A Different Sort of FOLD

In this age of text message shorthand, you may have heard of FOMO - the "fear of missing out." We'd like to create a new one for poker. It's FOLD - "fear of losing dollars."

We're inspired by an online column by poker millionaire Jonathan Little. He explained the proper mindset poker players should have. In part....

Learning to think in terms of equity (instead of dollars) is a great way to conquer the fear of losing money.... You must accept that you will win and lose pots when you play poker.

In some cases, the FOLD is logical. If you have 7-2 offsuit, that's not statistically likely to turn into a winning hand. But when you have something like J-J or 10-10, the walk becomes more unbalanced. A big bet by other players (whether they have something or not) could make you wary and lead to FOLD.

In short, poker is a game with no guarantees. If you develop a serious case of FOLD, you're not likely to do well. We need a different mindset - one that we think is downright godly:

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought, and never fails to bear fruit. - Jeremiah 17:7-8

Trust completely in your own skills, and you set yourself up for failure. It's far better to put your trust in a God whose plan never fails.

Yes, "heat" will come - perhaps from aggressive bettors who want to test your courage. But if you accept the fact that drought sometimes will happen and stay close to God in those times, fruitful times will follow.

Some Christians are marking an example of this today. They consider it "Palm Sunday," when Jesus entered Jerusalem five days before the "Passover" festival week (John 12:1, 12). He arrived knowing He would be arrested, bloodied and killed five days later. Yet consider how Jesus faced it....

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." - Matthew 26:39

Jesus could have FOLD-ed - with the "D" here standing for His divinity. Yet He did not. In a restless moment of tense anticipation, He accepted God's will. Many of His disciples reacted differently - and Jesus was not surprised by that.

"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'".... Then everyone deserted him and fled. - Mark 14:27, 50

Jesus put His life all in - putting His confidence in a Father who could resurrect Him. Days later, it happened. His disciples didn't understand until after it happened. Whose example is better for you to follow, when things in life become uncertain? The FOLD way - or the faith way?

False Alarms, True Sense

Our last post mentioned the moment of fear we had driving to a poker night. A tire warning light started flashing as we crossed a high bridge. The last thing we wanted was a flat tire there - especially on a cold winter evening.

Thankfully, a tire store was still open on the other side of the bridge. There we learned a flashing light really means a "sensor battery" to monitor the tire had failed - not the tire itself. So we could drive on to the poker room with that knowledge.

Have you ever faced something liked that, when playing poker? You sense trouble in the middle of a hand - perhaps by how an opponent is betting or a "tell" you're perceiving. It could be right. Or you may discover it was all a bluff, to scare you out of a big win.

Some people say you should run at the first sign of danger. Others say you should "curse the torpedoes - full speed ahead." We consulted a famous book filled with wisdom for the best approach you should take....

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have.... pierced themselves with many sorrows.... man of God, so run from all these evil things.... - I Timothy 6:10-11 (NLT)

This is interesting - if your "spidey sense" (to borrow from an old cartoon) indicates trouble, you should check yourself. Why would you plow on? Because you're greedy for a big pot, or want to get even with someone for an earlier pot? If that's the motive, the Bible recommends running the other way.

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts... - II Timothy 2:22 (NLT)

(For some people, this could mean not playing poker at all - but that's not really our topic here.)

But you may be convinced that moving forward is the right thing to do. (For instance, it's easy when you have a nut flush.) If so, move ahead:

And the Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward...." - Exodus 14:15 (NKJV)

At this point, God was intervening to pull a nation out of Egypt - even splitting the Red Sea in two to do it (verses 21-30). He can back your wise decisions as well. He can even come to your rescue when a decision appears wrong; we've seen this happen in tournaments more than once.

In the case of our warning light, we stopped for advice from an expert. Obviously, that's not allowed in the middle of a poker hand - but we've seen blackjack dealers offer some from time to time. And after a hand or tournament, it's worth pursuing....

The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong. - Psalm 37:30 (NLT)

So feel free to comment - what was the biggest moment you've ever had in poker where your sense of trouble was right, and you had a "great lay-down"? Or even a bad one?

Up, Down and In Love

The man was in line to buy chips for a poker cash game. We stood next to him, buying into a tournament. As we waited, he shared some of his experiences with cards.

The man had traveled to Chicago a few times and started well, but it didn't last. That's because he went to the table with a relatively small stack of chips, and was crowded out by people betting with bigger stacks. So he tired of that, and returned to our area.

