre-flop, so it must not have been very impressive.  We know Q-10 came up at some point late in the tournament, and it seemed too marginal to play with our chip stack so precarious.

ON THE FLOP: 6h-5h-4h

We murmur noisily at the sight of this - three suited cards in a row.  Seven players are still in the running, including the manager.  As we recall, he made a bet which chased all but one player (the only woman at the table) away.

ON THE TURN: 7h

The plot thickens further - with four suited cards in a row.  Now both players check.

ON THE RIVER: 8c

So there's a straight on the table, but that may be the least of our issues.  The manager now goes all-in.  The woman thinks about it for a moment or two.  Is that a big bluff?  She decides it is, and calls.

The manager turns over.... 8h!  It's not a bluff; he has a straight flush!

The woman shows.... 3h-Ah!  She had the Ace for an old-fashioned "nut flush," and the 3 gave her a straight flush of her own -- but not the winning one.  She's eliminated in seventh place, with a true bad beat.

It was our turn to go all-in a few hands later, as we faced the Big Blind with our last 10,000 chips.  We had K-J, but a man called with A-J.  Two Aces on the board settled the matter, and we were ousted in sixth place -- better, but not in the money.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We showed our "Lord's Supper" card protector to a man on our right -- the one with an artist's depiction of Jesus on the flip side.  "I don't really think he looks like that," we said of the depiction showing a long-haired Lord.

"I don't know," the man said.  "Maybe they weren't able to cut hair back then."

We didn't tell the man this, but that theory doesn't match the Bible at all.  Consider one of the most infamous haircuts in recorded history:

So he told her everything. "No razor has ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazarite set apart to God since birth.  If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man." - Judges 16:17

These are the words of Samson - a man who had his hair in seven braids.  When Delilah put Samson to sleep and her friend shaved off those braids, indeed "his strength left him" (verse 19).  In fact....

Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!"  He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free."  But he did not know that the Lord had left him. - Judges 16:20

Not only did Samson's strength go away -- the Lord went away.  It's curious to us that Samson bluffed (as in lied to) Delilah three times earlier in this chapter about the source of his strength.  When Samson finally told the truth, God responded by leaving him!

What sort of lessons should we learn from this?  In terms of poker, we think there's one obvious lesson -- don't lie in pressure situations.  Samson may not have realized he was in one, with his invincible strength at stake.

Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth. - Proverbs  16:13

We think this especially applies to the "King of Kings," Jesus Christ.  Would Samson have kept his strength, had he told the truth to Delilah right away?  We're left to guess -- but in poker, we think it's better to say nothing about your hand before showdown, instead of lying and breaking God's command against offering a "false witness" (Exodus 20:16, KJV).

NOTE: There's more to the conversation with that man at the table; we'll get to it in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 154 final tables in 434 games (35.5%) - 25 cashes.  Until more players show up, the final table count will keep piling up.

Heifers, Temples and Poker Players

A recent poker tournament which we mentioned here got into an unusual subject - heifers.  It happened not because we're in Kansas and play with cattle ranchers, but because someone at our table dared to call the female dealer a heifer.

Women have been called by that label far longer than you might think.  In fact, there's a case in the Bible where it happened:

Samson said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle." - Judges 14:18b

Samson described his wife this way -- during their wedding feast!  But this is clearly a figure of speech.  Samson's wife had been threatened with death by some people at the feast, because they didn't want to pay up by losing a bet (verses 12-15).  The chapter ends with Samson giving up his bride, and 30 people killed (verses 19-20).

This case shows how unethical and mean-spirited some people can be when a big bet is involved.  Stories of the American "Old West" are filled with poker games leading to drawn guns and serious threats.  So it's no wonder poker still has a negative stigma with some people.

But our recent post also mentioned how red heifers are considered important by some religious for cleansing - such as removing sin from a temple.  You may be insulted by the thought of being called a heifer.  But have you ever been called a temple?

Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days".... the temple he had spoken of was his body. - John 2:19, 21

Jesus referred to Himself as a temple.  And that comparison clearly stuck in the brains of New Testament writers:

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? - I Corinthians 3:16

The ancient Jews relished worshiping God in a specially-built temple building.  Some churches and synagogues today have the word "temple" in their names.  But the apostle Paul makes it more personal than that.  You are supposed to be a temple - a place where the Holy Spirit of God dwells.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you.... Therefore honor God with your body. - I Corinthians 6:19-20

Maybe we don't need to build a new temple in Jerusalem.  Maybe we all need to become the "temple" God desires us to be - people which honor God in our lives, whether we're at a poker table or other places.

Punched Out

The big one has arrived - the World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas.  The tournament entered by all kinds of non-poker celebrities, perhaps only to say they did it once.

Perhaps the biggest noise so far came from a champion of UFC mixed martial arts.  Canada's Georges St. Pierre was sent packing on his first day at the tables -- and he admitted part of his problem is playing with discipline.

