Conventional Wisdom

In some years, we've used a trip to a church convention in the fall to play serious poker. But this year, we used the convention trip to avoid playing poker.

Why? Because the past trips took us to areas with casinos, while our home area had none. These days, we have two poker rooms close by. So we can play on a regular basis, and the convention allowed us to take a break from that routine.

The latter approach probably was better for us, since a break from poker allowed more focus on what the convention is all about. It starts (roughly) with this....

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." - Revelation 11:15

You may be familiar with the "Lord's Prayer" uttered by Jesus. It's a model for believers to follow....

This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." - Matthew 6:9-10

What is this "kingdom"? Jesus often called it the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:15, for example) - and it's coming. Revelation indicates this world will become God's kingdom. It will include a resurrection of believers when Jesus comes back....

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.... - I Thessalonians 4:16-17

But believers won't be in the air forever. They'll reign under Jesus Christ on Earth. After all, He also said….

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. - Matthew 5:5

The great plan of God is to rebuild the earth - not simply with homes and buildings, but an ethical system of real freedom and peace.

He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. - Micah 4:3

Does this sound appealing to you? It may be too late for this year's convention, but you can dig into the details of this plan anytime. This article explains what the "Feast of Tabernacles" is all about.

We don't know for sure if there will be poker in the Kingdom of God. But it certainly will top anything man has developed.

The Patience Is In

Poker references can come up when you least expect them. We caught one last week, while watching the Emmy Awards.

"If you wait long enough, the chips come to you," a winner said during his acceptance speech.

Regular poker players might take issue with that. Hours of grinding at a cash game still can end with losses. Tournaments filled with weak cards and rising blinds can lead to early exits.

But we think the point of that quote is being patient. We've found patient play has helped us reach many final tables. And it's a good Biblical concept....

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. - Psalm 40:1 (NLT)

If patience is a problem for you at the table, here are some ideas that could help. First, resist the urge to go "on tilt" - playing any two cards you see, because you felt wronged or robbed moments before.

Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. - Proverbs 29:11 (NLT)

There could be more time to make a comeback than you first think.


Our second idea relates to that. Tell yourself quietly (or in your brain) to "wait for the moment." The late rock singer Tom Petty declared, "The waiting is the hardest part." But it's good to wait with anticipation....

As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. - Micah 7:7 (NLT)

We sometimes say this more bluntly: "Don't do anything stupid."


Which leads to a third idea: determine in advance when "the moment" will occur. If football and basketball teams can devise a strategy before the game, so can you. Which cards are "must play" for you? Which are “must avoid”, depending on the situation?

Believe it or not, God is a planner. And He’s patiently working out a massive one right now on Earth - one which affects you:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” - Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

Give your plans to God. Plans for the day, the poker tournament.... everything. If they don’t match His plans, trust God that His plan is better. It may not seem like in the heat of a poker moment, but they really are.

Freedom from Want?

"Still in shock," Scott Blumstein wrote on his Twitter feed after winning the World Series of Poker Main Event. But he's apparently back on the circuit now - playing in a World Poker Tour event in Oklahoma this week.

Immediately after winning the Main Event, Blumstein said something interesting about the $8 million prize. "It's nice to have some freedom now. That was the goal, to get to the point where I can do what I want."

If that's your goal in playing poker, we suggest being very careful. A little "freedom" can be a dangerous thing. Consider....

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. - Galatians 5:13

Does money really give people freedom? In some ways, yes - but not completely. For instance, we presume Blumstein still has to pay federal and state income taxes on his winnings. That could take a million or two.

But the apostle Paul's warning is about using "freedom" - whether it's money, time or something else - to engage in sin. The Bible indicates at the end of our lives, we'll discover freedom truly has a limit:

Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out - those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. - John 5:28-29

A judgment day is coming, with Jesus Christ serving as the ultimate judge (verse 27). Those who "have done good", as in serving others in a loving way, will "live" with God and Jesus eternally. Those who went the other way will be condemned to a lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15).