"Don't play scared," was his advice to us. "If you're afraid, you won't succeed." His words rang familiar, as we heard similar advice years ago playing free tournaments in Georgia bars.

Then we had a thought. "I read in a book that perfect love casts out fear." The man wasn't familiar with that, but liked the idea.

What book did we read? Regular visitors should know where we found that line....

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. - I John 4:18 (KJV)

Those words from the Bible set up a contrast you may not have considered. Love and fear are opposites. It can be true in all kinds of human relationships - whether romantic, international,  interracial, or even with other poker players. If you're afraid of someone, can you truly love them?

The Bible shows which side God is on in this clash:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for loves comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. - I John 4:7-8

Love is the basis for all God does - even things that may not seem so loving, such as destructive or deadly intervention in human affairs. In response, He wants us to be loving in all that we do:

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.... if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. - I John 4:11-12

In poker, that can mean being considerate with your words and actions. It can even mean not being afraid to lose to someone, and wishing the best when you do. After all, whatever the format, not everyone wins at a poker table.

We never saw that man the rest of the night, so we don't know how successful he was. But we hope you're not afraid to show some love to other people at the poker table. Some might say it sounds syrupy. But how many of us actually have tried to do it?

In the Eye of the Storm

Many poker games are friendly and good-natured - an evening for buddies to get together and have a good time. Many of our tournaments have been that way, even at casinos.

But what we saw in our first tournament at JACK Casino Cincinnati was different. Several of the players were dead serious - barking at each other and accusing them of committing violations worthy of penalties. It was a bit like WWE Monday Night Raw (even though that was not on any of the TV screens in the room).

In fact, a man to our right at the start of the evening seemed ready to draw us into the fuss. When we eliminated a player who went all-in, he bumped our chair with delight - the closest thing he could do to hugging us after a hockey goal. Apparently we'd knocked out one of his main rivals.

What do you do when it feels like you're surrounded by Phil Hellmuths having bad days? We picked up on the mood right away, so here's part of what we did....

1. FOCUS ON THE GAME. Instead of getting caught up in the circus around us, we played our cards (with perhaps one exception) as we normally would. There's a Biblical reminder along those lines....

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" - Matthew 14:28-30

Peter did something miraculous when he stepped out in faith and looked toward Jesus. When he saw stormy circumstances, trouble happened.

Many people pick on Peter for losing that focus - but consider this. Where were Jesus's other disciples at that moment? They "were terrified" and never left the boat (verse 26). Refusing to play poker until a stormy table calms down could cost you a big opportunity.

2. NOTE VIOLATIONS PEACEFULLY. At least twice during the tournament, a man to our left acted on his cards before we played ours.

"Uhhhhhhh....." we said loudly when it happened. That's all we needed to say; the dealer and others at the table got the message and responded accordingly. And we didn't rub it in to the other man. He had to skip some hands, and that was sufficient.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath.... - Romans 12:18-19

And along those lines....

3. BE SPORTSMANLIKE. When we finally lost at the final table, we walked around the table and shook the hand of the man who eliminated us. We didn't notice many others people doing that, but it's something we've always done.

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. - I Thessalonians 5:15

Take those small steps at a poker table - whether the mood is sunny or stormy - and you're likely to stand out as different from the crowd. But it probably will be in a respectful way.

The R.O.I.

"You usually don't play cash games," a poker dealer said as we passed the poker room entrance Thursday night.

"True," we replied. "But I'm here for something else."

We explained an unusual Thursday night trip to Kansas Star Casino was for a blackjack tournament. It guarantees a $20,000 prize pool with a $10,000 top prize, for a mere $35 buy-in.

Since we've had small gains at times playing blackjack and the buy-in was less than for a casino poker tournament, we decided to try it. Thursday's first night of qualifying had room for 108 players - but apparently not every seat was filled, as the Director invited late entries on the house mic before the third round.

We sat at a table of six in the first round, with a starting stack of $500 in chips. Everyone had 18 hands to build the biggest stack they could, using regular blackjack rules.

When the first count was taken after 12 hands, we had $962.50. That put us second at our table. But with the top 30 players on the evening advancing to the semifinals, would that be good enough?

Not knowing where "the cut" would come (to borrow from golf), we increased our betting in the last six hands. Ups and downs came, but a $250 payoff on the final hand gave us a final count of $912.50. That was second-best at our table, behind a man with $1,275. Two players went for it all on the final hand, and went bust.