Have you played poker with "bullies" like that?  They're people who try to take over a table to prove, in the Spanish words of a TV judge, "quien es mas macho."  Sometimes they succeed.  But many times they fail.  It only proves a Bible reminder:

....Great strength by itself cannot keep a soldier safe.  In war the strength of a horse cannot be trusted to take you to safety. - Psalm 33:16-17 (CEV)

Some of the strongest "tough guys" in the Bible wound up weak, conquered and even killed.  Goliath ran into young David (I Samuel 17).  Samson was humbled by a woman named Delilah (Judges 16).  And let's be honest -- however muscular and strong you may be today, we're all likely to become weak and frail with time and years.

So where should you turn for real discipline?  We recommend a daily dose of reading from God's Word, the Bible.  For instance...

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight.... - Proverbs 1:1-2 (NIV)

The book of Proverbs is a great place to learn the mind of God.  But read it in a disciplined way, because some chapters can be packed with advice.  Ponder over a few verses at a time, and consider how they can apply to your life.  As you do, we pray you'll find....

A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength.... - Proverbs 24:5

Looking Like a Winner

If someone walked up to you and said, "Poker Player" - what sort of picture would come to mind?

Would you see someone wearing dark sunglasses, like Phil Hellmuth?  Or someone wearing goofy glasses, like Greg Raymer?

Would he wear a hoodie, a la Phil Laak?  Or a cowboy hat, a la Doyle Brunson?  (Or for that matter, would the "he" be a she?)

Despite the development of crazy-looking "character" players in the television age, there's no real stereotype of how a poker player should look.  He can have any skin color, gender, nationality or age.

We were reminded of that last week when a man in a wheelchair who barely seemed able to speak beat us in a hand.  He didn't wear glasses.  He didn't wear a hat.  He didn't even look like someone who would qualify for a "genius grant."  Yet he won a big pot -- in fact, several.

Players like that remind us of the words of Jesus Christ:

Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment. - John 7:24 (KJV)

The Bible mentions a few strong men.  But Goliath was knocked cold by a stone flung by a young man named David (I Samuel 17).  And Samson succumbed to a persuasive woman, who talked him into revealing his secret of strength (Judges 16).  Instead, the true greatest hero of the Bible is Someone who...

....had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. - Isaiah 53:2

This chapter is a prophetic description of Jesus Christ.  And our Savior, every bit as much as that poker player in a wheelchair, is a reminder of the classic phrase, "Looks can be deceiving."  Come to think of it, they can be every bit as deceiving as someone slow-playing pocket Aces.

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.... so that no one may boast before him.... - I Corinthians 1:27, 29

Howl-No-We Won't Go

"Are we having poker here next Wednesday night?" we asked the Tournament Director last Wednesday at Soho Bar and Grill.  We had noticed a sign on the door the Director had not, promoting a cover-charge Halloween party at the club.

It turns out Soho's party will override live poker tonight.  That's too bad, because we wanted a place to escape from the crowds of Halloween-keepers -- from children begging for candy to grown-ups acting like children with scary costumes.

The essence of Halloween involves things such as witchcraft, haunted houses and zombies - things which lean away from God, and toward God's arch-enemy.

The great dragon was hurled down -- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. - Revelation 12:9

Read the verses around that one, and you'll find Satan lost a "war in heaven" against angels (verse 7).  The devil's dream from ages past (we don't really know how long ago) is to usurp God.  Note these words from God....

You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God... I will make myself like the Most High." - Isaiah 14:13-14

God did not allow that (verse 15) - yet Satan has been looking for a following on Earth ever since.  Maybe you've joined Satan's ranks, without realizing it.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. - II Corinthians 4:4

Demonic influences are frequently connected to Satan -- and Jesus had several encounters with demon-possessed people.  But in a recent Bible study, we were surprised to learn that's not always the case:

Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from [King] Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.  Saul's attendants said to him, "See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you." - I Samuel 16:14-15

Huh?!  An evil spirit from the Lord?  Yes, the Bible indicates Saul's servants had it right.  You can read another example of God sending evil spirits in Judges 9:22-24 -- in both cases sent in punishment for a leader's sins.

So if you're bogged down in sin or overzealous for things of "the dark side," this might be a day to avoid feeding that habit -- and even break free from it.  The devil has nothing worth celebrating.

Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. - James 4:7

Open 24/6

It's one thing to be a "river rat" -- staying in a hand until the river card, whatever the cost. It's another thing to be such a "poker rat" that you play seven nights a week, whether in tournaments or online. Consider this advice:

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. - Proverbs 23:4

You're staying in practice, you say? There's nothing wrong with that. But our verse reminds us overpracticing can wear you out. And it might take your attention away from focusing on something (or Someone) more important.

After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. - Judges 2:10-11

In other words, their minds and time became preoccupied with other things. We don't think they played poker that long ago, but we think the point still applies.

It's good to stop your routine from time to time, to think on things that really matter - things beyond the poker table, and even beyond this physical life. In fact, God realized that from creation. That's part of the reason why He ordained a weekly Sabbath.

Then he [Jesus] said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." -- Mark 2:27

We've kept a seventh-day Sabbath for decades, and found it's a wonderful time for resting, relaxing and enjoying quality time with God. If you're used to racing after riches at the poker table on a constant basis, the change may seem boring and strange at first. But give it a try for a few weeks, and you might discover how wise an "off day" can be.