Five Will Cost You Ten

The sign on one table offers "$5 blackjack." But when we sat down to play on our first trip to JACK Casino Cincinnati, we were surprised and disappointed.

You can plunk down $5 for the basic game. BUT you're also required to plunk down $5 more on "TriLux" - what JACK calls a side bet similar to three-card poker. It pays at least five to one if your two cards plus one of the dealer's makes a straight, flush or three of a kind.

At every other place where we've played blackjack, this side bet is optional. To make it mandatory seems at least misleading to us - and maybe more.

The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. - Proverbs 11:1

They don't weigh the chips in a casino - but do you see the principle here? It's about being truthful in conducting business. If you're going to put "$5" on your sign, charge five dollars. The Bible reinforces this:

Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt. - Leviticus 19:36

You can look up what an "ephah" and a "hin" are on your own time. Our point is being honest - mentioned four times in this single verse.

While the old phrase, "Honesty is the best policy," is not in the Bible, the concept certainly is. And ultimately, none of us can be dishonest before God. He sees it all (II Chronicles 16:9) - so with that in mind....

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure.... if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think abut such things. - Philippians 4:8

Yes, that means truth at a poker table as well. Betting a bluff is part of the game, but you don't have to lie about your hand with your words. While some casinos may do things along those lines with their promotions, that doesn't mean you have to follow their example.

Oh yes - after Monday night's poker game, we took advantage of a newcomer "free bet" slip at that "$5 blackjack" table. TriLux turned into a diamond flush, and we beat the dealer for $35 on the first hand.

"That happens all the time here," the dealer said. Hopefully he was not offended when we took the money and left.

Lessons From a Drop-Out

"Are you doing OK?" the woman behind the bar asked us the other night.

We patted our pockets, then gave a surprising answer. "I don't know."

The problem was that our wallet was not in either pocket. Had we forgotten it somehow?

We quickly retraced our steps, starting in the poker room - and that's where our short search ended.

"I thought you might be looking for that," a man said as we spotted our wallet on top of our chip stack, during the first tournament break. Apparently it dropped out of our pocket at some point.

We thanked the man for his good dead - then added: "It's nice to see there's some honesty in poker."

Poker, of course, is a game known for bluffing. We've done it a few times to "steal" pots from other players. But after almost nine years of playing live poker, in six U.S. states, one Canadian province and aboard one cruise ship, we've learned something which might surprise you: the vast majority of poker players are ethical people. The "stealing" starts and stops at the table.

For the Lord your God detests.... anyone who deals dishonestly. - Deuteronomy 25:16

The context of this verse involves weights and measures. But we think this verse is more than a warning to business owners and farmers' markets. God wants us to be honest in all that we do.

A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. - Proverbs 12:17

Yes, we think that means speaking true words at the poker table. If an opponent asks probing questions about your hand, you can always keep your mouth shut or dodge the issue.

He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless. - Proverbs 2:7

We don't think this verse is a guarantee of wins in poker tournaments. We do think it's a promise of ultimate victory - advancing to eternal life with Jesus when He comes back to Earth. That will be a life you can't lose. And you might not need wallets to hold cash anymore, either.

Bluff and Tumble

As the smoke seems to clear from the crackdown on poker rooms in our city, we're reminded of the woman who was told a business had declared itself a poker room on a liquor license application. She said: "They didn't have to be so honest."

Well, hold on here. If you want to stay in business and avoid a police raid, shouldn't you be honest?

Bluffing, of course, is a part of playing poker. That's a game, you know  But people who make that a way of life risk a lot of trouble.

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.... who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? - Luke 18:10-11 (NLT)

Jesus said these words - and as the Son of God, we think He'll have a major "say" in who will be trusted with those true riches someday. Wouldn't it be a good idea to prove to Him how honest you are, with both large matters and small.
 
Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace. - Psalm 37:37 (NLT)

That future is eternal - as in eternal life, serving under God and Jesus Christ.

But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future. - Psalm 37:38 (NLT)

Gulp!  Read the last part of Revelation 20 for more details on that. Then ask yourself: which way are you walking? On the side of honesty - or potentially over a bluff, from which you can't return?

Right or Wrong? Part 3

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

3. The vast majority of gamblers lose.

We haven't done research on this, but we suspect it's true. That's how casinos make a profit, after all. We've wondered in recent years why several casinos in Atlantic City have closed. Have more people realized they're losing, so they don't play anymore?  Or are people actually getting better at the games?