We had to wait until 9:30 p.m. for the evening rankings to be revealed - and we were satisfied to place 19th. First place had $3,075, while the 30th-place cut was $640. All 30 of us move on to the semifinals 22 February, but we'll have to do better then. Only the top player at each table will move on to the finals, and only the top six finishers overall will make money.

"This reminds me of Jeopardy," we told a woman next to us at the table - as in how much to wager and when. We started at $25, and increased slowly from there as our stack grew.

But our 82.5% chip gain reminded us of something else. It's a parable of Jesus....

He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. 'Put this money to work,' he said, 'until I come back.'" - Luke 19:12-13

In this familiar Bible story, most of the servants put their "chip stacks" of one mina each to work. Eventually the king returned to check on them:

The first one came and said, "Sir, your mina has earned ten more." "Well done, my good servant," his master replied. "Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities." - Luke 19:16-17

A big reward for the servant who increased his stack by 1,000%! Another servant had a 500% return on investment, and received a five-city payoff (verses 18-19).

Then another servant came and said, "Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man...." - Luke 19:20-21

As someone told us at a poker night in Georgia years ago, "Scared money don't win." It didn't win here....

His master replied: "I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant!... Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?" - Luke 19:22-23

Refusing to bet the $500 at the blackjack tournament would not have made the cut. The king wound up removing the mina from the scared servant (verse 24). A parallel report of the parable offers this lesson from it....

For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. - Matthew 25:29

This parable has meaning far outside the casino walls. Jesus went to heaven to become King of Kings, and He'll come back to earth someday....

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. - Matthew 16:27

Among other things, Jesus will check to see what you've done with the "talents" (to use King James English) that God has given you. It's called the day of judgment:

...The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. - Revelation 20:12

You may think your "chip stack" in life is small. But God has given each of us the breath of life. What are you doing with that, to provide an "ROI" for what the "royal original Immanuel" has provided you?

The Ultimate Decision

In the world of illegal drugs, a "pusher" is a bad guy. In the world of poker, a "pusher" could be many things - such as someone who's "on tilt" and ready to leave the game, or someone bluffing a lot to scare opponents.

Our last post referred to how God is willing to provide for us (yes, even for poker players) - but it requires a commitment. We think it takes a pusher's commitment.  Yes, an "all-in" commitment.

He provides food to those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. - Psalm 111:5

God provides if we "fear." What exactly does that mean?

I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. - Psalm 37:25

God provides for "righteous" people.  There's a connection with fear there....

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. - Ecclesiastes 12:13

Fearing the Lord means keeping commandments because....

May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. - Psalm 119:172

God's commands are righteous things.  If we fear God and keep them, He'll provide for us - and might even do it in a poker room.  But we must commit to keeping God's commandments (such as Deuteronomy 5:6-21). And some of them might seem tough - especially if you're used to lying or stealing from other people.

Jesus talks in Luke 14:25-33 about the price of being His disciple and a "God-follower." We suggest you consider those verses carefully.  Are you willing to go "all-in" with Jesus, for the hope of eternal life? Even if it means giving up some things? We think it's worth it.... but that's ultimately up to you.

Rage Against the Machine

As we grew up, the "pokie" was the place to avoid. It was a synonym for jail - as in the corner square on a Monopoly board.

But in Australian lingo, a "pokie" is something else. It refers to a poker machine - and a new study shows a lot of Aussies like to play them. One machine in a hotel can make an average A$59,000 per year, while in casinos they make an average A$128,600.

We'd guess pokies are popular because you can play them quickly. and walk away if you lose a lot in a hurry. But while there's a time and place for such things and we've played them online, poker machines strike us as cold and  impersonal. They're a lot like slot machines.

When we play poker, we admittedly do it with multiple motives. One of them is to engage people in conversations, which we try to lead to matters of faith:

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. - Proverbs 27:17

By talking about poker with other players, you can learn things and improve your skills. When we talk about the things of God with others.... well, our NIV Study Bible notes on this verse put it this way: "Develops and molds his character."

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. - Malachi 3:17

Let's face it, though: you're far more likely to find "those who fear the Lord" at places other than casinos. If you want to talk deeply about the things of God, get involved in a local church congregation - especially one that is true to the Bible. (Believe it or not, many of them aren't.) And be sure to read your Bible often, so you have something to talk about.