So ultimately, any freedom we obtain from playing poker is not about doing "what I want." It's about doing what God wants. Have you read the Bible carefully to see what that is? We encourage doing that. Here's a verse to help you get started:

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8

Ponder in prayer what that might mean for your life. If you're still free to play poker, do it with God in mind.

What's the Good Word?

A man across the table said something about God (we don't recall now exactly what) - so we asked him if Jesus was his Savior.

His answer was yes, adding: "I read the good book every day."

Those words may reveal the man's age.  Not many younger people refer to the Bible as "the good book" nowadays -- and that phrase is not in the King James Version.  But we would note a few things about the Bible along these lines....

1. The Lord who gave it is good.

You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. - Psalm  86:5

2. God's creations are good.

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. - I Timothy 4:4

3. The Bible offers good news.  That's what the word "gospel" means.

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." - Mark 16:15

4. The Bible helps define what is good.

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humble with your God - Micah 6:8

What other good things can you find in the Bible?  Probably much more.  But you need to take time away from the poker table to open, read and study it. Only then can you learn how good a book it really is.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. - Psalm  40:8

Push Or Be Pushed?

Some poker players can come across as bullies.  They'll raise early.  They'll bet often.  They'll try to force opponents into tough decisions which test their backbones.  When you come across that sort of player, how should you respond?

We found an article from California on one of the 2013 World Series of Poker tournaments.  Chad Holloway responded to an all-in bet by calling, scored a big win and went on to capture a bracelet.

Holloway offers this noteworthy advice:

Amateur poker players have a tendency to put opponents on stronger hands than they actually have, but it's important not to be a pushover.... don't back down in the face of adversity.

Start talking about the things of God at a poker table, and other players might conclude you are a pushover.  They might conclude that based on some verse they might vaguely recall Jesus once saying....

But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. - Matthew 5:39

Our NIV Study Bible notes indicate this "strike" is "more of an insult than an act of violence."  But it's easy to overlook something else Jesus said in this same chapter....

You have heard that it was said, "Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth." - Matthew 5:38

This quote recalls a principle established by God way back in the Old Testament:

If anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.  As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured. - Leviticus 24:19-20

This is "fair and balanced" justice. It's leveling the amount of damage.  If someone "pushes" you in a poker hand, you can push back in kind -- as long as you don't go overboard and take vengeance.

Sometimes in poker, that "second cheek" might be a trap you set to get your chips back -- even with interest.  That's the nature of the game.  But away from the table, it shouldn't be that way.

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8

 Play humbly, for that matter -- but be ready when the moment is right to show you have a "strong hand" at your disposal:

The Lord gives strength to his people.... - Psalm 29:11

Remember As You Play....

The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. - I Corinthians 8:2

Just when you think you've seen it all....

That phrase is fitting in all walks of life.  It could be a straight flush topping quads.  It could be that last-second college football play, not far from where we used to live.  It sadly could also be a savage act of crime or violence.

If you've played poker for years, it's easy to think you know it all.  You may have played thousands of hands in person or online.  You may have won a bracelet or two.  But our verse is a reminder that we are not the sum of all knowledge.

Even classic cartoons illustrate the silliness of thinking we know everything.  We think there's a better approach to take when you head for the table....

Do not deceive yourselves.  If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. - I Corinthians 3:18-19

That doesn't mean you have to play dumb -- although we've tried it a time or two around people we've never met, and it can work.  But it does mean playing and conducting yourself in a way which indicates a humble approach:

He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8

May you "grow in grace and knowledge" (II Peter 3:18) - not only of Jesus Christ, but in how to play poker successfully and honorably.

Poker Day 412: Better Late Than Never

We backed our car into a parking spot at Arrowhead Poker.  We got out of the car, having already checked our pockets for our poker tools (note pad, pencil, prop).  Then we realized we'd forgotten one very important thing.  It was a Sunday tournament with a $20 buy-in -- and we'd left our wallet at home.