But here's our issue with that point. The minister tried to make comparisons with investing in business - yet statistics show most start-up businesses fail as well. They fail at a slower rate than gamblers (ten years vs. a ten-day junket), but 71 percent eventually fail.

But our link had an amazing note about which kind of business has the "best rate of success after [the] fifth year." It's religious organizations. In other words, doing things for God pays off!

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. - I Corinthians 3:6-7

The apostle Paul is referring here to church growth, with new people becoming converted. But there's a principle here that religious organizations should understand better than anyone - that it's only by God's grace and mercy that anything grows. If that's true with church membership, why shouldn't it be true with a business? Or even success at a poker table, for those who believe God?

4. Gambling transgresses honesty. The preacher called it thievery "by mutual consent."

This may be true in back-alley dice-rolling and basement poker nights.  But many poker rooms and casinos take pains to ensure everything is on the up-and-up - like the day we had to take a one-blind penalty for acting too soon in a tournament.

A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. - Proverbs 12:17

This point really comes to your personal ethics. Are you honest with your words and actions at a poker table? Or do you lie (if that's too harsh, "shade the truth" a bit) to get your way?

It's our policy always to be truthful during poker tournaments. Sometimes that means saying nothing, when an opponent asks probing questions about our hand.

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. - Ecclesiastes 5:2

We think it's better to say nothing and protect your reputation than tell a lie and risk ruining it.

(NOTE: This is a series of posts; keep checking here for the next part.)

Stuck In Neutral

Can playing poker make you a business success?  We've seen several articles over the years indicating the answer is yes.

The latest one comes from the executive vice president of a high-tech company.  Scott Welch offers five business lessons he's learned from poker rooms.  His top tip is "watching for clues" - checking people's body language or "tone of voice" to determine if they're honest or phony.

In poker, we suspect one of the best approaches to take with a hand is neutrality.  Make yourself as nondescript as possible, in your betting gestures or comments.  We learned to do this long before we entered our first poker tournament -- and sadly, we learned it by listening to church messages which sometimes made outlandish or inaccurate claims.

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. - Proverbs 10:19

There are times when saying nothing during a hand is the best way to stay out of trouble.  You won't be caught lying, and you might leave your opponent guessing.

Even a fool is thought wise is he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue. - Proverbs 17:28

But the wise writer of these proverbs also noted this....

There is a time for everything.... a time to be silent and a time to speak.... - Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7

So we're open for your thoughts on this.  When do you decide to speak during a poker hand, and when do you keep quiet?  Does it depend on the opponent?  The time in the tournament?  Leave a comment, and we'll get back to this in a future post.

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.

Poker Night 401: The Man Who Wouldn't Leave

It's a short two-minute walk from our home -- and the place where we first played live poker in June 2007.  But tonight, we played our final scheduled Thursday night tournament at Lil Kim's Cove.  Not because of the club's recent legal problems -- but because a life-changing event is approaching for us (details coming soon).

We didn't tell anyone at the table that this was our finale.  In fact, we didn't have a lot to say -- as we still feel sickly, and the hands didn't always thrill us.  For instance....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: 10-3 offsuit

The one-hour break is almost here, and our cards have been almost as lethargic as our body.  A hopeful A-9 led to an Ace on the flop -- but a man with a big stack bet 3,000, and we misread his intentions by folding.  (He only had A-2.)

Now we're in the Big Blind with about 4,200 chips.  Thankfully, no one raises to make us fold.  We check with hope.

ON THE FLOP: 10s-6c-8s

At this point, any top pair will do for making a move.  We set out 600.  A couple of players fold; about three others call.

ON THE TURN: 8h (suit may not be precise)

The board pairs, but we decide we can't afford to back down.  Our bet increases to 1,000.  The response is split again, as two other players call.

ON THE RIVER: 9s

"That 9 just f***ed somebody up," a player out of the hand declares.  Sure enough -- both straight and flush doors are open.  We respect that fact and check.  But Mr. Big Stack flings out 4,000.

"I think you're right," we tell the observer as we fold.

"You shouldn't have done that," he tells us.  He's skeptical of "bullying" tactics.

"Straight," the big stack announces seconds later.  No, we were absolutely right.  He has K-7 for a straight.

We wanted to maximize our profits in this hand, so tried the "turn up the heat" approach.  But players with big stacks aren't likely to be scared away by that approach; they can afford to chase something big.  Perhaps we should have pushed on the flop?!