Right or Wrong? Part 2

We continue our meditations from a radio ministry's sermon on gambling.

2. Investing and gambling are different things. The preacher argued purchasing stocks is a way for both businesses and shareholders to produce wealth, while the vast majority of gamblers lose.

We agree with the pastor on this, to the extent that there are good and bad investments every bit as much as there are good and bad "gambles." For instance, we know a couple which lost a lot of money after being persuaded to invest in pineapple farming.

We can't think of any poker players who say they've made money from slot machines at casinos. The odds of winning at those things simply are too steep. But wise poker players realize when they have the best chances of winning a hand. They "do the math" in their head, and compute the odds of making a flush draw or filling a full house.

The minister referred in passing to a classic parable of Jesus. It hit us along these lines a couple of years ago, like it never had before....

To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. The he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.- Matthew 25:15-16

The parable doesn't say exactly how that man doubled his money. But what happened when the giver returned from his journey?  Did Mr. Journeyman he call the "double-up" man greedy and covetous?

The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. "Master," he said, "you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more." His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" - Matthew 25:20-21

The double-up man was praised for his gain - and given an extra reward of being "in charge of many things!" Compare that with another man in the parable, who took a much more "conservative" approach:

But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money... "Master," he said, "I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you."  - Matthew 25:18, 24-25

Mr. One-Talent admittedly was motivated by fear - not only because he might lose everything, but he apparently knew some dark secrets about Mr. Journeyman.

His master replied, "You wicked, lazy servant!... you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest." - Matthew 25:26-27

Mr. Journeyman wanted at least a little something for his talent. Doing nothing with it was not an acceptable option.

"And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." - Matthew 25:30

The fearful man was declared disqualified from the "master's happiness" others received. As a man told us simply during a poker night years ago: "Scared money don't win."

Sitting at a poker table all night without playing a hand eventually will cost you money. You'll be "blinded out" every few hands, and maybe lose antes as well. The object of the game is to make "money" or chips, by handling it properly when the moment comes - a lot like stock investing. That's one big difference we see between playing poker and generic "gambling" on slots or greyhounds.

(NOTE: This will be a series of posts, so keep checking here for the next part.)

The Wild Life

So what has Martin Jacobson done since winning the World Series of Poker Main Event?  What - you don't know?  To be honest, we're not sure, either.

But another "poker pro" has made a lot of headlines - for the wrong reasons.  Dan Bilzerian was arrested this past week on charges of having materials to make a bomb.  That follows a case where he reportedly threw a naked actress into a swimming pool.

We don't follow the social media of poker players very much, but a news article on Bilzerian's arrest said this:

Bilzerian's popular Instagram account is consistently filled with photos of a playboy lifestyle: private jets, scantily clad women, piles of cash, guns, and Bilzerian shooting those guns in the desert.

And oh yes -- he does movie roles, too.

He sounds like every poker player stereotype come to life.  Yet check his poker record, and Bilzerian shows only one time when he placed in the money at a World Series of Poker event.

We don't know if Bilzerian is guilty of the bomb-making charge or not. But we think he's guilty of one thing -- a lifestyle that emphasizes material possessions.  And yes, we think that's something worth the title "guilty."

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. - Ecclesiastes 1:2 (KJV)

This "Preacher" was King Solomon of Israel.  He had more possessions and money than even modern-day millionaires (see I Kings 10 for a partial list).  Yet at the end of his life, he realized how vain it all was.

I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner.... - Ecclesiastes 5:13

Solomon admits being able to enjoy wealth and possessions is a "gift of God" (verse 19).  But how many people realize that, and give God thanks for it?  Even Solomon eventually caved in to sinful actions (I Kings 11).  That's why he concluded:

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. - Ecclesiastes 12:13

 May we all learn to do that "whole duty" better.  Better to fear God than be a playboy fearing arrest by the long arm of the law.

Bitter Bread

You're dealt pocket Queens, but face A-K and lose.  Or you're dealt pocket Aces and push, only to watch someone else make a flush that beats you.

What's a poker player to do?  It's easy to let it affect your play in upcoming games.  If you do that, you might be falling prey to one of the biggest potential perils -- worrying too much.

We heard a sermon on Christian radio this week which claimed (based on scientific research, we suppose) only eight percent of the things people worry about ever come to pass.  Yet if the minister was trying to dissuade people from worrying, he hurt his point when he told the story of a 1940s artist who built a mountain home to protect his children from city traffic - only to run over a toddler in his driveway.