Instead of going inside feeling embarrassed, we drove back home muttering about our own stupidity.  We could have said "Forget it" and worked on other things the rest of the day.  But we finally decided to grab our wallet and go back -- even though it meant showing 25 minutes after the starting time.

The poker room manager was reluctant for a moment -- but eventually split the one table of play into two, so we could have a seat.  Our chip stack was deducted for one round of missed blinds, so we had some catching up to do....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: 4 of diamonds - 6 of diamonds

We regained our deduction right away, winning two pots in a row as soon as we sat down.  Now we're at around the starting number of 20,000, sitting in the Small Blind.  The group of five is playing somewhat tight, so no one raising before the flop allows us to simply call.

ON THE FLOP: A-4-2

It's a pair -- albeit a drab one.  We're first to act, and check.  But we're a little comforted to see the rest of the table checking as well.

ON THE TURN: 5

This brings four cards to a straight.  We decide to test how serious the table is, by betting 600.  (We do have a pair, after all.)  Two players call.  But something also tells us a good card is about to come....

ON THE RIVER: 3

Indeed it did!  This puts a straight on the table -- but our 6 gives us a higher straight.  So we bet 2,000, in a "truth or dare" challenge.  One man folds quickly.  The other thinks about it several seconds, then thinks better and surrenders.

We're in a somewhat giving mood, so we turn over our cards.  "I knew you had a 6," one of the folders said.  He was wise.  We're still happy, gaining about 2,000 chips.

We slowly kept building our stack, and reached the final table.  Then came some up-and-down moments, with a top of about 210,000 chips late in the tournament.  We finally held on to make the top three, which earned prize money!

But then a big all-in challenge when we held A-4 failed, as an opponent held A-Q and cleaned up.  That left us forced to go all-in with very little in the Big Blind, and our Queen-high lost to three of a kind.  Yet third place earned us $30 on a $20 investment -- not bad for someone who started the afternoon feeling stupid and ashamed.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Our final-table seat was directly to the Dealer's left.  At one point he dealt the cards a bit loosely for a moment.

"I saw that," we said as he juggled a "burn card" back into the deck.

"What was it?"

"A red Ace."

Sure enough - it was the Ace of diamonds.  He displayed it to the other players.

"Thank you, sir.  Honesty is the best policy."

We agree with that -- but let's face it.  How many other poker players would agree with that view -- even serious ones?  The national news Sunday evening included a top U.S. military official who's under investigation for allegedly taking counterfeit chips to a poker room.

Some people think the phrase, "Honesty is the best policy," comes from the Bible.  That exact quote does not.  (We could find no original source for it.) But the principle is certainly Biblical:

Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.  Use honest scales and honest weights.... - Leviticus 19:35-36

This instruction probably refers to doing trade or business.  But shouldn't it apply to everything we do in life?  Look at what could happen if your answer is no....

Shall I acquit a man with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights?  Her rich men are violent; her people are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully.  Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins. - Micah 6:11-13

Verse 1 of this chapter makes clear God is saying these words.  Deceitful actions and words might make you rich in the short-term -- but God can make sure you pay for it in the long-term.  May our lives be like Shakespeare wrote in a play: "Every man has his fault, and honesty is his."

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 145 final tables in 412 games (35.2%) - 24 cashes.  Since moving to Kansas, our record has been strong: 6 for 8 in reaching final tables, with 3 cash wins.

Down to Earth

Because we're still in the moving process, we have little time to play poker right now -- much less blog about it.  But we're prepared for such things.  This online chat could have occurred in a poker room this past week, but actually happened last April:

Me: 　Happy Earth Day to you.
BigDan5B: 　earth day r u a worm
Me: 　I am a worm. I am dust.
screamin113: 　 no he is a mole
Me: 　My Bible tells me so.
Without painting too broad a brush, we think many big-time poker players have egos.  They need to be confident to keep playing successfully and winning money.  Yet God tells us we're really not as "big" as we might like to think.