A final push came for us in the second hour with K-Q.  The board didn't pair for us, while that wealthy man had pocket 5's to top us.  We finished 14th in our final night at the Cove -- and rewarded the winner with a coupon for a free local car wash which we've never used, and won't be able to use after next week.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We had J-J under the gun in an early hand, and tried limping in.  The Big Blind to our right checked -- and we held up his cards so loosely we could tell he had 9-9.  The flop was 7-A-9, so the man with three of a kind bet 1,000.

"I'm going to make a confession," we told him.  "I saw what you had, so I'll fold."  We said nothing more until the hand ended, and the Big Blind revealed his 9's.

"I didn't mean to show them," he told us. Certainly not.  But it was only fair for us to admit we had a sneak peek.  Of course, to us it's a matter of Biblical ethics....

You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.  For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, any one who deals dishonestly. - Deuteronomy 25:15-16

The phrase "honesty is the best policy" is not in the Bible.  But it's clearly the approach God prefers -- even if He sometimes seems to pull a "fast one" on people.  For instance....

The God said, "Take your son, your only son,  Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah.  Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." - Genesis 22:2

Isaac was the promised son of Abraham's old age (21:2-3) -- and now God wanted him killed for a sacrifice?!  Surely this made no sense.  But Chapter 22 shows Abraham obeyed God, anyway.  An angel stopped the offering in the nick of time:

"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything on him.. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." - Genesis 22:12

In modern broadcasting talk, this was "only a test" for Abraham.  And perhaps God's doing some kind of test in your life right now, to see if you'll stay faithful and loyal to Him.  Abraham obeyed, and everything worked out fine.  Put God first in all your activities, and the same thing can happen for you.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 138 final tables in 401 nights (34.4%) - 21 cashes.  One more tournament remains before we update the detailed statistics of our play.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 283 point wins in 1,409 games (20.1%), 93 final tables, 10 wins, 13 cashes.  No-River Hold 'em - 31 point wins in 119 games (26.1%), 25 final tables, 1 win, 2 cashes.

We're only playing full tournaments where no points are awarded -- but last Friday, we made it all the way to paydirt!  A sixth-place finish out of 804 players earned us all of five dollars.  But it beats zero dollars -- and we hit quad Kings along the way.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $84,500, down $660.

The Advantage Law

The other night we noticed something about the poker player sitting to our immediate left.  So between hands, we whispered an advisory to that woman.

"I can see what you have, when you lift your cards."  In other words, we could tell what kind of hand the woman had.

We don't recall her saying anything in response -- but her facial reaction was one of surprise.  Perhaps it was because another player actually told her he could take advantage of her actions.

"What are you doing?" may be your first response to this.  "Don't you want to win the tournament, and get the money??"  Yes -- but the Christian in us puts fairness and ethics ahead of winning money:

It is God's will that you should be sanctified.... no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him.  The Lord will punish men for all such sins.... - I Thessalonians 4:3, 6

The context of this passage refers to sexual sins, but we think the standard should apply in all walks of life.  In fact, Paul does that elsewhere in his writings.

Why not rather be wronged?  Why not rather be cheated?  Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.  Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? - I Corinthians 6:7-9

We live in a world where professional athletes, and even corporate executives, look for every edge they can to gain an advantage over their competition.  If it's done legally and within the rules, that's one thing.  But if someone cheats to get ahead, that's another.  Instead, our motive should be....

The commandments.... "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."  Love does no harm to its neighbor.  Therefore  love is the fulfillment of the law. - Romans 13:9-10

Huh?!  We're supposed to practice love -- at a poker tournament??  Yes.  In fact, we should practice it everywhere.  That's what the God who is defined as love does (I John 4:8).

Dear children, let us not love with words of tongue but with actions and in truth. - I John 3:18

A word of quiet advice can be an act of love, of course.  What sort of loving example do you set - in the poker room, and outside it?

Poker Night 310: K-9 Corpse

We now have two choices for live poker on Monday nights.  For now, we're opting for The Red Barn in Phenix City over The Suite in Columbus.  The Suite is a more attractive place, but The Red Barn is a little closer, the soft drinks are less expensive ($1.50 vs. $2.25) and our income is limited at the moment.

The Red Barn also has one quirky "house rule," which can turn a game upside-down.  It came into play for us tonight....

BLINDS: 500/1000

IN THE POCKET: K-9

We have been dealt "The Rodney," named after the Tournament Director.  If you win a pot with this hand, you earn a 5,000-chip bonus -- and if the cards are suited, the bonus doubles to 10,000.  Our K-9 is not, but it certainly has our attention at a semifinal table of six.  We start with 11,500 chips and are ready to call.  Then another player raises to 3,000, and we still join in.