Terrible tragedies in this world can make anyone concerned about the future.  So can a series of bad beats in a poker room.  Yet the Bible advises....

Vain is it to rise early for your work, and keep at work so late, gaining your bread with anxious toil! God's gifts come to his loved ones, as they sleep. - Psalm 127:2 (Moffatt)

People in Western cultures tend to be taught bitter-tasting things are bad, and sweet things are good.  Yet both can have benefits for you -- with bitter moments teaching us to savor sweet moments when they come.

We've attended church groups where a preacher might spend 15 minutes during a service listing examples of how the world grows more sinful and terrible by the day.  Despite it all, Jesus Christ told believers they should not worry about such things:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Matthew 6:34

Why not worry?  Because the Bible promises Jesus will come again and remove this world's bitterness and anxieties.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away - Revelation 21:4

Accomplishing that will take time.  But we're entering a season of the year picturing how that will happen.  People who keep the Biblical "fall holy days" learn about Jesus bringing the Kingdom of God from heaven to this earth.

Those days start tonight, with what Jews call Rosh Hashanah and some Christians call the Feast of Trumpets.  We suggest you consider those days carefully, using the Bible as your guide and praying for understanding of what they mean.  We believe the "King of Kings" can provide the ultimate victory over all our worries and anxieties.

The Fear Factor II

Our last post attempted to show the importance of fearing God - and even fearing Jesus Christ, our Savior.  (After all, the first part of John 1 shows Jesus is God.)  We stopped at the importance of overcoming our sinful nature.

Some poker locales sadly can lead to sinful things.  Bars can have alcohol and smoking (at least).  Casinos can fuel gambling addictions.  You can stay away from those places, to wean yourself off bad habits.  But truly overcoming takes something else....

Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. - I John 5:5

Sound simple - almost too simple?  Well, let's back up a verse:

...For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. - I John 5:4

Faith in Jesus and being "born again" brings overcoming.  But it comes by living out your faith every day.  Back up a little more....

This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome... - I John 5:3

Yes, God has "commands" for you to carry out.  But He provides help in doing them:

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. - I John 4:4

Who is that "one.... in you"?  Verse 2 indicates it's the Holy Spirit, which enters believers.

And here's the ironic thing: this section of the Bible indicates that poker player who asked why he should fear his Savior has a point....

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. - I John 4:18

We've heard ministers put it this way: We should fear God and Jesus Christ because they hold the power of ultimate judgment, life and death.  That's the idea of awe and respect. But those who obey God's commands don't need to fear every single move they make. They should love God for setting boundaries for right living and conduct.

It's easy to fear playing poker against a big winner with a championship reputation.  (Maybe you shouldn't - but that's another blog post.)  But the One everyone should fear is God - and we should live our lives accordingly.

The Fear Factor

At a recent poker tournament, we talked about how everyone should fear God.  That brought a good question from another player: "Why should I fear my Savior?"

Let's start with the simple answer: the Bible indicates we should....

Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.... - II Corinthians 5:11

OK, you may admit, the apostle Paul knew about it.  But why fear the Lord?  Back up one verse:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. - II Corinthians 5:10

If people are operating an illegal cash game in their home, there's a reason why they don't put a large ad in the newspaper promoting it.  They fear getting caught.  They fear police arriving, breaking up the game, sending people to jail and bringing those people eventually before a judge.  The thought of Jesus's final judgment should be even more concerning:

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.  Another book was opened, which is the book of life.  The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.... If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown in the lake of fire. - Revelation 20:12, 15

This judgment is a matter of life and death - eternal life and death.

We've become persuaded in recent years that everyone's name originally is in that "book of life" - but then something happens:

The Lord replied to Moses," Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book." - Exodus 32:33

Since we all sin (Romans 3:23), we've all had our name removed.  We need to get back in -- and that takes more than a strong finish in a "qualifier" somewhere.

He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white.  I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge is name before my Father and his angels. - Revelation 3:5

We need to overcome our sinful nature - and we can't do that by ourselves.  Our next post will explain the way to do that.

Poker Day 431: Run, Hide or Fight?

Our vacation didn't have poker stops every day.  But it ended today practically where it began - with a Friday midday tournament at Arrowhead Poker offering $400 in guaranteed money.  Only two tables full of players showed up, which increased our chances of success.  But would that make the competition that much tougher?