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. - Psalm 22:6

Who would stoop so low as to call himself a worm?  Most Bibles show King David wrote this psalm.  Yet some of his words were restated hundreds of years later....

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthami?" - which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - Mark 15:34

As Christ faced death at Calvary, he quoted Psalm 22.  We invite you to look over that psalm and consider how much applied to His situation.

Jesus showed remarkable humility as He was crucified -- crucified for our sins, to be more precise.  The hopeful news is that God appreciates it when we humble ourselves before Him as well.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.... from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children - with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. - Psalm 103:13-14, 17-18

The Bible offers eternal life in God's Kingdom to those who will think of themselves in a worm-like, dust-filled way:

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8

Our claim to be "a worm" and "dust" brought this response during the poker game....

BigDan5B: 　kool happy birthday

It really wasn't.  But when it comes to our lives, maybe radio host Casey Kasem had it right all along.  We should keep our feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars - or better up, Jesus the "morning star."

Poker Night 318: One-Two Punch

On a Memorial Day when the President asked people to pray for "permanent peace," things became a bit ugly at The Red Barn.  We chose to focus on the poker table instead of the building argument to our left -- but we're told it ended with the Tournament Director bashing a belligerent biker in the nose, and that man spewing blood as he was ejected.  As for our night, it had some pretty moments....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: King of clubs - 7 of clubs

We're "under the gun" - first to act, early in the action.  These cards are suited.  They're studly.  We'll play 'em. No one raises pre-flop.  Compared to what happened later, this is a nice friendly pot.

ON THE FLOP: 7-4-2 (no clubs)

We have top pair, out of three cards few professional poker players would want to play.  But the Big Blind to our right seems interested, betting 250.  That was our thinking, only she beat us to it.  We call; about four players remain.

ON THE TURN: K

We've improved to top two pair.  Yet the Big Blind turns up the pressure, anyway.  Now she bets 1,500.  But we feel confident, and double the bet to 3,000.  A man to our left calls.  Another folds; the Big Blind calls.  It never crosses our mind that she might have three of a kind (maybe K-K).

ON THE RIVER: 10

We don't recall a flush threat showing here.  Perhaps the Big Blind missed one, because she now checks.  We check with care as well, as does the third player -- and our K-7 turns out to be a winner!  The Big Blind also had two pair, but a lower two.  We took a risk, and it paid off well.

A couple of other hands in the first hour were even better.  We dealt ourselves A-A, which turned into a winning pair which gained us thousands of chips.  A-Q became another nice winner, when a Queen came on the flop.  Add to that a man who put a "heavy date" elsewhere above his big stack of chips, so he left early and shared his haul with the rest of the table.

Put it all together, and we had 34,500 chips at the one-hour break.  But winning cards stopped coming after that.  Our stack slowly drained in the second hour, until we faced "The Rodney" (K-9) with 7-7-9 showing on the flop.  We decided to go all-in for our last 8,500 chips.  A woman called with K-8 -- but then the turn and river were J-10.  Not only did she make a straight, it was a diamond flush to boot.  We came close to the final table, but missed in 11th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man to our left at the semifinal table was impressed by our card protector depicting the Lord's Supper.

"Do you believe in Jesus?" we asked.

"Oh yes," he said.  In fact, he reached into his wallet moments later -- and pulled out an identification card showing he's a chaplain!


The man admitted he had to stop doing chaplain work for a time, due to illness.  But he apparently still serves as he's able, in places such as nursing homes.  By doing that, he follows one of Jesus's parables:

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.... I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." - Matthew 25:34-36

Some people are in nursing homes due to sickness.  But we've heard stories of a few people who felt imprisoned by such conditions.  They need that "permanent peace" every bit as much as the two men who nearly had a barroom brawl tonight -- expect they need peace of mind about the future.

We believe that "permanent peace" will come only when the "prince of peace" returns to Earth -- as in Jesus:

He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.  They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning books.  Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.  Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid.... - Micah 4:3-4

Believers in Christ will have the inner peace (for lack of a better phrase) of knowing they have eternal life.  Read Revelation 20:1-6 for details about that.  Is this the peace you desire?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 112 final tables in 318 nights (35.2%) - 17 cashes.