ON THE FLOP: K-8-7

Top pair increases our hopes for a big hand.  We're in lead position, but decide to check and let the raiser to our left do the work.  That man bets 2,000; a woman across the table raises to 5,000.  We call, making a huge commitment to this pot.

ON THE TURN: 4 (as best we recall)

We have 3,500 left, and are ready to push if need be.  But we check again -- and are a bit relieved when the two other players in the hand check.

ON THE RIVER: 7

This gives us two pair, and we decide it's time to be forceful.  "I'm all-in," we announce -- dropping down our last 3,500, in the hope our opponents will surrender and fold.  Trouble is, they both have bigger chip stacks.

The man to our left didn't want to see that move.  "I've got to pay to see it," he decides.  He calls.  The woman across from us agrees, and calls as well.

"I have The Rodney," we say as we turn over our cards.  We feel confident, as the man to our left shows a 10 as if he missed a draw.

"King-Queen."  Noooooo!  The woman has a bigger kicker, wins the pot and eliminates us.  No wonder she raised on the flop (a detail we'd forgotten).

We leave the table in 12th place -- then walk over to Rodney the Tournament Director.  We explain what happened, and pretend to cry on his shoulder.

"I'm thinking about adding a 'bad beat' prize for The Rodney," he admits.  But we didn't have that tonight.  And come to think of it, we should have suggested making K-9 "wild" to trump everything else.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Today is National Honesty Day," we said to both tables where we played tonight.  We're not being dishonest and making that up.  We spotted it as a trending topic on Twitter during the day; it's the idea of an author in Maryland.

"It's a day all poker players can appreciate," we said both in person and online.  That made a couple of people smile, seeing the irony in our comment.  After all, bluffing is part of the game in poker -- and even a little misleading "trash talk" at times.  But in life....

Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.  Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin.  I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. - Leviticus 19:35-36

The margin of our Bible indicates the "ephah" and "hin" were dry and liquid measures in Old Testament times.  In modern terms, wouldn't you be upset if a gallon jug of milk only contained three-fourths of a gallon?  God would be upset as well -- and that also applies to the things we say.

A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.... Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. - Proverbs 12:17, 19

You might be tempted to challenge the last part of that Scripture.  History is filled with famous false statements -- such as U.S. President Richard Nixon declaring, "I am not a crook," or President Bill Clinton emphasizing, "I did not sexual relations with that woman."

We like the way the Moffatt paraphrase puts verse 19: "Truth told endures; a lie lasts only for a little while."  And think of it another way: Jesus Christ who called Himself "the truth" (John 14:6) is ruling alongside God the Father eternally, while Revelation 22:15 warns someone who "loves and practices falsehood" eventually will be outside God's Kingdom.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 109 final tables in 310 games (35.2%) - 17 cashes.

Lips, Inked

We told you earlier this week about the Tournament Director who plans to get a new tattoo with the Latin words for "praise to God."  That's obviously something a poker ministry would support.... right?

Well, not so fast.  It's one thing to praise God verbally....

My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. - Psalm 71:8

It's also a good thing to lift your arms, in worshiping God....

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. - I Timothy 2:8

But putting words of praise on those arms?!  There's a warning about that hidden in an Old Testament book which doesn't usually get a lot of attention:

Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord. - Leviticus 19:28

"But that's Old Testament," some people might answer.  "We're not under that anymore!"  Yet this is the same chapter of Leviticus where the principle to "love your neighbor as yourself" is introduced (verse 18) -- not to mention showing respect for older people (verse 32) and using honest weights and measures (verses 35-36).  Would anyone dare say those decrees of God (which verse 37 indicates they are) are out of date, too?

It would be an easy cliche for us to say God made your skin in His image (see Genesis 1:26), so there's no need for you to add anything to it.  But that would open a potentially big debate about women wearing makeup, and we've been in church groups which have flip-flopped on that issue numerous times over the years.  And then there's a statement we found while writing this post:

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. - Isaiah 49:15-16

God is speaking these words to the nation of Israel -- and the Hebrew word for "engraved" is different from the word for "tattoo". Yet it can still refer to painting.  So what about these marks on the palms of God?  We're open to ideas on this, but we're led to think there's a connection with Jesus Christ:

But he [Thomas] said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." - John 20:25b

Call him "Doubting Thomas" if you wish, but this disciple apparently was convinced Jesus was nailed to the cross.  Jesus showed Thomas those hands in verse 27 -- so could they be the "marks" God uses to remember Israel until Christ returns?  They aren't tattoo marks, but they're marks all believers long to see someday.