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: A-8 of spades

We won an early pot by hitting a flush on the river.  Now we have the Dealer button at a full table, with two promising cars.  Another player raises to 1,200, and we're not afraid to call.  About four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 6-7-8 (no spades)

We have top pair and top kicker.  But that combination of cards is loaded with trouble.  A man to our left bets 1,500.  A man across from us raises to 5,000.  Did he hit three of a kind?  Perhaps a straight already?  We think it over for a moment.  It's a big dare to call.

"I'll fold," we reluctantly decide.  Another player calls.

ON THE TURN: A

Ugh.  That would have been two pair.  Interestingly, both players in the hand slow down and check.

ON THE RIVER: A

Ouch!!!  Running Aces would have given us a full house -- but the odds of that happening are huge.

The remaining two players check again, and the man across from us showing 9-9.  He missed a straight draw, but his two pair wins the pot -- and leaves us stinging a bit.

We took a chance later with K-Q when both cards paired on the flop.  But no full house came while four clubs did.  A man to our right had clubs, while we did not -- and that combination cost us about 9,000 chips.

We went all-in at last with another K-Q combo -- but that didn't work, either.  Cards on the board were mid-range, and a 6-to-10 straight from another all-in player eliminated us in 16th place.  We wind up the week 0-for-3 in tournaments, and honestly not faring well in any of them.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "That's a God-fearing man, there," a man two seats to our right said to someone else.  He was gesturing in our direction.  And he's the man we talked with a couple of weeks ago about our towelette at the table.

There's one part of that discussion we haven't mentioned yet - how he responded to our question about Jesus as his Savior.  "I've been sober for a couple of years."  Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a medallion for Cocaine Anonymous.

That recovery program for drug addicts openly admits it follows the 12-step recovery method made famous by Alcoholics Anonymous.  Five of those 12 steps refer to "God" or a "Power greater than ourselves".  An ancient promise from the God of the Bible remains available today:

He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you." - Exodus 15:26

Pray for God to heal your difficulties -- whether gambling addiction, drug addiction or physical illnesses.  Look to Him in faith, as you walk in obedience to His commands each day.  You may find amazing change occurs, as it did with that man at the poker table.

So how did we answer the comment about being "God-fearing"?  We responded by saying, "Everyone should fear God."

That man seemed surprised by that statement.  "Why should I fear my Savior?" he asked.

How would you answer him?  Offer a comment if you'd like, and we'll reveal our answer in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 151 final tables in 431 games (35.0%) - 25 cashes.

Equal opportunity?

The ultimate "final table" in poker is only a couple of weeks away.  And again this year, all the survivors at the World Series of Poker Main Event have one thing in common.  They're all male.

This fact hasn't been overlooked by some women.  One wrote a column pointing out only four percent of the entries in this year's Main Event were female -- and making comparisons with corporate boards.  We're not sure that comparison is completely valid.  After all, anyone with $10,000 could buy a place at the Main Event -- regardless of gender, skin color or national origin.

But the author's real point seems to be that women shouldn't be afraid to sit down and play poker.  And that point seems valid to us -- a point equally valid for believers in God.

Sometimes fear creates stereotypes, and vice versa.  People might not play poker based on fears of what others around the table might think -- or what their friends away from the table might think.  But is that how a believer should live?

There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love. - I John 4:18

This verse is based on the understanding that God is love (verses 8, 16), and we should love our brothers (verses 20-21).  It's very possible a "brother" (or even a sister) in Christ could be waiting at a poker table -- or God could use you to develop one through your witness and example to them.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. - Proverbs 29:25

We've heard ministers put it this way: Let God be your confidence.  And God is the One who truly should be feared -- not humans:

But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear him. - Luke 12:5

Are you afraid of losing money at the table?  That's understandable.  Then find free places to play.  That's how we started.  If your town doesn't have live games, there are plenty of places to play for free online -- and who knows, you might score a win every once in a while.

We've played in tournaments over the years where women have done very well, making final tables while we stared from the outside.  They certainly were not excluded.  So what's holding you back from the table?  And even more importantly, what's holding you back from approaching God's group -- joining others in worshiping and following Him?