The Safest Play

When we had a very successful night last October at a poker room in the Florida panhandle, one thing admittedly concerned us.  When we walked to our car with a full wallet around 12:00 midnight, we saw absolutely no security guards in the parking lot - and no law officers were in sight, either.

Admittedly the Ebro poker room is in a rural area, a 20-minute drive from Panama City Beach.  And it was a Monday night, when the crowd probably is smaller compared with weekends.  But we presumed a place where cash money changes hands (sometimes in large amounts) would have someone watching over the customers.

This came back to our mind in the wake of a crime story in our area.  A customer leaving The Red Barn in Phenix City, Alabama was shot and killed early Saturday morning.  The Red Barn is a small bar where we've played free poker often over the years -- but Friday night is NOT a poker night there.

The victim apparently parked across the street, next to a car dealership.  We can understand why, because that area is lit at night.  The Red Barn's gravel parking lot behind the business has no lighting at all.  That's been a concern for us as well -- because anyone might be lurking between cars or in the vegetation late at night.

Dangerous moments can occur anywhere, of course.  At the mall, in your workplace -- and even in your own living room (as in home invasions).

It would be easy and self-promoting to say Christians have angelic protection in dangerous places.  We certainly pray for that, as did believers long ago....

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.  Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.  For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. - Psalm 5:11-12

We've actually seen evidence of God's protection from time to time.  But to be honest, it doesn't always happen.  Consider the number of cases in recent years where worshipers were gunned down during church services,  For us to conclude the victims somehow "had it coming" would be a foolish rush to judgment -- and ultimately, only Jesus Christ will judge us all perfectly.

We think one key to self-protection is having a "safety first" mentality....

He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe. - Proverbs 28:26

Be wise not only while you play poker, but as you walk in and out.  Look around for potential trouble-makers.  And if you have a lot of money, don't be a show-off about it.  One TV report indicated the shooting victim did exactly that inside The Red Barn.  Instead....

He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8 (emphasis added)

If you want to be a big spender, that's up to you.  But don't be too big in how you do it, making yourself a potential target.

Trash or Treasure

"Trash-talk" has become commonplace in the sports world -- and we even hear it sometimes at local poker tournaments. A few online players can take it to outlandish extremes. Here's one recent example at National League of Poker:

SALGUNDY: i am your king
SALGUNDY: u my servants
Sal was talking about defeating the entire table, as if his "day job" is in professional wrestling. But we felt compelled to speak up, and gained some support:

Me: No. Jesus is my king. :-)
teindaddy02: amen to that
SALGUNDY: jesus is a mexican name
Me: OK, I'll be more specific.
Dealer: _EMELY_ wins Main Pot ($1400) with Two pair, kings and fives
teindaddy02: sal u are a dumb***
Me: Not Jesus Alou (former baseball player).....
Me: but Jesus Christ.
SALGUNDY: oh
SALGUNDY: oh
SALGUNDY: ohhhhhhhhhh
Jesus Alou actually was born in the Dominican Republic, but that's not our point. Our point is that the other Jesus is a King, and believers are to be His subjects -- now and for eternity:

I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time -- God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of Kings and Lord of lords.... -- I Timothy 6:13-15

The next part of the chat went like this, as our supporter went all-in to be eliminated:

teindaddy02: im out of here i dont want to hear this idiot....
teindaddy02: flop gl buddy
SALGUNDY: buy
SALGUNDY: buy
Me: Take care - and go with God. :-)
SALGUNDY: buy daddy
SALGUNDY: buy dad
teindaddy02: always no other way to go

As a radio minister of years gone by liked to say, "Walk with the King today and be a blessing!" An Old Testament prophet recommended that as well....

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. -- Micah 6:8

Notice that -- to walk humbly? We don't think that means bragging or trash-talking at the table. Unless, perhaps, you're giving God the glory.