Poker Night 399: If You're H-AA-ppy and You Know It

Did you know Wednesday was the first-ever International Day of Happiness?  But sadly, we're not happy with the alleged misconduct by a manager at Lil Kim's Cove.  So we chose to stay away this week, and instead went to Soho Bar and Grill.  When poker night comes, some hands make players happier than others....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: A-A

Why yes, we are happy to see these "pocket rockets."  But we're sitting "under the gun" -- first to act at this table of seven.  So we play by our usual approach: limp early, bet late.  We simply call the blind, and wait for big bettors.  Only problem: no one raises.

ON THE FLOP: A-9-6 (third card may not be precise)

A third Ace suggests our patience may be rewarded.  A quiet young woman to our right starts things off, with a modest bet of 100.

"Looks like she wants to play," a man across the table says.

"We're going to find out," we respond -- and raise to 600.  This convinces several players to fold.  A man across from us calls, as does that young woman.

ON THE TURN: 9

Now we have a full house.  We're sure a reward is coming -- but how much?  The young woman checks.  We really don't want to scare our opponents off, so we settle on a bet of 1,000.

"I'm all-in," the man opposite us says.  He has about 9,000 chips.  Then the young woman goes all-in as well, for 325 more!

"I have to go all-in," we say with a bit of resignation in our voice.  We have about 11,000 chips after winning a couple of earlier pots, so we have the other players covered.

"So it's 325 over here?" we ask about a sidepot.  "And I think I'm going to get a lot more."

We flip over our Aces, and the table is stunned.  The only hand which could top ours is 9-9, to make quads.

ON THE RIVER: 3

The young woman shows A-8 -- only two pair.  We're not sure exactly what the man had, but it fell short.  We eliminate two players, capture a massive pot in the range of 30,000 chips -- but never even think of doing a "happy dance."  That would show up the losers, you know.

The first hour brought more success, and we reached the one-hour break at 37,500 chips.  But then things looked weak, as strong hands such as A-Q and Q-Q lost to two pair.  With the blinds rising, we dealt ourselves another pair of pocket Aces.  Going all-in with 10,500 worked for us, for a "triple-up" rebuilding -- and after two hours, we were back to the 37,500 we had before.

Patient play after that brought us to the final table -- but then we called a bet of 25,000 with A-J, only to see things escalate from there.  We dared to put in our last 15,000, only to see other players with A-9 and A-Q.  A man with K-K had the lead, and won it all when the board didn't pair for anyone.  We finished tied for eighth (eighth in points) -- a satisfying night, at a room with more than 30 players.

MINISTRY MOMENT: One man at the final table was puzzled about our long nail, which we used as a card protector.  We wound up explaining to three people how it reminded us of the price Jesus paid for our sins.

"Do you believe in Jesus?  Is He your Savior?" we asked one man to our immediate right.  His answer was yes, so we asked what the Lord has been doing for him.

"Keeping my head above water," the man answered.

That's been the case for us in recent months as well.  The days have not been easy, when it comes to finances.  But the Bible promises....

He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate.  He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. - Psalm 111:4-5

The key words in this promise are "those who fear him."  If you fear God, blessings such as food will follow.  Jesus reinforced this point:

So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?".... But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:31, 33

Don't give in to the temptation to take "short cuts," when tough times come.  Walk honorably and morally before God, and have faith He will honor you in return.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 138 final tables in 399 nights (34.6%) - 21 cashes.

As of now, it appears next week will be a "spring break" for us from live poker.  A busy schedule may not allow any trips to tournaments.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 283 point wins in 1,399 games (20.2%), 92 final tables, 10 wins, 12 cashes.  No-River Hold 'em - 30 point wins in 116 games (25.9%), 25 final tables, 1 win, 2 cashes.

Sunday night was very good for us in a tournament with 1,180 players.  We finished 38th - easily in the money at a poker room, but awarded no points or money at NLOP (only the top seven won cash).

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $85,160, down $617 (total corrected).

Whose Side Are You On?

It's the biggest day of the year for U.S. football fans - the day of the "so-called Super Bowl" (as our Pastor called it during a sermon this weekend).

You may be rooting for one particular team.  But a new survey raises a provocative question: does God root for a team?  The survey found 27 percent of U.S. residents believing so -- to the point that they think God plays a role in determining which side wins.

This question can be extended to the poker table.  Does God care who wins your weekly tournament?  The World Series of Poker Main Event?  Even a televised contest, where a winner's profession of faith might be heard by large numbers of people?

We could turn to Bible verses on both sides of this issue.  Some indicate a good "work ethic" and training (which you'd think God would bless) doesn't always pay off in victory:

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. - Ecclesiastes 9:11

"Bad timing," one online player wrote when we escaped an all-in moment against him the other day.  We've had moments of good timing, too -- such as A-A being dealt to us at a decisive Big Blind.  But we're honest enough to admit that doesn't always happen.

Here's another verse we've heard ministers quote often, which relates to this topic:

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.... - Acts 10:34 (KJV)

So He doesn't care who wins the football game or poker tournament -- right?

Well, hold on.  The problem with that thinking is that many ministers stop quoting the Scripture there.  Keep reading....

But in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him. - Acts 10:35 (KJV)

Do you understand what Peter's saying?  If you fear God and live a righteous life, God will accept you -- no matter what your background, skin color or national origin.  And the Bible shows that "fear" has a payoff:

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. - Hebrews 11:6

Faithfully seeking God will be rewarded -- and that can take many forms.  In this life, it could be an unlikely victory in a poker room.  But the ultimate reward from God is far more important....

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. - Matthew 16:27

We've leave it to God to reveal someday if He intervened and took sides in a Super Bowl or a WSOP tournament.  What matters more is that we're on God's side - to receive blessings from Him, both now and in eternity.

To Fear or Not to Fear

We began a Tuesday night online poker tournament by writing this:


Me:  Happy Fear of Issac
Me:  night to all.
bryant284:  no fear
Me:  Fear can be good
Me:  and bad.
strawberry1:  22
jodygirl:  donk
Dealer:  j3rs3yguy wins Main Pot ($2,120) with Straight, five to nine
Me:  That phrase refers
Me:  to God. 

Oops - we misspelled the name of the approaching hurricane.  It's Isaac.  And as we write this, it's dumping devastating rain on Louisiana.

Our sympathies go out to people whose homes and lives are at risk from this storm.  But did you know the phrase "fear of Isaac" is in the Bible?

If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed.... - Genesis 31:42 (see also verse 53)

How interesting - it's the God of Abraham, but the Fear of Isaac.  Our review of the Bible shows Isaac is the only name where "Fear" is substituted for God.

So what about the player who declared "no fear"?  We've quoted the poker cliche from time to time, "Scared money won't win."  No one wins a pot by folding; the rules simply don't allow it.  The only way to make money is to bet.  But away from the table, is that a good way to live?  The Bible can seem contradictory on that....

There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love. - I John 4:18

So if the love of God is working in your life, you have nothing to fear in this world.  Even if the worst should happen, God has plans for you far beyond this life.

But wait, you may be asking -- then why is God the "Fear of Isaac"?  Because God is the One you really should fear.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. - Matthew 10:28

Jesus is describing what's called in Scripture the "second death" (Revelation 20:14) - which follows the death of our physical bodies and a resurrection to God's judgment.

We're open to your ideas on this, but we think Isaac attached "Fear" to God because of what happened when he blessed his sons in Genesis 27 - blessings clouded by family deceit.  As a modern-day Isaac wreaks havoc with many lives, put your fear in the God who ultimately is in charge.

A Real Tongue-Leashing

The flop seemed nondescript, and downright ordinary - 8-7-4 with different suits.  But when one woman at our table saw that the other night, she couldn't believe her eyes.  She'd folded her hand before the flop, and clearly now regretted it.

"Son of a...."

"Check," we said - not only because we were first to act, but to help finish her sentence in a nice way.

To her credit, the woman stopped short and realized what she was at the brink of doing.  "Please forgive me, God.  Please forgive me, God," she said quietly.

This was one of those rare moments when a fellow poker player responded to our "prompt" in a positive way.  To borrow a cliche, the woman bit her tongue.  It's something we wish more people did -- in general, not simply at a poker table.

As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one.... Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.  The poison of vipers is on their lips.  Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." - Romans 3:10, 13-14

You can probably guess how an unrighteous person would have finished that exclamation about the 8-7-4 flop.  We can remember when that was considered cursing; sadly, it's now practically a standard part of the vocabulary.  The apostle Paul goes on to explain why this trend is happening....

There is no fear of God before their eyes. - Romans 3:18

A right and proper fear of God should change not only the way we walk, but the way we talk.  Instead of "talking trash" around the poker table, it's possible to do the exact opposite:

A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.  Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. - Proverbs 16:23-24

Not even U.S. presidential candidates are immune from making regrettable comments and misstatements.  But you can be different.  Ask for God's help in choosing your words as carefully as you play your poker hands.